your password is a word that is found in the dictionary it can be hacked by software designed by hackers to break into computers, networks and accounts.
There are fundamental rules in regards to passwords that must be adhered to and the majority of users decline to heed that advice. It is not for the entertainment of your IT person to have a complex password, it is to provide you some basic front line security. The intricate methodologies that hackers are using to steal and defraud people are mind boggling and in America the most common password is “password” followed by “123456.” You might as well send out some mailers that you are hosting a “ready to be hacked cocktail party.” Mojitos will be served as well as some delicious conch salad. Get your head straight and tighten up those password protocols.
Passwords are ground zero for the security of your data and information stored on PCs, Servers, or in the Cloud. Let’s jump on into specific situations that you are setting yourself up for if you have a weak password. A weak password can allow viruses to take control of your computer and spread through your network.
Hackers could also take over your email address or social media account and start sending out malware or malicious messages to your contacts. Or secretly take over the machine as part of a bot-net operation – defined as a network of private computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the owners’ knowledge, e.g., to send spam messages.
Choosing a password is easy, here are some pointers. Don’t use proper names, words that can be found in the dictionary, common character sequences (123 etc.), variations of your user ID, social security numbers, pets name, place of birth (anything that a hacker or identity thief targeting you might be able to find on line).
Here is what you want in your password. At least 8 characters in length, use a letter, number and punctuation mark in your password, and capitalize at least 1 of the letters. If you follow these guidelines you will make the hackers job more difficult.
When it comes to how to remember your password, do not write a sticky note on the PC that your cleaning crew or anyone else in your office might be able to see. That pretty much defeats the purpose of having the password. There are several tech tools to assist you with keeping track of them, check out: Password Boss, Roboform, or Password Genie to get an idea of what kind of products are out there to assist you.
When IT people tell you to change your password, or make sure it is complex, make sure to listen. They are not trying to annoy you, they are trying to make sure you are as secure as possible.
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Blake Dowling is chief business development officer at Aegis Business Technologies. His technology column is published monthly. Contact him at dowlingb@aegisbiztech.com or at www.aegisbiztech.com.
