With so many different accounts, websites and databases requiring user and password setup, it might be something that is overlooked.
What is a Password?
Firstly, what is a password?
A password, or passcode is a secret word, phrase, or set of characters that is used to confirm a user’s access to a place – whether that is a physical location or a digital website.
Passwords are unique to an authorised user and are typically made up of characters, numbers and letters to authenticate the user.
Why Are Passwords Important?
Passwords are put in place to protect your data and information stored in a certain location. They’re a security measure put in place to stop unauthorised access to this information.
Without a password in place, unauthorised users would be able to access everything in your accounts, which could include sensitive information such as card details, addresses and more.
What is a Strong Password?
There is a difference between a regular password and a good password.
When we refer to a ‘good’ or ‘strong’ password, we generally refer to a string of characters and numbers that is difficult for someone to guess. A strong, unique password is less likely to get cracked by hackers.
Many website portals define different levels of strong passwords to help you create a good password. Some applications also set minimum levels of strength to ensure that all users set up stronger passwords.
Why Are Strong Passwords Important?
To this day, people will use their pet’s name, ‘password’, place of birth, any word in the dictionary or just ‘123456’ for their passwords. Many people would also probably be tempted to then use the same password for all their accounts.
These days hackers can decrypt the above examples within seconds with automated tools. Because technology has advanced so far, it’s even more important to incorporate strong passwords for your accounts and software.
Hacks can also come in all shapes and sizes. For example, it could be a disgruntled employee wanting to steal data they don’t have access to or an external source.
Ultimately, any standard password can be broken but if you make the password more complicated then it makes it a lot harder to crack. Strong passwords minimize the risk of identity theft and other cybercrimes.
How to Make a Strong Password
Now, I hear you say, what makes a good password? Here are some basic starting points for when you’re creating a strong password.
- Make sure it’s at least 12 characters long
- Use a mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters
- Use numbers
- Use special characters, such as ! * ? £
These are just some of the key things to consider when creating a new password. There are many best practices that you can follow to ensure your password is strong.
Password Best Practices
It’s not just the password itself that’s important. There are some extra ways you can protect your data. From how you store your passwords to additional security steps. Here are some password best practices.
Use a password manager
A secure password manager can help you keep track of all those complicated password strings without having to write them down.
What is a password manager? A password manager is essentially a digital vault for you and your organisation to store online login credentials. You can then access your stored passwords using a master password and autofill your details when logging into recognised sites.
Password managers work across a variety of platforms and devices so you can use it with ease. Everything in the manager is encrypted to protect your passwords, making it more difficult for hackers to get access to your accounts.
Set unique passwords
For ease, you might be tempted to create and remember one password to use across every account, but this would make it easier for hackers to access everything. This means if they crack that password, they then have instant access to all your details across every account, which could include bank details, addresses and more.
To prevent this, make sure you use different passwords for each of your accounts and websites. That way, if one password is compromised, your other accounts are not.
These are just a few examples of best practices you should consider when it comes to protecting your data. There are lots of other ways you can support your organisation’s security. Check out our further reading links at the bottom of this post for more tips.
Updating Passwords in Clik Service
It is essential in a business that you give your databases a strong password. If you need to change your Clik Service admin password, then please read our updating password article.
