The vCIO Corner

The Importance of Your Password Hygiene

Written by EpiOn | Aug 7, 2024 11:00:00 AM

You’ve probably heard about major security breaches in the news recently. In some of the most significant attacks, cyber thieves used weak end-user passwords to bypass security defenses. Studies show that following a few basic password guidelines could avoid many breaches. We need your help to make sure that your organization stays safe. Your team at EpiOn has a few tips and resources to make this easy for you.

We all have passwords, possibly even dozens, that we use for work and personal accounts. The good news is that there are some simple rules to follow when creating and storing them. By following these best practices, your accounts are much less likely to be compromised.

Do’s

Don’ts

  • Use long 18-character passwords
  • Change passwords annually
  • Use a password manager
  • Use multi-factor authentication

 

  • Don’t re-use passwords
  • Don’t store passwords in your browser
  • Don’t save passwords in a file
  • Don’t write down passwords
  • Don’t email passwords

 

For tips on creating long passwords, see this Knowledge Base article on the EpiOn Portal, “Password Policies and Management”.

Remembering long, random, and unique passwords for all accounts is a challenge. That’s why EpiOn provides you with a secure password management app called LastPass as a part of your standard support package.

If you are not yet using LastPass, please contact the EpiOn Support Team and we will be happy to activate your account.

 

Use LastPass to Improve Your Security Score

If you are already using LastPass, Thank You! Getting your passwords into a secure password manager is just the first step. LastPass can help significantly improve your cyber hygiene by finding weak, re-used, stale, or compromised passwords. Review your risky passwords by visiting the Security Dashboard within LastPass and then clicking View Passwords. You can then go ahead and take the recommended actions, such as a password reset. LastPass can even take you to the related site; once your password is changed, the new password will be updated automatically. It is that easy!

Summary

Remember, we must all do our part to help defend against cyber-attacks. Following these simple steps can significantly improve your company's security. 

  1. Follow password best practices!
  2. Use LastPass Password Manager
  3. Visit the Security Dashboard within LastPass

If you have questions or need help with password management, don't hesitate to get in touch with our Help Desk anytime. Our team takes your security very seriously and would be happy to help.