Even a behemoth like McDonald’s isn’t immune to the impact a weak security credential can have on its operations and reputation. The fast food chain was recently in the news after cybersecurity researchers discovered a vulnerability in the company’s chatbot job application platform that exposed the chats of more than 64 million job applications.
Passwords that are weak, reused or easily guessed expose countless businesses to cyber attacks and data breaches. Even now, “password” and “12345” are two of the most common passwords, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), making them easy for hackers to guess and then use to infiltrate a computer or network.
“Weak and reused passwords have become easy ways for hackers to breach a company’s network and gain access to their data and assets,” said Chris Miller, ATB Vice President for Sales and Marketing. “Every site you log into should have a completely different password to make those breaches more difficult to achieve. A passphrase consisting of 15 or more characters is recommended along with multi-factor authentication (MFA) to significantly reduce those vulnerabilities.”
Miller recommends businesses use a password manager set up with MFA to help manage and protect their passwords. A password manager is a program that securely stores passwords for various accounts in an encrypted setting, allowing users to manage complex and unique passwords without needing to remember them all or (worst of all) store them on a sticky note under their keyboard. Password managers can:
- Generate, share, autofill and sync strong passwords and passkeys;
- Securely encrypt files or text;
- Ensure comprehensive compliance for credentialing; and
- Run private vault reports to identify and address weak or exposed password vulnerabilities.
Passwords should be used in combination with multi-factor authentication (MFA) for a more secure approach to cybersecurity. MFA is a security access management solution that requires two or more factors to verify a user’s identity before they can log into their online accounts. MFA options include USB dongles, authenticator apps, push notifications or text/email codes. This added layer of security would prevent a breach if the hacker had access to a username and password, but lacked control of the second factor.
“This second factor is much harder to compromise since it is typically something physically in your possession, like your phone,” according to the NIST. “Some MFA methods are more secure than others (text codes are particularly vulnerable), but in general, having more than one factor for authentication makes your accounts more secure.”
Tips for Password Safety:
- Beware of phishing attacks, where hackers trick you into logging into a website that looks identical to a website you trust, thus revealing your username and password.
- Don’t save your passwords in a browser, especially Chrome.
- Use a unique passphrase with at least 15 characters for every website you log into, and always opt for multi-factor authentication when setting up an account.
- Make sure your password is at least 15 characters long. Use passphrases to help you come up with something long and memorable.
- Use a password manager to create, use and store complex passwords. Ensure your password manager is also protected by multi-factor authentication.
- For even better security, use a passkey. Passkeys are private digital keys stored on your device. When you set up a passkey for a website, you can log in as easily as you unlock your phone or laptop using your PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition.
Want to Improve Your Company’s Password Management and Safety?
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About ATB Technologies
ATB Technologies is an award-winning managed service provider (MSP) that helps businesses solve technology problems and navigate which solutions best support their business strategy and goals. Our IT experts help companies maximize their business IT while offering an exceptional level of customer service. We’re ready to help and provide IT support that never lets you down. ATB is an Inc. 5000 company, recognized among the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. Find out more at atb-tech.com.