Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Password Protection

As more and more people work, purchase, and socialize exclusively online, hackers are looking to take advantage and steal your personal information. We make it easier for them when we re-use simple passwords.  Once hackers get access to one application, they have an open door to all your applications.

In a recent password practice survey (KnowBe4), the results indicate that:

  • 91% know that using the same or a variation of the same password is a risk; however, 66% do it anyway.
  • 54% keep track of passwords by memorizing them, but 25% reset their passwords once a month or more because they’ve forgotten them.
  • 52% haven’t changed their password in the last 12 months, even after being notified about a breach.

With this in mind, what are some things you can do?
Lock Down your Login. Create long, strong  and unique passphrases for every account, with a mix of characters and numbers. Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) wherever possible.  MFA will fortify your online accounts by enabling a second piece of information to login – like a one-time code.

Use a Password Manager. A unique password for every account is a lot of passwords, especially if they are something difficult to remember without writing down. Try a Password Manager, such as LastPass, OnePassword, Dashlane, to generate and remember different, complex passwords for each of your accounts.  Instead of putting all your passwords on a post it note, you have to remember one strong passcode. For more information: https://hub.acadiau.ca/TDClient/KB/ArticleDet?ID=864

Did you participate in the Week 2 draw? Take a minute and answer the questions for an opportunity to win prizes: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=7sy4OP2s60CXLlUtfNVIo34-FfGZJp1Ol3cndUCnE6pUMjBLRkkyNjAyVzFKSjFIMTNGQVhSUUNDVS4u.  Follow TS on Twitter and Facebook for Cybersecurity posts and a Cybersecurity video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzsnilxuFfk).  Our Friday post will contain a link to participate for prizes. Technology Services would like to thank our prize sponsors (Dell, Cisco & Fortinet).   

There are a variety of prizes, such as Yeti Mugs, Smart Key Locators and Backpacks. The Grand Prize is an Echo Dot.   Participate to have your name entered into the draw.

All materials for 2020 Acadia Cybersecurity Awareness Month are found on the HUB at: https://hub.acadiau.ca/TDClient/KB/ArticleDet?ID=986.

CONTACT:
Acadia Technology Services
http://ts.acadiau.ca
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