Shared passwords…we’ve all had them (we know you have). Even if it’s a family shared password, we’ve all shared a password before for the sake of time-saving and convenience. However, when it comes to business, it’s vital you abide by a different set of rules.
One of the largest security risks to all organizations across the board are former employees’ access to their network. Failing to properly offboard or change shared passwords results in an ex-employee’s ability to continue to access their former employer’s network. If your organization is currently operating with shared passwords, you’re not the only one. However, this all-too-common problem has severe consequences.
According to new data, 1 in 4 employees still have access to accounts from past jobs. That’s 25%! Below we’ve provided our top tips to overcome poor password security.
Password Security Tips:
- Workers report that they don’t regularly change passwords because it negatively affects their productivity- therefore it’s vital to require regular password updates and optimal password security as an organization in order to protect your network.
- Start using a password manager today if you don’t already- require your employees to do the same. Some common password managers are: Keeper, 1Password, Dashlane, and Bitwarden.
- In addition to using password managers, use your password manager’s auto-generator function when creating new passwords so that they are unique and secure. Passwords that contain personal information, names, or dates are more likely to be hacked.
- Start requiring use of multi-factor authentication across the board, and at every level within your organization. We talk more about the importance of always using MFA in our recent blog post here.
Why does password sharing happen?
In one word: convenience. Most password sharing, believe it or not, happens at the management level. Individuals at certain levels within an organization that think they are the exception to the rule of password security. In reality, any breach in password best practices opens your organization to unnecessary risk, regardless of the level within the organization.
The best password policy is one that extends throughout your organization and is consistent across departments and position levels.
At Clarity Technology Group, we provide managed IT services which includes taking a comprehensive look at your current practices and identifying security gaps and areas for improvement. If you think your organization could benefit from our services, let’s chat. Get in touch with us here.