Protect Your Business with Good Password Hygiene

PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS WITH GOOD PASSWORD HYGIENE

What You and Your Staff Need to Know

61% of those affected by password hacking had passwords that were shorter than eight characters. ¹

Knowledge Is Power

As we accrue more and more online accounts, it’s tempting to use simplistic passwords or the same password across numerous accounts. And the cybercriminals know it. They have the tools and the know-how to hack weak passwords and gain access to your entire organization. 

• 60% admit to reusing passwords²
• The global average cost of a data breach in 2023 is $4.45 million³
• 19% have used ‘password’ or other common variation as their password⁴

3 Characteristics of a Strong Password

1. LONG: Cybersecurity professionals recommend using at least ten characters to protect against password guessing and hacking.
2. UNIQUE: Resist the temptation to reuse passwords. Even strong passwords should not be used for more than one account.
3. COMPLEX: A combination of mixed characters, including uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters are tough to crack.

Full-Scale Password Protection Calls for a Multipronged Defense

• Employ multifactor authentication (MFA)
• Require periodicpassword updates
• Perform penetration testing
• Train staff on password best practices
• Knowledge is power - and one of the most effective tools against motivated hackers

Learn more about Sharp security solutions at business.sharpusa.com/Solutions-Services/IT-and-Security.

Sources: ¹Security.org - America’s Password Habits, ²LastPass - Psychology of Passwords 2022, ³IBM - Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023, ⁴Bitwarden - World Password Day Survey 2023