Taking the proper steps to protect yourself and your business online is vital. One of the simplest ways to take control of your online security is by using a unique and strong password for every account. Using a unique password for every website leaves you with multiple passwords to remember, which can be challenging. If you happen to forget your password, there are ways to recover your account. 

Use Passwords to Protect Your Business

For business owners, your employee’s passwords are the first line of defense against hackers and cybercriminals. A strong password can help prevent unauthorized access to your accounts and protect your sensitive information. If your password is weak or easy to guess, it can be easily cracked by hackers using automated tools.

Data breaches, privacy violations, and identity theft can damage your organization, result in major financial losses, and can be expensive to fix. Using strong passwords is vital to the cybersecurity of your organization. 

Creating Strong Passwords

There’s no question that creating strong passwords is important. These steps can help keep your passwords safe: 

Use a mix of characters

A combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols will make a password more complex and harder for hackers to guess. 

Avoid common words

Don’t use common words, phrases, or names that can be easily guessed by hackers. Also, avoid using personal information, such as your birthdate or social security number, in your password.

Make it long

Creating a longer password also makes it more difficult to guess. Aim for a password that’s at least 12 characters long (but feel free to go longer if possible!)

Use a passphrase

Consider using a passphrase instead of a password. A passphrase is a series of words that are easy for you to remember but hard for others to guess.

What to Do if You Forget Your Password

Forgetting a password is a more common occurrence than you might think. According to Wired, approximately 4 out of 5 people have forgotten a password at least once in the last 90 days. If you forget a password, there is still a high chance that you can recover your account. 

Most websites and apps have a “forgot password” feature that allows you to reset your password. The process for resetting a password may be slightly different for each website. This process generally follows the following steps: 

  1. Go to the login page for the website or app.
  2. Click on the “forgot password” or “reset password” link or button.
  3. When prompted, enter your username or email address that was used to create the account. 
  4. Follow the instructions provided to reset your password. This may involve answering security questions, entering a verification code, or clicking on a link in an email. Always make sure the links are trustworthy! Never click a ‘reset password’ link unless you requested to reset your password. Unprompted emails may be phishing attempts.

If you’re having trouble resetting your password, you may need to contact the website or app’s customer support team for assistance. They can help you through the process or reset your password for you. 

Once your password is reset, we’d recommend using a secure password manager to keep track of all your passwords. Password managers can also help generate secure passwords. If you need assistance with password management for your organization or believe your staff could benefit from cybersecurity training, contact tech42 today.