In today's modern business environment, companies use a multitude of tools and applications that require user logins. To ensure the daily security of your company, effective password management is essential. Small precautions can significantly enhance your company's security. We invite you to read the following blog post, which provides an overview of security measures related to password management.
Many people tend to choose simple passwords for logins they create or are entrusted with. It's true that such passwords are easier to remember, but they also make you a target for cyberattacks. Establishing guidelines that regulate various aspects of password creation is essential. These guidelines should include factors such as the use of special characters, numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as setting a minimum password length. Creating classic passwords like "Password," "12345678," or using personal information like a mother's maiden name and birth year should be explicitly prohibited. However, issuing guidelines often isn't enough to ensure full compliance. Therefore, we recommend regular training sessions that raise awareness among employees about the importance of secure password creation and usage. Trust is good, but control is better. If you require 100% certainty in password creation security, we recommend technical measures. These technical measures can enforce specific combinations of the aforementioned special characters, numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as a minimum password length. Since the issuance of password policies often cannot compel all employees, especially in large organizations, enforcing compliance through technical measures is highly recommended. Encourage or require your employees to change their passwords regularly. This prevents the sustained use of compromised login credentials in case they are discovered by cybercriminals. You can achieve a central security element and a significant improvement in your security management by implementing two-factor or multi-factor authentication for essential logins. To learn more about this, you can visit our dedicated blog post at the following link: Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
We highly recommend using a password manager. These tools can generate, store, and manage complex passwords for you and your employees. A password manager is an extremely secure program, protected by encryption and a complex master password. Access to the password manager is granted through the master password, which means you only need to remember one complex password instead of numerous, ideally complex ones. If the password manager handles highly sensitive logins, consider implementing 2FA or MFA for the master password. The only drawback of a password manager is also related to the master password. If it's compromised through a successful cyberattack, all passwords managed by the password manager fall into the hands of attackers. Additionally, there's a risk that users may forget the master password. Therefore, the decision of whether to use password managers widely in your company or on an individual basis should be made on a case-by-case basis.
Don't neglect security audits that assess compliance with password policies and the secure handling of passwords. Furthermore, there's always a residual risk that cyberattacks may succeed despite extensive security measures. As a preventive measure, always supplement security measures with guidelines for emergency situations. Just like password policies, emergency guidelines are ineffective if not properly executed. At this point, employees need to be trained. Practice for emergencies. We encourage you to visit our website for more information. This allows your team to react optimally and skillfully in case of a real emergency, minimizing potential damage.
As is generally the case in cybersecurity, we advise you to keep your IT systems, including all applications, especially your security software, up to date. Regularly perform security and software updates to minimize vulnerabilities across the system. Strive to always stay up to date in general. A security strategy should be dynamic and always open to the latest developments.
Finally, we recommend establishing clear responsibilities regarding password security in your company. This ensures clear, uniform instructions and regulations that, ideally, leave no room for gaps. Teichmann International (IT Solutions) AG is always available to assist you and support you in all matters related to password security.