Password Managers and Recovery Strategies
August 16th, 2016 by admin
Secure passwords and recovery strategies are an essential part of doing business in the digital age—and password manager programs can help streamline the process.
Password managers store and, often, automate login credentials for individuals across all secured online platforms for easy, secure, and fast access.
Why You Need It
Password-related IT security is an always-hot topic in the tech world; new reports of password security breaches are still hitting headlines with alarming frequency. In June of 2016, hackers hit remote desktop access service GoToMyPC® with a sophisticated attack, causing the company to send out a mass password reset to all of its users. Security breaches like these are a good reminder of why your business should use a password manager.
Everyday Use
Using the same password for every platform is problematic for the obvious fact that hackers can use that one password to break into several accounts. Your best bet is to use different passwords for different platforms—but trying to remember them all can, of course, be a challenge. For services you use infrequently, a password manager can improve productivity by helping you avoid tedious password search and reset processes.
Naturally, the biggest advantage of password manager platforms is that they allow you to easily create and store complex, hack-proof passwords. What do those look like? Here are a few tips: Secure passwords should use 10-12 characters with a mix of capital letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. And since it’s admittedly difficult for humans to remember 12+ character passwords that look like someone punched a keyboard, a password manager can come to the rescue.
Restoring Secure Access
When it comes to passwords, the best defense is a good offense—but breaches are going to happen. According to PCWorld, password leaks should be treated more like a “when” situation than an “if” situation.
Password managers can help you each step of the way, from locking down compromised accounts to restoring access on all devices so your employees can get back to business like nothing ever happened. After you regain control of the account, the password manager can generate a new, secure password. Additionally, the program will restore access on all of your connected devices by entering the new password in a single location, saving you the time and hassle of re-entering each new password on your work computer, personal desktop, personal laptop, smartphone, tablet, etc.
If you’re worried about password security, talk to your IT consulting service. A local MSP can help your business establish and implement secure password practices and manage them with ease. Check out PC Magazine’s list of top password managers for 2016 for a closer look at your best options.
Posted in: Managed IT Services, Solutions, Knowledge