Passwords. If you own a computer, or any device, we bet you have loads of them. These combinations of letters and numbers ensure the security and confidentiality of your data, and are even more important than you think.

Passwords are usually a word or string of characters used for user authentication to prove identity or gain access to a resource. A strong password should consist of at least eight characters that are a combination of letters, numbers and symbols – and become even stronger if they contain both upper and lowercase combinations.

Weak passwords can make you susceptible to hackers being able to infiltrate sensitive information on your device. But just as important as the establishment of a strong password, is the need to regularly update them.

According to a survey of 1000 respondents by Keeper Security and published by Mashable earlier this year, more than 80% of people aged 18 and up reuse the same password across multiple accounts. The survey also revealed that average password strength is low, and that most users rarely change their passwords. Sharing of passwords with other people is also alarmingly common.

Here’s a few reasons why it’s important to change your passwords regularly:

• Devices hold a lot of sensitive and important information from your business and personal life. Constantly changing passwords gives you the best chance of protecting this information.
• Having different passwords that are changed regularly across your different accounts and devices helps limit multiple account breaches – that is, if someone breaches one account, they can’t breach them all.
• It helps stop constant attacks – some hackers may access your accounts multiple times to gain more and more information over a period of time. The risk is reduced if you change passwords often.

It’s fair to say then, that you should never underestimate the importance of having a strong password policy in your business and ensuring all staff adhere to requirements.

Here at Centrered, we recommend you change your passwords every three months for tighter security of your business and personal information. Contact us for help implementing tighter password policies and implementing a Business Grade Security Policy.