Reset Passwords: 3 Great Tips for Creating Secure Passwords
Scheduling a time to reset passwords will save you from a potential hack.
Every business has at least one password to log into daily. Your passwords keep your business data safe and secure, but they can lead to several problems for your business without proper management.
Emails, a CRM, and website passwords are a few common passwords that require security for a business’ continued operation.
The following blog post will go over a recent website hack, why it is essential to reset passwords often, and three tips for creating secure passwords that will help protect your data from hackers!
Recent password hack
True life often inspires the blog posts published by the team at Algorithmic Global. The following example is why we have implemented a date and time to reset passwords. At Algorithmic Global, we take security very seriously because we understand the first-hand effects of a compromised password.
Recently one of our clients had their third-party hosting provider hacked because the password that they created was easy to guess. The hacker performed a pharma WordPress hack by figuring out our client’s hosting provider (GoDaddy) password. A pharma hack is when a website’s pages start showing a drug that is banned from being promoted. The hack usually occurs when hackers guess your password by trying all the words in a dictionary or brute forces passwords with bots.
In this scenario, the hacker decided to use the non-preferred domain to promote the drug Viagra. When we noticed the hack, we first reset passwords for our client’s WordPress and hosting provider. We are currently in the middle of investigating the hack and inspecting the files that seem compromised.
How often to reset passwords
The easiest way to ensure that your data is protected is to reset passwords at least once every three months. We choose once every business quarter because we feel every quarter is the beginning of a new business chapter.
When storing passwords, you should use an encrypted container that securely holds your account names and passwords. At Algorithmic Global, we are all apple users and use keychain access to secure our essential passwords.
3 tips for creating strong passwords
On average 30,00 websites are hacked every day (source: Forbes). So, when you reset passwords, make new passwords that are difficult to guess. The easier the password is to guess, the more likely a hacker will guess the password.
When you reset passwords, your new passwords should:
- Include a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols
- It should be different for each website that you log into. (Using the same password for multiple websites allows hackers access to all of your secure accounts.)
- Avoid using keyword patterns ex: Soccer1234
Prioritize security
Choosing four days out of the year to reset passwords is just one way you can prioritize security. Another layer of protection includes using a website firewall to protect networks, servers, and a website.
Wrapping up
When you choose to reset passwords often, you prevent simple hacks that revolve around guessing simple passwords.
Take a WordPress hack seriously because all your sensitive data is at risk! When you are hacked, it is best to reset all passwords and contact a company that can help you clean up the damaged files.
Contact the professionals at Algorithmic Global to help you implement a strategy for managing a secure WordPress website. We have a team that can put the necessary barriers in place and, if you are the victim of a hack, we can diagnose the damaged files and implement a plan to ensure your data is safely secure again.
0 Comments