In today’s digital world, cyber threats are constantly evolving, making it crucial to secure personal and business data. Strong passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA) are two of the most effective ways to secure your online accounts and prevent unauthorized access.
There are quite lots of risks associated with weak passwords. These includes, but not limited to:
Bruce Force Attack. This happens when hacker deploy automated tools and scripts to rapidly generate and test passwords. The tool (software) are used to guess passwords by trying thousands of combinations per second, until the correct password is discovered.
This method exclusively relies on trial and error, and can be highly effective against weak or commonly used passwords.
Credential Stuffing. Here, hackers use stolen usernames and passwords from a compromised login detail. The risk is common with users who use same password across multiple accounts.
Phishing Attack. This is a situation where hacker impersonate to truck victim into disclosing sensitive information, such as passwords, pin… It’s one of the most common cyber treats hackers use via email, text/WhatsApp messages, phone calls to trick victims to revealing password to gain unauthorized access.
STRONG PASSWORD
A strong password is the first and one of the most important line of defenses against cyber threats. Weak/common passwords make it easy for hackers to gain unauthorized access to your personal or business crucial information, which often leads to identity theft, financial fraud/loss, and data breaches.
These procedures are designed to guarantee the creation and utilization of strong passwords, safeguarding entry to private digital resources
Use at least 8 to 16 characters long.
Use combination of UPPERCASE and lowercase characters
Avoid judging common words or phrases
Include special characters, such as @, #, & etc
Use unique password for each account
Change passwords regularly, as often as you suspect a breach
Never share any of your password via email, other messaging apps.
TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION (2FA)
This is an extra layer of security process that requires two different forms of authentication before accessing the secured digital space. This helps to curb the risk of unauthorized access where strong password disappoints.
The main purpose of 2FA is to ensure there additional form of verification in addition to the strong password entry. This will prevent access even if hacker manages to steal your strong password.
The additional form of verification methods include but not limited to:
One-Time Password (OTP)
Biometric Authentication like fingerprint or facial recognition.
Security Keys (hardware devices for authentication)
In summary, both strong password and 2FA improve online security against unauthorized access to your digital safe place. Poor password management create loophole for credential surfers, which is a serious cybersecurity threats. Strong passwords only protect accounts but 2FA ensures an extra layer of defense against cyber threats. Every business professional is required to follow best practices in cybersecurity so as to safeguard sensitive information, prevent cyberattacks, and maintain data integrity.