Can you guess how many instances of computer misuse offences occurred last year? An astonishing two million*! And this statistic only includes cases that were reported.

Whilst our intention is never to instil fear into people, the rise in cyber crime is something we cannot escape. At TechRelate, we have a responsibility to educate computer users on how to minimise the chance of becoming a victim to the dark trend of cyber crime.

Employees are the most valuable resource your company has. Yet, these same individuals can be your company’s biggest liability, opening the door to a number of risks. One common door is weak passwords – passwords that fail to lock out the sophisticated tactics of online hackers.

Although it would be nearly impossible to monitor every password created by each employee, you can, however, encourage your team to create “hack proof” passwords.

Here are 3 simple tips to share with employees: 

1) Nothing personal 

Names of children, spouses, and pets are usually the first thing someone thinks of when asked to create a password. Therefore, it’s not surprising that these password types appear first on the hacker’s agenda. We know it’s easy to remember the names of those closest to you but it’s important to bear in mind that the goal is to use passwords that are difficult for cyber criminals to crack!

2) Think outside the box 

What has been considered for years as security best practice, may actually be flawed. Take for instance replacing an E for a £. Recent research shows that using a combination of letters and numbers/symbols is a weak way to deter preying eyes. Instead, using a memorable phrase in an uncommon order is more challenging for hackers and can take a computer 550 years to guess!

3) Be open to suggestions 

Online security has become an increasingly critical topic within organisations. Websites are taking this into consideration and have created a feature to generate unique passwords for users. The recommended password will usually include a sequence of random numbers and letters. Advise employees to use a password manager if they struggle to remember their password (which is likely to be the case!)

A weak password can be just as enticing for online criminals as having no password!

Promoting a culture of internet security within your workplace may seem like a challenging task, but it will grace you with invaluable peace of mind and reassurance.

Established businesses who really want to help employees stay secure should consider managing their team’s online identity with single sign on (SSO). Get in touch to find out which of the many SSO solutions is right for your business.

If you would like to discuss your company’s IT requirements, then please contact us on 0330 010 0201 or email help@techrelate.co.uk for a no obligation consultation.

Source: 

* http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/19/fraud-cyber-crime-now-countrys-common-of-fences/