In today's healthcare and senior care sectors, protecting your organization’s digital assets is more critical than ever. Unfortunately, poor password hygiene among employees continues to be a significant vulnerability, leaving many small to medium-sized businesses exposed to cyber threats.
Cybercriminals are constantly devising new strategies to infiltrate business systems, and all too often, they succeed due to weak or compromised passwords. In fact, nearly 50% of cyberattacks last year were linked to weak or stolen passwords.* For businesses like yours, it's essential to take password security seriously and implement robust password policies.
Top Passwords to Avoid
Before we dive into best practices, it’s important to know which passwords are the most common—and therefore the most dangerous. Here are the top 10 passwords frequently found on the dark web:
123456
123456789
Qwerty
Password
12345
12345678
111111
1234567
123123
Qwerty123
Avoid using these passwords at all costs to prevent easy breaches.
Password Best Practices
Educating your team on password best practices is crucial for strengthening your cybersecurity posture.
Use a Password Manager
A password manager is one of the most effective tools for maintaining password security. It helps create and store complex, unique passwords for each of your accounts, eliminating the need to remember multiple passwords or resort to weak ones.
Implement Single Sign-On (SSO)
Single Sign-On (SSO) is a convenient solution allowing users to access multiple systems with one set of credentials. While SSO simplifies the login process, it's vital to ensure that your SSO password is strong and unique, as it becomes the key to all your accounts.
Avoid Password Reuse
Reusing passwords across multiple accounts can be disastrous. If a hacker gains access to one account, they can potentially breach others. Ensure each account has a unique password and store them securely using a password manager.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring a secondary code from a device you own, in addition to your password. While not infallible, 2FA makes unauthorized access significantly more difficult. Ensure each account utilizing 2FA has a unique and robust code.
Be Cautious with Social Media Information
Social media can inadvertently expose personal information that could be used to guess your passwords. Avoid using easily accessible details like your name or birth date when creating passwords.
How We Can Help
In the healthcare and senior care industries, where the stakes are high and the regulations are stringent, managing cybersecurity can be overwhelming. As an IT service provider specializing in your sector, we can ensure your team follows best practices for password security, keeping your systems secure and compliant.
Schedule a no-obligation consultation with us today to learn more about how we can help protect your business from vulnerabilities caused by poor password hygiene.
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