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One of the most common business and personal data breaches is password hacks. Brute force or compromised credentials were used in more than 60 percent of data breaches in 2021, making your content unsafe from internet malfeasance. Additionally, users are failing to come up with strong passwords that will keep cyber attacks at bay.
Password breaches will continue to be a method of attack as long as weaker passwords are utilized by users across the world. Hackers are continuously adopting new strategies to penetrate security systems, and cybercrime appears to be becoming more sophisticated by the day. Password breaches can be harmful to the company. To understand how it can affect your company better, continue reading this article.
What is a Password Breach?
For many accounts, many people and corporations use the same password. This implies that if a hacker guesses one of the passwords, they can test it on other services to see if it matches. Password attacks can steal identities, breach accounts, make purchases in your name, and obtain access to your financial information.
Hackers can frequently guess passwords through social engineering or brute force. Ensure every one of your accounts has a unique password and that each of these passwords is intricate to restrict the chance of hackers speculating your passwords. They should consist of digits, symbols, uppercase, and lowercase letters. If at all possible, avoid using dictionary words. A random password generator can generate strong passwords for you. You can use these passwords to safeguard your data.
Why Do Password Breaches Happen?
The compromise of passwords is only one aspect of the attack. Password misuse, which occurs due to password leaks, has significantly more severe ramifications and may harm hundreds of thousands of organizations. Hackers could use the passwords to gain unauthorized access to multiple networks. Password spill is, however, caused by improper password security methods.
It’s a never-ending cycle: failing to follow best practices for password storage and management leads to password spills, leading to password abuse.
How To Stay Safe From Password Breaches?
Increasing password security enhances your chances of avoiding a data breach dramatically. The following are some password best practices:
Each business login account should have a strong, one-of-a-kind password. Weak passwords that include “123456…”, phone numbers and other personal information should never be used, even for testing.
- Verify for credentials that have been compromised
Review password usage across the organization regularly to see if any of the passwords employees are using match the compromised credentials availab
- Passwords must be changed regularly
Ideally, enterprise account passwords should be randomized regularly – once every 45 or 60 days. Hackers are said to need a few months to exploit the credentials they have taken. Random password generators whip up passwords regularly to assist against credential theft.
- Sensible data access control
Take reasonable efforts to keep sensitive data secure once you’ve determined that you have a valid business need for it. Not every member of your team requires unrestricted access to your network and its data. Consider separating user accounts for your network to limit access to locations where personal data is stored or regulate who can access specific databases.
- Be on the lookout for brute force.
Hackers, without getting tired, continuously attempt to log into accounts. These brute force attacks work by putting in infinite variations of characters until hackers guess someone’s password by chance. Having a policy in place that suspends or disables accounts after multiple failed login attempts may help to eliminate the danger of brute force attacks.
These are only the most basic safety precautions. While modern technology and a diverse cybersecurity arsenal are unquestionably necessary for enterprises, failing to focus on the fundamentals of security can lead to breaches. Information security begins with password protection. It’s crucial to comprehend this fact.
High-Profile Password Breach Examples
- In 2016, the passwords were hardcoded in source code by an Uber employee. The information was exposed after a hacker discovered it on GitHub and used it to obtain administrative access to Uber’s AWS instances, revealing the personal data of 57 million Uber users.
- A password breach affecting about 200 million users was disclosed in September 2019 by online game business Zynga Inc. Players’ email addresses, passwords, usernames, and other login information were obtained.
Conclusion
Finally, password breaches are a grave threat. They occur regularly. You must change your passwords regularly to protect your company from a password breach. Consider making this a routine. Using a solid and comprehensive IT security management system such as a random password generator is the most effective strategy to prevent security breaches. Customers use the services of a company for various reasons, and demonstrating the integrity of your security procedures can provide you with a significant competitive edge.
