What is password hygiene?
Password hygiene refers to the practices and behaviours individuals adopt to create, manage, and use strong passwords. It’s about establishing good habits to protect your online accounts from unauthorised access.
Importance of good password hygiene_
Weak passwords are a major security risk. Hackers can easily exploit them to gain access to your email, social media accounts, bank accounts, and other sensitive information. Strong password hygiene helps to:
- Reduce the risk of account takeover: Strong, unique passwords make it much harder for attackers to guess or crack them.
- Protect sensitive data: By securing your accounts, you help protect the personal and financial information they may contain.
- Maintain online safety: Good password hygiene is an essential part of your overall cyber security strategy.
Key practices for good password hygiene_
- Create strong passwords: Use a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Aim for at least 12 characters in length.
- Avoid common passwords and personal information: Don’t use easily guessable words like “password123” or your birthday.
- Use unique passwords for each account: Avoid reusing the same password across multiple accounts. If one account is compromised, attackers won’t have access to your others.
- Enable MFA: This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second verification step, such as a code from your phone, when logging in.
- Don’t share your passwords: Never share your passwords with anyone, not even friends, family, or colleagues.
- Be cautious of phishing attempts: Phishing emails or websites may try to trick you into revealing your passwords. Be wary of unsolicited emails or links, and never enter your password on an unfamiliar website.
- Use a password manager: Password managers can help you create and store strong, unique passwords for all your accounts.
Microsoft offers several features and tools to help you maintain good password hygiene:
- Strong password recommendations: Many Microsoft services offer guidance on creating strong passwords when you set up a new account.
- Two-factor Authentication (MFA): Microsoft allows you to enable MFA for various accounts, such as Microsoft 365 and Azure Active Directory, for an extra layer of security.
- Password managers: Microsoft Authenticator app can be used as a password manager to store and manage your passwords securely.
Good password hygiene is a simple yet highly effective way to protect yourself online. By following these best practices and leveraging the tools provided by Microsoft, you can significantly reduce the risk of your accounts being compromised and keep your data safe.
