Well, many of us are aware that World Password Day falls on the first Thursday of May. This World Password Day on May 06, 2021, in the crises of COVID-19, is going to be more prone and highlighted. The reason being security concerns will be on the high-tech and high alert during this World Password Day.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made many businesses worldwide suddenly shift to a remote workforce, creating an opportunity for users to leverage technology to handle and mitigate the pandemic.
Landing back
Security researcher Mark Burnett was the first person who introduced the idea of celebrating a Password Day. In response to this notion, Intel Security Organization took the initiative to declare the first Thursday of every May as the World Password Day in 2013. The day intended to mark the importance of the critical need for good passwords everywhere.
The password day aims to give a wider vision to people by creating awareness about good password security hygiene. The day is completely dedicated to encourage and promote users to build better password habits as passwords are amongst the most treasured factors for crucial times.
The ‘new normal’ situation makes it more vulnerable for attackers to find their way into hijacking data. Work from home has paved the way for a new comfort for people. Such privileges have also decreased concern for proper cybersecurity practices, where effective password management tops the list.
Everybody is aware of the fact that 80% of data breaches occur due to stolen or compromised passwords. Many companies or individuals encounter a cyberattack due to negligence of the security measures.
Maintaining safe password practice should not only be celebrated on a World Password Day, but people should also put reminders to update their security password settings timely as and when required. No doubt, these new normal times and work from home practices demand more of it.
Aspects to look forward with a newer approach
Here are some reasons why we should celebrate World Password Day this year with a newer approach and why it is vital to take continuous action to ensure that passwords remain safe –
- Password overloading leads to weak security
It is a clear antiquated notion that consumers or businesses need to keep track of one or a small handful of passwords. A study by Digital Guardian states that about 70% of the users have ten password-protected online accounts, while 30% of them have multiple accounts to handle.
It gets difficult for the users to remember all these passwords manually. This leads to risky practices such as reusing the same password for multiple accounts, creating weak passwords, and storing passwords insecurely.
- Password overload affects productivity
Password overload not only adds to data breaches but also has severe impact on organization productivity. Users often find it challenging to locate saved passwords in spreadsheets, sticky notes, or other inefficient tracking methods. Such situations lead to seeking help from help desk administrators to reset their passwords, which leads to consumption of time for repeated tasks, thus affecting the productivity of both parties.
- Multi-factor authentication plays a crucial role
One can successfully prevent brute-force password spraying and credential-stuffing attacks if one uses a strong and unique password for every online account. But to be precise, strong, unique passwords are not the standalone security solution.
It doesn’t matter how strong the password is; it can still be stolen in a data breach and sold on Dark Web. To avoid this, a user must carefully enable multi-factor authentication (2FA) for every account that supports it. Implementing 2FA ensures that even if the cybercriminal holds a password by chance, he won’t be able to access the account without the second factor or OTP.
- Password overload and weak security leading to business data breaches
Consumers involved in risky password management practices, such as using weak passwords and reusing passwords across personal and business accounts, put both employees and employers at risk of data breaches.
A report from the 2019 Global State of Cybersecurity in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses stated about 70% of respondents cited stolen or compromised employee passwords as a significant pain point.
Online security tools
A weak or overused password is an easy tunnel for a cybercriminal to gain access to private information. So, it’s important to have a strong and unique password for the account.
So, on this World Password Day, let’s get to know about some online tools that help users keep their password information safe and secure.
- LastPass
LastPass comes with both free and premium membership. This app is a free, secure password creation center and that helps store all the account’s information. It can generate and store multiple usernames and passwords and even provides multi-factor authentication for additional security.
The app’s free version provides secure storage for text notes, syncing credentials across browsers, and secure access vault any internet-connected device via LastPass.com. It refuses to autocomplete forms on known phishing websites, and the user can export data at any point of time if he decides to switch to a different password manager.
- Dashlane
This easy-to-use tool features one-click password generation and the ability to store notes for the future. It can be simply used on a desktop, through a browser plugin and on mobile phones too.
The app’s free and paid version offers a core password manager, autofill , and digital wallet facilities.
- Keeper Security
Keepers Security is a king of all apps as it comes with facilities beyond password protection that includes password management, dark web scanning, and private messaging systems. It mostly targets larger corporate bodies with some regular plans for individuals, families, and students.
It comes with intuitive programs for both desktop and mobile versions with strong security, browser extension options, and multi-platform access.
- NordPass Free
NordPass Free app is the free version of the password manager, NordPass. The app can save unlimited passwords, keep notes and credit cards, and can sync across all devices.
Toward the end
In these COVID-19 times, let us all pledge to celebrate this World Password Day 2021 by masking passwords just as we mask ourselves to stay protected from the spread of the virus.
No matter what security tool is used, it’s important to keep passwords as secure as possible. For individuals who sign in to all the different accounts, these applications can help store multiple passwords. It makes it much more manageable, helping one to log into multiple accounts securely and with ease.
Also, with this World Password Day, we must evolve our approach to password management for better cybersecurity. Everyone should carry out similar actions to how every person is currently taking necessary precautions to safeguard their health, should do a similar activity for the digital identity. Every individual must aim for continuous practice of proper cybersecurity hygiene throughout the year to avoid data breaches.
To learn more about security and other security measures, visit our latest whitepapers here.