When it comes to a breach of your data, often the password that one of your employees has chosen for their login is the only thing standing between your network and a hacker.
Most of us know that passwords should be created with a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols and at least 7-12 characters long, but it’s easy for people to favor “easy to remember” over “hard to hack.”
That’s where a password manager comes in. It helps keep track of all those strong passwords that may not be easy to remember and helps greatly reduce the chance of a data breach by making best password practices simple to enforce.
At Connect2Geek, we provide Managed IT Security Services to multiple businesses in the Treasure Valley area, and we believe in using the Dynamic Duo for secure logins. This means using:
- A password manager (LastPass is our #1)
- Two-Factor authentication
What this dynamic duo of security ensures is that your passwords are difficult to crack and that even if one does become compromised, the password alone won’t grant access. Two-factor authentication requires an additional step to log in which usually consists of a code that’s sent to your cell phone during login.
Why is Password Management Important?
Data breaches have become one of the most costly IT-related issues for businesses, and small businesses get hit particularly hard. According to Worldpay, the average cost of a data breach for small businesses is $117,000.
That’s more than many can handle, which is why a large percentage end up going out of business within 6 months of a data breach.
And… what’s the main tactic used by hackers to breach your network? Hacked or stolen login credentials.
A full 81% of data breaches are due to weak passwords.
So, getting a handle on your password management and ensuring your team is using best practices when it comes to their logins, can significantly reduce your chance of a costly data breach.
How Can a Password Management Application Benefit My Business?
Our Connect2Geek IT experts work with many different types of software throughout the course of a day. This helps us know which ones give the best performance for the best value.
When it comes to password management, the product our team uses and that we recommend to our clients is LastPass. Here are nine ways that LastPass password manager can keep your business protected from a breach.
Creates Strong Passwords
Now, all logins can have a unique password that is difficult to hack without a user having to try to remember them all. LastPass has a built-in password generator that creates randomized, strong passwords at the click of a button.
Secure Password Storage
Passwords are stored securely and accessible quickly when your employees need to login. The password manager does all the heavy lifting of creating, storing, and filling in passwords so employees can be more productive.
Share Passwords Without Security Issues
If one staff member needs to share a password with another, no longer do they need to use insecure methods like email or chat. LastPass has a secure company-wide password sharing capability that makes sharing convenient yet protected.
Access Logins Everywhere
Have you tried saving passwords to a desktop browser, then had a hard time logging in to a site when on your tablet? Your passwords are accessible from any device, desk or mobile, and accounts backed up and synced between devices.
Use for Both Personal and Work
One handy feature that your employees will appreciate is that LastPass includes two vaults, one for personal passwords and one for work-related passwords. This means they can have the benefit of using a password manager for their personal stuff as well, keeping their own devices (like smartphones, which are often used for work) more secure.
Centralized Admin Control
If you’re just relying on your staff to create their own strong passwords, but aren’t sure what their logins are, you’re leaving yourself open for a security situation. With LastPass password manager you have complete control with a central admin control panel that allows you oversight over all work-related login credentials. This also makes it easy to implement company-wide login security policies.
Native Support for Two-Factor Authentication
LastPass has native support for that all-important second part of the Dynamic Duo of login security, two-factor authentication. Enable it right within the platform to add that vital layer of security to your logins.
Integrates with Microsoft Active Directory
If you’re using Active Directory to manager users, LastPass fits right in. You can integrate it into your AD control panel to automate account creation, user termination, group management, and more.
Makes Using Secure Passwords Quick and Painless
The main reason a majority of people use weak passwords is because it’s easier. Easier for them to remember and to login fast. Last Pass was created to be quick and easy for users, so they’re getting into their programs just as fast, but with a lot better security!
How’s Your Company’s Password Security?
Do you have a handle on your corporate logins? Or is everyone using whatever they can remember? Using a password management system is very affordable and greatly increases your data and network security.
Contact Connect2Geek today to beef up your IT security. Call 208-468-4323 or reach out online.