In a recent Refresh Leadership poll, we asked our readers how often they change the passwords on work devices, including computer, mobile phone, apps, etc. And with 49% of the votes, the top response wasn’t all that surprising. Most individuals only change their passwords when they’re told to. The second highest response was “Quarterly” with 24% of the votes, followed by “Monthly” with 12%. The rest of the results are as follows:
- Every six months – 5%
- I never change my work passwords – 4%
- When I’m notified that my account is compromised – 3%
- Yearly – 1%
- Weekly – 1%
Of all those who responded, only one person selected the voting option of changing passwords daily.
With cyber security being such a hot topic, we asked respondents a follow-up questing of whether or not their password-protected accounts had ever been hacked. An overwhelming majority of 76% said no, while 24% admitted to having a past security breach.
According to a recent report, 81% of hacking-related breaches were caused by stolen or weak passwords. Moreover, 70% of employees reuse passwords at work, whereas 59% reuse passwords everywhere putting companies at risk for major data breaches.
From millions of dollars lost to damage in reputation, cyber threats can cause lasting financial and social ramifications for a company, so it’s important to protect yourself from hackers and cyber criminals. And it starts with a strong password protection strategy.
Check out these quick password tips to protect you and your company:
- Create a long and complex password (14 characters or more)
- Include numbers, symbols, and a mix of capital and lowercase letters
- Do not use consecutive or predictable numbers (e.g. 777, 1234)
- Do not use popular phrases or your company name
- Use different passwords for personal and professional accounts
What are some ways you maintain a safe cyber environment for your company? What tips do you use to create ironclad passwords? Let us know in the comments section below!
The challenge is creating a password that you remember! I hesitate using password programs like Lastpass because, well, what if the program quits working — and takes all my passwords down with it? Or, worse, what if it gets hacked and access is gained to all my passwords? I don’t see this dilemma going away either. To punch in/out we use an employee ID number and a fingerprint scan. Perhaps the next step is adding to password entry (retina scans?, DNA id?) for computer keyboards.
There are various password programs like Dashlane, Lastpass, etc. but, like Wes who responded previously, I’m a skeptic regarding the possibilities of those being hacked too. I have, for years, kept a password-protected Excel spreadsheet with my passwords. I also change my passwords, periodically, and not always at regular intervals, depending on how often I’m using a password. I stopped using the same passwords for anything financial years ago. Just too many breaches. If you use Google, it will also offer to save your passwords on most sites.