“Use a strong password” is the “wear sunscreen” of the digital world: Everyone knows it’s good advice, but too few people actually follow it. Instead, they lean on go-to passwords that are easy to remember, throwing in that “!” at the end of their secret word or slotting “@” in place of the letter “a.” (It’s not for nothing that “P@ssword!” is the most popular password.) None of this, of course, diminishes the stakes of a breach for most companies. The uncomfortable truth is that password security remains a common and underestimated concern. And for companies, one of the biggest challenges in shoring up their security is getting employees to practice better password hygiene.
Help Your Employees Make Strong Passwords a Habit
To shore up security, you need to encourage practices your employees will actually use.
January 30, 2023
Summary.
Password security is a major concern for companies, and one of the biggest challenges is getting employees to use better password hygiene. To shore up security, you need to find practices that your employees will actually use. To make it easier, consider sharing these five recommendations to help them find the right security practices for any given situation: 1) use a throwaway password, 2) use a password phrase, 3) use a password phrase that utilizes a pattern, 4) use a password phrase with two-factor authentication, 5) use password manager software with two-factor authentication.
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HBR Learning
Digital Intelligence Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Digital Intelligence . Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Excel in a world that's being continually transformed by technology.