An important post to kick off 2023
Data breaches are a big deal and some pretty major organizations had their fair share of issues in 2022 from Medibank to Optus, Uber, Telstra, LJ Hooker and Harcourts.
Even LastPass, one of the largest and most trusted password security services, themselves experienced a data breach early in 2022. Whilst no encrypted data (passwords, etc) were at risk, it was a good reminder to remain vigilant with password security whether you use security platforms like LastPass or not.
If you are interested in the full story, have a read here. https://blog.lastpass.com/2022/12/notice-of-recent-security-incident/
As of the time of writing this post, nothing new has been released, but we recommend being vigilant to keep yourself and your business secure online.
“The only secure computer is one that’s unplugged, locked in a safe, and buried 20 feet underground in a secret location… and I’m not even sure about that one.” Dennis Hughes
What are some best practices?
- Make use of 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) options whenever it is available.
- Updating your password regularly (at least once a year) for crucial services (e.g. online banking, email inboxes).
- Make sure passwords are unique, are at least 12 characters long and include upper/lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. The longer the password the better, so consider using a “passphrase” rather than a single “password”.
- Use a password manager such as 1Password, LastPass or RememBear.
What is a Password Manager?
One way to improve your online security is to use a password manager. A password manager allows you to create and store complex, unique passwords for all of your online accounts, without the need to remember them all. All you need to remember is the master password for your password manager.
Your password manager can even generate long random passwords that are great for security.
There are several free password manager options available for personal use, but for businesses, it is often recommended to use a managed solution that can provide additional security measures, such as a safety net in case the master password is forgotten.