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Biggest Security Risk to Businesses is the Password Habits of Workers

With employees reusing the same password an average of 13 times,  new research from LastPass has identified bad password habits as the leading cause of business security risks. Stolen passwords account for 80% of security breaches and yet most workers, especially in smaller businesses, are not adequately trained in online security. The report was released as a way of measuring where business safety is lacking and to offer advice on improvements that can be made. While tech giants like Google have the infrastructure to protect their assets, small businesses don’t have this luxury. It is not just data that is at risk either, but physical security as well.
What Do Hackers Want?
Online hackers are primarily interested in data. You need this to function as a company and having easy access to the details of customers builds trust. In most cases, a hacker will give your data back in return for a ransom. If you don’t pay it, they may sell the data to competitors. There is a bigger risk than this though, with hackers potentially trying to gain access to your physical building.
The Link Between Physical and Online Security
Even  small businesses have assets that are worth something to other people. By hacking into your computer systems, thieves may be able to gain building access codes and could target your company in person. This is why companies like  ThinkDSC aim to equip businesses with surveillance cameras and alarms. If you can physically protect your building, then there will be less chance of a hacker attacking your online systems.
What’s in a Good Password?
The security of both data and physical assets depends on good password habits. A  strong and unhackable password is 10 characters or more, with special characters, numbers and capital letters thrown in. To come up with something memorable, write a short sentence, adding capitals, punctuation, and numbers where it makes sense. For instance, if you regularly go to the food store on your lunch break, a good password might be gO2.th3/shOPs.
Passwords can allow access to more than you can imagine. Data is incredibly valuable, so keep it protected. Also remember to physically secure the building premises, since this can be the next target once access to your virtual business has been acquired. Teaching good password habits will keep your employees safe and your clients happy.
This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com and other Amazon websites.

Written by Nat Sauteed

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