Despite almost daily warnings on the risk posed by organised and sophisticated cyber attacks, many SMEs are still not taking even basic precautions to counter the threat. A lack of take up of password managers and security training among SMEs is worrying when the risks of a breach have increased significantly with the rising number of UK-based employees based at from home for at least part of their working week.
A recent study by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) revealed how millions of us are using pet’s name, football team names, “password” and “123456” to access online services, leaving users wide open to hackers using automated tools. Did you know, it only takes a few seconds for a hacker to crack an 11-character password made up of numbers? – it’s that easy!
A good password should take hundreds of years to crack.
The typical internet user has about 100 sets of login details – and memorising all of these is impossible for most people. Password manager apps can help to manage and remember long and complex credentials. They synchronise your passwords across your different devices, making it easier to log on, wherever you are, and whatever you’re using.
They help spot fake websites, which will protect you from phishing attacks.
They let you know if you’re re-using the same password across different accounts.
They notify you if your password appears within a known data breach, so you know if you need to change it.
They work across platforms, so you could (for example) use a single password manager that would work for your iPhone and your Windows desktop.
Password managers are ideal for SMEs that don’t have a full-time, dedicated IT person or security team. There are several reputable options on the market and they tick a lot of boxes in terms of affordability, resilience and offering a great first line of defence.
For further information on passwords, IT and cyber security planning contact a member of the NEBRC team to learn more about our FREE membership and training packages. If you would like to find out how you can best protect your business from cyber threats and scammers, please contact our team at [email protected].