5 password management rules that dramatically reduce the risk of misuse

60% of companies have hundreds of passwords that have never been changed

PRAGUE, August 26, 2021 – ZEBRA SYSTEMS, a distributor of N-able solutions on the Czech and Slovak markets, stated that given the growing number of cases of user passwords being exploited for cyberattacks, businesses and organizations should implement stricter rules for their management. With solutions such as N-able Passportal, MSP providers can offer them easy enforcement of these rules, more secure access management, and a dramatic reduction in cyber risks.

According to a wide range of surveys, the situation in password security is objectively worsening. This is also due to the fact that 54% of employees store work passwords on their mobile phones and 32% of workers admit to logging into the systems of their former employer^*. 60% of organizations have more than 500 passwords that have never been changed and that pose a significant risk if stolen^**. In the Czech Republic, too, 95% of IT administrators in SMB companies consider passwords to be the main security issue^***.

These risks can be significantly mitigated by several relatively simple rules:

1. Regular user training. Users themselves must know why protecting access to critical corporate systems is important and why they should not use easily guessed or reused passwords.
2. Establish basic password strength rules. By setting rules such as length, requirements for numbers, lowercase and uppercase letters, their order, special characters, etc., organizations eliminate the creation of weak passwords.
3. Set password expiration rules. No password will remain effective forever; an interval for regular changes must always be established. This setting helps minimize damage in the event that they are compromised despite all precautions.
4. Change default passwords. Many successful cyberattacks have been carried out through devices on which administrators or users forgot to change original passwords such as “000000.” This is especially important today, when people work from home using home networks, routers, and Wi-Fi devices.
5. Automate to the greatest extent possible. For access to multiple accounts, password management automation solutions are increasingly being used, enabling users to log in to all necessary accounts with one strong password.

 

“In the past, password management was relatively easy to handle because one or two passwords were sufficient to access the necessary systems,” said Ondřej Šabata, Sales Engineer for N-able solutions at ZEBRA SYSTEMS. “Today, employees use an increasing number of applications and cloud services requiring authentication, which places greater demands on remembering different passwords. With the help of modern technical tools, it is now possible to maintain user convenience while ensuring the highest level of security.” 

N-able, a supplier of tools for MSP providers, offers the N-able Passportal solution, which increases the level of password security. N-able Passportal enables password management in line with recommended practices, while storing access privileges and knowledge in an encrypted password repository governed by role-based access permissions and using multi-factor authentication. Password management can also be successfully managed as part of the comprehensive MSP solution N-able RMM.