Security is one of the most important factors to consider when conducting business online. We lock the doors to our house and our cars are equipped with locks that can only be accessed with a key and/or an electronic device. We need to make sure we treat our cyber-connected accounts the same. Full Slate cares about your security and we want to make sure that you have the tools and knowledge you need to improve your day-to-day cyber security.
Creating Strong Passwords
One of the best ways to protect yourself online is by creating and managing your passwords. In general, your password should contain a combination of numbers, symbols, uppercase letters, and lowercase letters. A password should not contain repetition, full words, usernames, pronouns, or any other predefined number or letter sequence.
One tip for creating a strong password is to start with a phrase as your base. For example, a phrase like “I hope the Giants win the World Series in 2017!” Then, take the initials of each word, and all numbers and symbols, to create your password. So, that phrase would result in this: IhtGwtWSi2017!
What To Do If Your Password is Compromised?
If you have reason to believe your password has been stolen, you should change it immediately on any accounts where you use the same or a similar password.
- If you have shared your password with a friend, change it.
- If you saw someone looking over your shoulder as you were typing your password, change it.
- If you think you might have just given your password to a phishing website, change it.
- If your current password is weak, change it. If it will make you feel better or if you just feel like it’s time for a change, then, change your password.
Regardless of why you are changing your password, choose a new password unrelated to the old one, and don’t reuse a password from another account. Remember, there may be other steps you should take as well to make sure your system or account has not been compromised in a way that will render your password change ineffective. The Department of the Navy’s Chief Information Officer’s website has a great article on Basic Cybersecurity Tips to Keep Your Data Safe.
Advice for “Shared” Office Passwords
One trend we have noticed at Full Slate is that some companies prefer just one login for the whole office. This is not something we recommend. One shared office password can become a problem if you experience any staff turnover (we have seen some not-so-nice actions by an employee let go from a company), and a shared office password can make it difficult for Full Slate support staff to track down who did what and when in regards to appointment or client data.
Our recommendation remains: anyone who needs access to your account should have their own unique login. Furthermore, staff should be counseled to log out of their workstation computers when they are done for the day to avoid anyone else accessing their profile.
For more on how to invite your staff to your Full Slate account, please click here.
If you have any questions on this or any feature of Full Slate, please contact our support team at www.fullslate.com or visit our Help Center.
Tagged : creating strong passwords / full slate / how to create a strong password / internet security / online security / password security / password strength / protecting your security / shared office passwords
