Why you can’t ignore password policies and how to implement them
The concept of passwords and how they keep data safe is simple. However, the majority of people don’t engage in strong password management because it can be inconvenient, frustrating, and even annoying. According to a Google survey, more than 50% of people reuse passwords for multiple accounts and 13% use the same password for all accounts. If you think your business is safe because you require unique passwords for tools and apps, think again. Many people use the same or similar passwords in their personal and work lives. Strong password policies and a way to enforce them can dramatically increase your company’s security and reduce your risk of data breaches and cyberattacks. Password policies are written rules for how passwords are treated in your organization and what employees in various roles are responsible for when it comes to security. Many organizations opt for an IT security password policy. Your technical professionals often know what the best practices are for passwords, so it makes sense to involve them in creating, implementing, and enforcing such policies. While your IT team may drive your password policies, it’s also a good idea to include the rest of your employees to encourage buy-in and engagement in both password policies and overall security. Password policies help ensure everyone is following strong password management. Without them, you could have employees engaging in activities that put your organization at risk, including: Every organization must create policies that work for its business and workflow. Here are some best practices to consider as you work with your technical teams to structure your own: Password policies should be specific, understandable, and actionable. Don’t assume employees will read and understand the policies. Provide interactive training upon hire and annually as a refresher. Include the big picture reasons for why the policies are so important. Your IT department can help you establish parameters, but longer passwords made of random strings of characters are typically best. Tell employees they cannot share passwords with others and should not write them down and store them at their desks or in other places that can be discovered. Put technology in place to help reinforce and support password policies. The most secure thing to do should be the easiest thing to do. Implementing best practices is often easier said than done. It’s one thing to create policies, but another to enforce them, especially when it comes to password policy. You can tell your employees not to share their passwords with anyone, but that’s difficult to stay on top of. One of the ways you can manage these policies and enforce better password compliance is with a password manager like 1Password. 1Password Business benefits include the ability to: Maintaining strong password policies is just the tip of the iceberg with 1Password Business. With advanced reporting, Secrets Automation, and the ability to connect with existing systems like Okta and Active Directory, 1Password Business is the last piece of the puzzle you’ve been looking for.What are password policies?
Why are password policies important?
Enterprise password policy best practices
Put them in writing
Provide training
Require strong passwords
Mandate confidentiality and security
Use automations
How to manage enterprise password policies
Start your free trial today and see how easy it is to enforce and manage password policies with 1Password.