Password Hygiene & Your Employees: How to Improve Network Security for Your Business

We have all seen the headlines: Data Breach Affects Local Business and Its Customers. If your personal or business data has never been stolen or compromised, consider yourself one of the lucky few. That’s why it is important to protect yourself, your business, and your customers by ensuring proper password hygiene is followed according to the latest guidelines.

Small business owners in northeastern Pennsylvania have the opportunity to partner with the area’s leading provider of network security for businesses—InnoTek Computer Consulting. Our employee security awareness training is designed to educate your employees about proper password safeguards and how to recognize cyberattacks. InnoTek is ready to take your network to the next level in security protection.

Talk to us about your needs, and we will offer suggestions to let your employees and customers know that we are serious about protecting their information. For many years, we have served clients around Bloomsburg, Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre, and beyond.

So, contact us today to see how we help protect your business and safeguard the personal information of your employees, customers, and vendors with proper password management, network security, and security awareness training.

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Don’t Reuse Passwords or Derivatives of the Same Password

During the recent pandemic, many businesses allowed their workers to work remotely. While many households have access to an internet connection through their mobile device, many home WiFi networks don’t offer the same level of protection against phishing attacks and other malware as business networks. So that is why employees should be mindful when choosing passwords and never use the same password for all their logins or a derivative of the same password.

While it may be easier to remember a common date, such as a birthday or anniversary, it is also easier for scammers to access your personal information. Having one password across multiple platforms and logins means that when a cybercriminal decodes your password, they now have the keys to your entire “kingdom” and can easily steal credit card information, social security numbers, and much more.

Use Complex Passwords with at Least 8 Characters

While strong passwords might not stop every data breach, it’s an easy way for your employees to participate in protecting their jobs and livelihoods from criminal activity. In fact, more than 60% of all security and data breaches are made through employee logins and broken passwords.

Here at InnoTek Computer Consulting, we recommend using a password of at least eight characters long with a combination of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters. The password should be hard to guess and shouldn’t contain a pet’s name, someone’s birthday, or your anniversary.

Multifactor authentication

In addition to a strong password, we recommend adding multifactor authentication (MFA). Also known as two-factor authentication (2FA), this process sends a text with a code, a permission request to an app, or some other form of secondary identification confirmation. By succesfully authorizing the login, this process ensures that the user trying to access the account is authorized to do so. Since usernames and passwords are susceptible to brute force attacks and can easily be stolen by third parties, using MFA like a thumbprint or login key helps keep your business safe from cybercriminals.

Partner with an IT Firm for Network Security

To provide network security for your business and to ensure your sensitive data is protected against data breaches, you should partner with a company to manage your IT services. If your small business relies on an internet connection to conduct business, there’s always a real chance of a cyberattack on your network.

Of course, a simple way to protect your customer information and provide network security for your business is to let the professionals handle the heavy lifting. Our friendly staff of IT professionals can answer any of your network security questions and improve your company’s bottom line by taking the worry of cyberattacks and other data breaches off your plate.

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Beware of Sophisticated Cyberattacks

Having strong network security for your business and ensuring your employees practice proper password hygiene may not be enough. Cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated every day, and they can even imitate people you may trust. For example, during a spoofing attack, a criminal will use your company’s phone number or email address to disguise their identity and then try to gain access to your personal information.

Another way scammers are using modern technology is through social media. On sites like Facebook and Instagram, criminals will often identify as an employee of a local business and offer special deals and promotions, all in the hopes of getting you to give them a credit card number or other personal data. Robust network security through a dependable IT firm like InnoTek can help protect against these attacks and train your employees to spot them before they fall victim to the attack.

Provide Employee Security Awareness Training

Information technology is constantly changing, and that’s why it’s so essential for your business to stay aware of current trends. Unfortunately, scammers are always looking for new ways to access sensitive data. One way to prevent falling victim to password breaches and phishing emails is to train your employees.

At InnoTek, we provide our clients with the tools they need to protect their customers and vendors with our employee security awareness training. Our training will teach your team about the latest scams, what is considered personally identifiable information, proper password hygiene tips, and other skills so they can make informed security decisions.

Get Strong Network Security for Your Northeastern PA Business!

While stopping every cyberattack is impossible, practicing proper password hygiene, signing up for network security through InnoTek, and training your employees against cyber threats can help. If you are unhappy with your current IT company or are looking for IT help for the first time, InnoTek is here for you! Talk to us today, and let us help with network security for your business to prevent a cyberattack and other disasters with a security plan that fits within your budget.

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