When using cloud services like fileplan, one of the foundations of good online security is strong user passwords. Following some simple tips can go a long way towards easing your concerns over the security of your data in the cloud.
Rightly or wrongly, online security remains one of the top barriers to fully embracing the advantages of cloud services for businesses large and small around the world.
In the wake of hacked celebrity iCloud scandals and five million leaked Gmail passwords, it’s understandable that business owners may be reluctant to trust a cloud based application with their precious documents.
Making sure that the provider of your cloud services have good security measures in place is an obvious first step. But the foundation of good online security lies in making sure all users have strong passwords…something that we all know, but very few actually do.
Analysis reveals that we’re still very insecure when it comes to creating strong passwords and potecting our online accounts. We know what good passwords look like, but we struggle to follow through, opting for shorter passwords that are easy to remember and reusing them over and over again with different cloud services.
Luckily, creating stronger passwords doesn’t necessarily have to involve remembering 16 random letters, numbers and symbols. Here are four simple tips for choosing stonger passwords:
1. Make your password more complex than a word
Single word passwords do not work. Try adding another word or phrase and use capitals for emphasis
2. Long is better than complex
No matter how complex you make your password, if it is short, it can be compromised. A long password is the most effective way to have a secure, password with 16 characters being the sweet spot.
3. Use special characters
Special characters, like punctuation points or symbols, can make passwords secure and are often a requirement. Intel suggests using emoticon shortcuts as a way of making passwords more interesting and memborable. Examples include :-),^_^,d(-_-)b.
4. Vary your current passwords
Having the same password for many websites is obviously a bas idea, but coming up with and remembering many passwords can be unrealistically difficult. Adding helpful but not obvious characters to your password can make them memorable and varied.
When adding new users to your fileplan account, encourage them to consider security and follow these tips for choosing stronger passwords. For more ideas plus a nifty password checker tool, check out the ideas put together by the IT industry for Password Day.
