Password Security

Passwords are a secure method for authentication, and a way to protect your privacy. In an organization, passwords are the key to accessing authorized data, resources, applications, and more.

However, many techniques are used to steal your passwords and access data (i.e., phishing). These attacks lead to personal and corporate data breaches. Without secure passwords, hackers can steal and use your data.

To secure your organization's passwords and identity from such difficulties:

1. Set up a password length of at least 12 characters; it should be unique, complex, and a mixture of upper/lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers. The more complex a password is, the less chance there is of it getting hacked.

2. Use an identity provider (IdP). When a user needs to use any web application and tries to sign in, the web application redirects the user to their IdP. The IdP lets the user enter their credentials and verifies them. After the verification, IdP redirects the user to the web application and the user is signed in.

Here, the third-party application doesn't get the user's credentials—rather it is signed in through the IdP. It is used to check a user's identity, but it doesn't store the user's identity.

3. Implement two-factor authentication (2FA) or multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods on your account. Apart from entering a password, the user also has to provide another piece of information which is known only to them. Once the 2FA is enabled on your account, hackers will not be able to provide your second factor for accessing your account. Even if they crack your password, they won't be able to provide your biometric signature or the OTP that was sent to your mobile device.

MFA is similar to 2FA, but can involve more than two stages of verification.

To know more about password security and its best practices, click here.