Be a Cyber Champion!
10/10/2023
October is PopCykol’s favorite month of the year because we get to explore more cyber security awareness topics with the help of leading industry experts, such as CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency), NCA (National Cybersecurity Alliance), and SANS Institute, just to name a few. Again, this year, we are a NCA Cybersecurity Champion. Champions unite!
2023 Champion Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Why do you see the same three topics discussed year after year? Because humans are the common denominator to security risk. I can recite password strength/password manager, multi-factor authentication, and phishing content in my sleep. Yawn! We, cybersecurity experts, have to keep talking about it because so many people still don’t get it. Looking at this graphic, you can see why.
Would you really want an 8-character password? Even a 10-character password isn’t great. That’s why a ‘real’ industry standard is 12. Yes, 12! That’s what PopCykol recommends for all of your accounts. Don’t skimp on this. You’re going to have to trust the nearly ten years of expertise I have, along with countless others. Anything illustrated in red or purple is a big no-no!
I can live with a 12-character password if it takes a bad hacker 3000 years to figure out my password. When given the option for the “Suggest a password?” prompt, accept it. Then immediately put that password in a Password Manager…then immediately start using multi-factor authentication. Double up your defenses!
Other resources you will find helpful:
Let’s take the spook out of cyber security and craft some better habits! Once you’re done reading this blog, look at a few passwords you have and start updating them to at least 12 characters with uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Share your story of updating your passwords with me. Email me at Teressa@PopCykol.com. I’d love to hear your story and share it with others. I’ll even keep your name anonymous, because that’s how we champion YOU!
