Password Generator

The most important secure password management best practices include:

1. Create a strong password: Use a password generator to ensure any password you use meets all the requirements for a strong password mentioned above. You can also opt for a secure passphrase instead of a single secure password. Passphrases are longer, up to 100 characters, and consist of multiple words and strings of characters significant to you and only you.
2. Test your password: Most websites, accounts, and devices will automatically test the strength of your password as you enter them, but only on a surface level. Run your password through a reputable testing tool to ensure your potential password is as strong as possible.
3. Don’t share your password with anyone: Never share your password with anyone, even if you work with them. If someone needs access to your personal resources, create permissions options to grant someone control of your account without having to share passwords or create a new “throwaway” account with the necessary access. Also, never share your passwords through email, text, or instant message. A hacker can easily gain access to these records and lift your password from them.
4. Use password encryption: Encryption adds another layer of protection to your passwords and protects them as you enter them in various places across the network. End-to-end, non-reversible encryption is best.
5. Set first-time passwords to expire and change default passwords: When you log in to an application for the first time, it will often generate a simple password for you for ease of use and troubleshooting. Always remember to change these passwords to a strong password after initial set up.
6. Change passwords regularly, especially after an attack: Cybersecurity experts recommend you change all your passwords every 90 days like clockwork and instruct your employees to do the same. However, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) only recommends this best practice for privileged credentials. If your employees are forced to change their personal passwords this often, they might write them down or otherwise store them in an insecure manner, so they’ll remember them. The NIST advises you should only change personal passwords if the account has been threatened or compromised.
7. Never reuse a password: Each account or application on each device you use should have a unique password. Don’t reuse an old password on a different device or application.
8. Don’t use automatic login or “Keep me logged in” functions: Keeping your account logged in might be convenient, but it compromises your network’s cybersecurity. Log in and out every time.
9. Use two-factor authentication: Two-factor authentication adds an additional layer of security to your accounts, applications, devices, and networks. If a hacker can crack your strong password, they probably won’t be able to bypass a biometric lock or additional passcode sent only to your phone.
10. Refrain from storing passwords: Do not keep all your passwords in a list in one place, like a word document. All passwords should be stored somewhere with 3DES or AES encryption or hashing algorithms like SHA-256.