With online threats looming large, passwords are becoming a weak spot with dire consequences if unaddressed
At a time when cyberattacks are growing in both complexity and volume, cybersecurity needs to be front of mind for organizations and individuals alike. Passwords are designed to give you access to an online world while protecting your information. However, with threats looming large, this first point of cybersecurity (opens in new tab) is becoming a weak spot that can involve dire consequences if unaddressed. In today’s world, we are used to being asked to login into accounts across all areas of our online world. Whether it is banking, shopping, social media (opens in new tab) browsing or even simply reading the news, passwords are ubiquitous in protecting our online presence. While this is a basic security feature to ensure cyber ‘wrong-doing’ is limited, it can frequently become problematic. The frustrating and time-consuming task of creating secure passwords across multiple platforms and websites makes it much easier for our cyber ‘hygiene’ standards to slip and put our personal details at risk. All too often passwords are dropping off our radar when they should be our first port of call as a cyber safety net. By ignoring the increasingly significant risks, we are willingly revealing our weak spot to cybercriminals – and exposing our own Achilles’ heel. Individuals rely on easily remembered passwords for convenience, but they often make notoriously bad choices when choosing them. Despite being regularly warned about the potential threats to our online security, many continue to reuse passwords that are easy to hack with minimal effort. Securing email accounts is crucial for staying safe online.
