What are Your Organization's Technology New Year’s Resolutions For 2023?
Hot on the heels of Anthony's #tuesdaytechtip message highlighting New Year's resolutions to help keep you cyber-safe, we are sharing a deeper dive into some strategies and best practices to keep your organization protected in 2023.
- Create strong passwords. To protect against brute-force and dictionary attacks, your passwords need to use uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols, numbers, and should be at least 14 characters long. Making a secure password doesn’t have to be difficult. The Mnemonic method makes it easy to create a difficult password that’s easy for you to remember. For instance, take your favorite quote and use the first letter of each word, preserving the case and including punctuation, to create a password.
Example: “Technology will never replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of great teachers is transformational.” – George Couras
Password – Twnrgt,btithogtit.
The same can be done with images and their sources. To make these passwords even more secure, you can utilize the Mnemonic MotoMem method, which uses the same password you create with a phrase or image text, with the addition of `1q” at the beginning and “|}?}{P> at the end of the passphrase. This creates a super secure password that could theoretically take 44,000 years to crack.
- Install a business-class firewall. Don’t settle for the basic option that comes from your internet provider. If you already have a firewall in place, check that the password is customized and not the standard one the device comes with.
- Maintain an on- and off-site backup of your data. Should your system completely crash, you’ll have two ways of restoring your information. Whether you have an off-site backup or you’re implementing one, test it to ensure everything is working properly, and make a note to conduct this test annually.
- Update anti-virus software on PCs and laptops. Ensuring you have the most up-to-date software installed on your computer will help prevent major problems in the future. Additionally, apply the latest patches and updates offered by Microsoft or Apple. As the year winds down, take this time to install updated software to ensure your devices are protected from the latest viruses.
- Use a VPN. Keeping the information that you pass through your business protected, be it personal or otherwise, should always be a top priority. To prevent that data from being exposed on a public network, use a VPN.
As we prepare to enter 2023, keep these resolutions in mind. If you’ve already implemented these practices into your business, make sure everything is up to date before you close for the holidays! To help get your tech organized for 2023, contact us for help.