How to create stronger passwords

Passwords are a necessary evil in today’s world. We need them to protect our online identities, but they can be a pain to remember and type in. That’s why it’s important to ensure your passwords are up to date and compliant with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines. NIST released updated password […]

Your password may not be secure — update it now

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) once said that a good password consisted of three things: upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. However, the NIST has now reversed its stance on good passwords. Here’s why and what they are now recommending. The problem The issue isn’t that the NIST advised people to […]

Common sense is not so common when it comes to security

The saying, “common sense is not so common” applies to IT security more than we would like to admit. We all have our areas of expertise, but it is now 2021, which means you are participating in IT security whether you like it or not. Here are three common sense ideas you can commit to […]

M365 Security Basics

The question is not whether or not you are using Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365), but rather, are you using it securely? Microsoft has steadily improved the default security settings, but it still requires some experience to get it 100% there. The amount of attacks on the M365 is astounding, specifically with phishing attempts to […]

It’s time to rethink your password strategy

In 2003, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) stated that strong passwords should consist of upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Recently, however, the institute reversed its stance. Find out why and learn what their new recommendations are for creating strong passwords. The problem The issue isn’t that the NIST advised people […]

Your password may be poor — update it now

A password policy designed for federal agencies must be secure, right? Surprisingly, that hasn’t been the case, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The NIST created many of the password best practices you probably loathe — the combination of letters, numbers, and special characters — but it now says those guidelines […]

Your passwords are not secure

In 2003, a manager at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) authored a document on password best practices for businesses, federal agencies, and academic institutions. Now retired, the author admits that his document was misguided. Find out why and what great passwords are made of. The problem The issue isn’t necessarily that NIST […]