#TechTipTuesday – Secure Passwords

Every Tuesday I share a Tech Tip on our social media pages to assist our staff in their use of technology as it relates to their role. As October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, all of the tips shared this month will tackle common cyber security concerns (both student-related and work-place related).

Today’s post is focused on tips and tricks involved in strong password development as well as some habits we need to break as educators. Next week’s post will help you determine if any of your accounts have been compromised, which provides the opportunity to update those passwords to increase security!

Password Development Tips/Tricks

• DO
  • 10-12 characters in length
  • unique phrase/combination
  • varied characters (letters, numbers, special characters)
  • two factor authentication where possible
  • store important passwords in a secure location like a safety deposit box in the event of accident
• DON’T
  • use character series (123 or ABC)
  • personal info (birthdays, anniversaries, addresses)
  • use single words
  • reuse passwords between accounts

Password Habits Teachers Should Break

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A post shared by Kirsten Thompson – ICT (@thompsonclassroom)

When is the last time you’ve changed your password? Do you feel your current passwords meet the outlined criteria?