Are Password Policies Waste Of Money And Time?
Just like a drill, a number of corporate accounts are hacked, and the data is compromised. Most of the time, the corporates make only one change in the strictness and that is bringing out stricter policies and passwords. This is just like a false accomplishment that is short-lived in the sense of security. The result of these accomplishments is insecure and compromised accounts. In this blog post, we will learn why a more fundamental solution is needed if we have to stop corporate account breaching.
Repeated Password Breaching
The multiple times data and passwords have been breached show the inefficiency of the password policies. Cybersecurity is showing no drop in data breaches.
In 2019, 5183 breaches happened in which 7.9 billion user records were leaked. Imagine the figure and how large this data is. Most of the data was health and finance-related. Another alarming thing to note is that most of the data is breached by stolen credentials.
Inefficient Password Policies
The securing of accounts and the burden related to that are usually put on the shoulders of the user. The costs are bored by the user as well as the organization. Below mentioned are some of the key points of the password policies:
Forgetting The Rotating Password
Many users are locked out of their accounts once the organization imposes a periodically changing password policy. This, in turn, increases the support costs and it is often ignored when the recommendation to change the password is given to the users. It has been seen that almost 33% of users realize that they have to change their passwords when they see a breach in their data but the new password that they use is the weaker version of the older one, so it is easy to remember.
More Complex, Less It Will Work
The passwords should be complex and diverse, so they are unique every time but having complex passwords makes them easily forgettable which increases the maintenance cost and recovery cost. It is vulnerable to write it down on paper or store it in the system to stop the leak from happening. People writing on sticky notes and on a piece of paper will have a chance of giving away the passwords. The systems are growing stronger and so are the hackers. Memorizing the passwords every time will save a lot of recovery charges and maintenance costs.
How Many Passwords Should You Memorize?
Passwords should be unique and should be different from the last time. Keeping the passwords in a way that they are similar to the ones that you are already using will keep them memorized too.
Writing it on a piece of paper or in the system will make it hackable and anyone could see it. Similar and simple passwords will keep them memorized for a longer duration.
The Two-Factor Authentication
The enforcement of two-factor authentication will add up the frustration of the employees as remembering new and unique passwords is itself a challenge. The user experience should be seamless and without a pause. What if the user accidentally uninstalls the authentication app. They will not go through the process of reinstalling the apps and re-authenticating them again giving another chance to the help desk in the increase in the help costs.
The On And On Teaching Cycle
When the company imposes password policies then they have to give a proper education on the correct use of the passwords and what not to do when they come across an attack. Since the lockdown has started and people are forced to work from home, and this is the time when the data is the most vulnerable and prone to leaks. As all the information is in the official systems and using own system means to log in to the system and the programs. This usually does not happen in one go and one has to click on “Forget Password” to generate a new one which gives the hacker a loophole to gain access to your data.
Which One Is The Best Password Policy?
It’s more like convenience over security and there are fewer chances that it is both. It is very difficult to find a new password or remember it and losing it again will give a loophole to the hackers.
Passwordless authentication will replace the old technology with a new cutting-edge technology that is secure and convenient to use. Passwordless authentication will remove:
- The need to create or remembering long and difficult passwords
- Changing of passwords
- Setting unique passwords
We see that where the locks are given then it is a tendency that will make the hacker dismantle the lock and steal the data.
- Phishing attacks would be less when the passwords would not be present
- There is no need to secure the password database
- Saved from the advanced database and password stuffing attacks
Zindagi Technologies will be giving you the right choice on passwordless authentication which will make your data normal and less approachable. You can give us a call at +919773973971 or you can also drop us an email.
Author
Shweta
Senior Content Writer
