Looking back at recent events, it's not difficult to see that everyone can be a target of a cyber attack. As a result of the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) breach, millions of individuals received notification that their information — and the information of their families and colleagues — was compromised. The question that may come immediately to mind is, "What can I do to protect myself?" Government agencies, businesses of all sizes, and individuals are examining ways to implement more explicit security measures across the enterprise to protect company, employee, and client data. It is no longer a question of "if" your data will be breached, but "when" and "how badly." Taking simple steps up front may lessen the damage in the long run, or dissuade attackers from spending the time to go after your information at all.
The first step in protecting your data is a strong password. Without a strong password — and without changing your passwords often (every 90 days at minimum) — cyber attackers have an easy job of stealing your information and possibly your identity or credit. Creating strong passwords that are easy to remember may seem daunting, but it's actually quite simple. Below are some tips for generating strong passwords. Remember, there is no magic bullet that guarantees 100% protection, but beginning with a strong password and following information security best practices makes you a more difficult and much less appealing target.
Tips for a Stronger Password
A strong password:
- Is at least eight characters long; stronger passwords contain 16–20 (a passphrase).
- Does not contain your user name, real name, or company name.
- Does not contain a complete word.
- Is completely different from any previous password.
- Contains characters from each of these four categories: uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols found on the keyboard.
A password might meet all the criteria above and still be weak:
Hello2U!meets all the criteria above but is still weak because it contains a complete word.H3ll0 2 U!is a stronger alternative because it replaces some letters with numbers and includes spaces.
Help yourself remember a strong password with these tips:
- Create an acronym from an easy-to-remember piece of information. Pick a phrase meaningful to you, such as "My son's birthday is 12 December 2004." Using that phrase as a guide, you might use
Msbi12/Dec,4. - Substitute numbers, symbols, and misspellings for letters or words in an easy-to-remember phrase. "My son's birthday is 12 December 2004" could become
Mi$un's Brthd8iz 12124(it's OK to use spaces in your password!). - Relate your password to a favorite hobby or sport. "I love to play badminton" could become
ILuv2PlayB@dm1nt()n.
If you feel you must write down your password in order to remember it, make sure you don't label it as your password, keep it in a safe place, and most importantly — do not share it!
About New Light Technologies
New Light Technologies (NLT) is a Washington, DC-based firm with 25+ years of experience delivering:
- Geospatial systems and enterprise GIS
- Cloud-native data platforms
- AI/ML and advanced analytics
- DevSecOps and cybersecurity solutions
NLT supports federal, state, and international organizations in operationalizing data for mission impact.