Your password should be changed

Since the beginning of time, security experts have been telling you to change your password periodically. And they’re right. It’s a reasonable precaution if you’re a company with 1,000 employees trying to mitigate every risk possible. But as a regular user, changing all your passwords every month, without a serious reason, is tricky and doesn’t enhance your security. Actually, it makes things worse. Here’s why: Changing all your passwords every month is impractical. An employee has one, maybe two passwords to manage but Changing your passwords every month is useless, if all your passwords are weak. A 10-character password made up of only numbers can be brute-forced instantly. On the other hand, a 10-character password that uses numbers, upper- and lower-case letters and symbols, requires five years to crack, and an 11-character password, following the same pattern, Changing your passwords every month is not enough. Even with the strongest password, accidents can still happen: your password leaks in a data breach, you get infected with password-stealing malware or you’re targeted by a phishing attack. If that’s the case, a password can’t help you. However, by adding multi-factor authentication (MFA) to your account, Changing your passwords every month can be dangerous, because it gives you a false sense of security. Passwords are used by real people, not by theoretical models, and when real people need to change their passwords monthly, they look for shortcuts. They reuse o...

“Change your passwords regularly” is a common piece of password advice, but it isn’t necessarily good advice. You shouldn’t bother changing most passwords regularly — it encourages you to use weaker passwords and wastes your time. Yes, there are some situations where you’ll want to regularly change your passwords. But those will probably be the exception rather than the rule. Telling typical computer users they need to regularly change their passwords is a mistake. The Theory of Regular Password Changes Regular password changes are theoretically a good idea because they ensure someone can’t acquire your password and use it to snoop on you over an extended period of time. For example, if someone acquired your email password, they could log into your email account regularly and monitor your communications. If someone acquired your online banking password, they could snoop on your transactions or come back in several months and attempt to transfer money to their own accounts. If someone acquired your Facebook password, they could log in as you and monitor your private communications. The Downsides Password changes shouldn’t be considered in a vacuum. If human beings had infinite time and perfect memory, regular password changes would be a fine idea. In reality, changing passwords imposes a burden on people. Changing your password regularly makes it harder to remember good passwords. Rather than create a strong password and commit it to memory, you must attempt to remember a n...

Want to get more out of Google apps at work or school? Change your password • Open your • Under "Security," select Signing in to Google. • Choose Password. You might need to sign in again. • Enter your new password, then select Change Password. Reset your password • • Check your Spam or Bulk Mail folders. • Add [email protected] to your address book. • • Check all email addresses you might've used to sign up or sign in to your account. 2. Choose a password that you haven't already used with this account. What happens after you change your password If you change or reset your password, you’ll be signed out everywhere except: • Devices you use to verify that it's you when you sign in. • Some devices with third-party apps that you've given account access. • • Helpful home devices that you've given account access. • Fix problems with your password If you're having trouble resetting your password or can’t sign in to your account, • How to recover your Google Account or Gmail • Tips to complete account recovery steps • Secure a hacked or compromised Google Account • Recover a recently deleted Google Account • Why your account recovery request is delayed • Change or reset your password • Can't sign in to your Google Account • Signing in with an Apple device

If you already know your current password and want to change it Select Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options . Under Password , select Change and follow the directions. Reset your Windows 11 local account password If you’ve forgotten or lost your Windows 11 password for a local account and need to sign back in to your device, the below options might help you get up and running. For more info on local standard vs. administrative accounts, see Windows 11 If you added security questions when you set up your local account for Windows 11, then you can answer security questions to sign back in. After you've entered an incorrect password: • Select the Reset password link on the sign-in screen. If you use a PIN instead, see Note: If you don't see security questions after you select the Reset password link, make sure your device name isn't the same as your local user account name (the name you see when you sign in). To see your device name, right-click Start , select System, and scroll to the Device specifications section. If the device name is the same as your account name, you can • Answer your security questions. • Enter a new password. • Sign in as usual with the new password. Reset your Microsoft account password you use to sign in to your computer On the sign-in screen, type your Microsoft account name if it's not already displayed. If there are multiple accounts on the computer, choose the one you want to reset. Below the password text box, select I forgot my passwor...

Network security is a concern for most organizations, and there are several ways to improve that, including updating passwords. But how often should you change your password? Are you still using the same password since college and have no plans to update it? Well, you are not the only one, and that does not imply that it is okay. It is also interesting to discover that some believe that resetting passwords is as Additionally, How Often Should You Change Your Password? IT experts recommend that people should update their passwords after every three months. However, if you know you’ve been a victim of a cyber attack, you should change immediately. The intention is to ensure that if a password is compromised, a cybercriminal will only remain inside the hacked account for a short time. If you do not intend to change your password from time to time, following the guidelines below on changing your password is advisable. • Change your password immediately if you believe your account is hacked. • Use strong, unique passwords. • Prioritize the use of a password manager to avoid memorizing or writing down your passwords. • To ensure that a cracked password does not compromise your account, consider using some form of two-factor authentication whenever possible. Why Should I Change My Password? It’s possible that the strategy you rely on to secure your company network is asking your fellow employees to change their passwords often. But do you take time to consider whether doing so is...

Firstly, let me say that this article isn't aimed at cyber über geeks or even cyber geeks at all. This article is aimed at people who are looking to understand good password policies and decent password hygiene, and may be coming across conflicting or contradictory information from well-know and trusted sources. For many years, regular password changing was the norm. Security policies required it, IT Admins enforced it and Auditors slapped you on the wrist if you didn't do it. It was just assumed to be a necessary evil. In 2015, however, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) changed its advice on forcing users to This is my critique of the 2016 article, and the opinions presented here are intended to stimulate thought and debate. I think the NCSC does an amazing job and I am not criticising the author, the NCSC or it's advice, I'm just looking to reinvigorate the debate about how to make credentials more secure. I recommend that you read the Let’s consider how we might limit the harm that comes from an attacker who knows a user’s password. The obvious answer is to make the compromised password useless by forcing the legitimate user to replace it with a new one that the attacker doesn’t know. This advice seems straightforward enough. I agree with this point. If a password has been compromised, changing it is a good idea. This raises the question, however, of how do you know that your password has been compromised? There is an assumption that compromised passwords are us...

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. In the spirit of the (Opens in a new window) campaign, it’s time to take a moment to update your online safety toolkit with some precautions and tips. Last week I addressed the Perform a Personal Password Audit You can't always prevent hackers from accessing your credentials via data breaches. Keeping an eye on your accounts is the best way to know if your accounts are at risk. What Is a Password Manager, and Why Do I Need One? Many Don't Save Passwords in Your Browser All of the popular web browsers offer to save users' passwords when they log in to websites. Don't do it! Browsers are big malware targets. Plus, if a stranger or anyone else uses your device, they can use your browser to log into your accounts without having to authenticate their identity. Instead of using your browser's credential management tool, download a browser extension for your favorite password manager and use that to capture and create new passwords. When to Change Your Password How often does your company's IT department require you to change the password on the computer or other device you use for work? If it’s every 60 to 90 days, they may request you to change it too soon. Old cybersecurity advice recommended frequent password changes, but not anymore. The best reason to change a password is if you think it's been stolen. Otherwise,changing your passwords too often may lead you to use simple passwords that are easier to memorize, or you may be tempted ...

Last week, I wrote the words "Another reason to use password managers is they make it very easy to change passwords into something stronger, which you should do frequently." Because that's the advice everyone gives about passwords, along with make them Thankfully, I had our resident security expert, That was news to me, but he's right. In 2017 (yes, four years ago), the (Opens in a new window) (NIST) issued (Opens in a new window) that used a lot of science-talk to discuss information security standards and "memorized secret authenticators"—its term for passwords, passphrases, and personal identification numbers (PINs). Its conclusion: "Do not require that [passwords] be changed arbitrarily (e.g., periodically) unless there is a user request or evidence of authenticator compromise." The report from NIST, a non-regulatory agency that's part of the US Department of Commerce, also included an appendix about the Strength of Memorized Secrets, which discusses how it's almost impossible for people to memorize passwords if they have forced "composition rules," such as including a symbol, an uppercase letter, a numeral, etc. "The benefit of such rules is not nearly as significant as initially thought, although the impact on usability and memorability is severe," NIST says. The length of a memorized secret is actually more important than complexity, yet so many services reject extra-long passphrases, which is a problem. (NIST says people should be allowed up to 64 characters.) Ulti...

• Save up to off during Tech Deals and Steals Shop Now > • Need it today? Buy online, pick up select products at Best Buy. Shop Pick Up > • Join My Lenovo Rewards and participate for a chance to win a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10! Join for Free > • 6, 12 & 24 Months Special Financing on qualifying purchases with our Lenovo Financing Credit Card. See if you Prequalify > • Free shipping sitewide, no minimum. My Lenovo Rewards members receive free expedited delivery* with their free membership. Why do I need a password? A password is a security measure used to protect access to your personal accounts, devices, and network. By using a password, you can prevent unauthorized access to your important data and information, such as financial details, personal photos, emails, and more. Without a password, anyone with physical access to your device or network could potentially steal or misuse your information, which could lead to identity theft, fraud, or other serious consequences. Therefore, it is essential to use a unique and strong password for each of your accounts and update it regularly to maintain security. What are the characteristics of a strong password? A strong password should be unique, complex, and difficult to guess. It typically consists of a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Avoid using easily guessable information like your name, birthdate, or common phrases. The longer and more random your password is, the harder...