The importance of security keys

Laziness, ignorance or extreme confidence are the reasons why there are still people who use security passwords such as "123456", "qwerty" or "pedro21061971"—extremely dangerous passwords because they offer no security at all. At our IT maintenance company in Barcelona, we know this all too well.

If this can already be a problem on a personal level, on a business level it would be a real disaster. Even if we want to think that no one in a company would use such a password, especially if it is for a file containing sensitive data, it would be absolutely irresponsible.

What would a secure password be like?

These passwords can be easily hacked by someone with knowledge and tools to get them. Therefore, whenever the system allows, you should always use alphanumeric passwords with symbols, and use a different one for every program or access. For example, a password like this would be considered secure: "gH@1lpOj#b44_rst-", but surely many people won\'t use it because it takes "too much time" to write, putting the company\'s security at risk.

It is highly recommended to ensure that password management is done correctly for all company users. Nothing should be left to chance, nor should you trust that just by having a simple password, no one will attack or try to access your work, data, etc. Nowadays, unauthorized access and data theft are constant threats.

What not to do with passwords

You should never write the password in a txt file or other medium and store it on the computer, as this would be inviting an intruder by handing them the key. Nor should you save it in your email or in the browser\'s password manager. The best recommendation is to use a password manager that allows you both to store and manage all your passwords and sensitive data.

It is important to emphasize the strength and security of passwords, always using alphanumeric characters, uppercase letters, and different keyboard symbols whenever the system allows it. This will make the password exponentially harder to discover, even by brute force.

You should never let your guard down regarding IT security. Even if you have a good antivirus, it will not protect you from a specific attack that might try to access your system and spread to the entire company without being detected. Your password should become a routine that you always type in; it will only take about 10 seconds or so, but with a little effort, you will ensure your IT security is not compromised by an easily avoidable mistake.