Password security is a foundational element of cybersecurity. It’s your bread and butter for safeguarding your brokerage. From our data security experts, consider these best practices for managing and securing your systems.
For brokers who handle sensitive data such as client information, shipment details, and financial transactions, it is essential to implement strong password policies. Weak or reused passwords can be easily cracked or guessed, granting unauthorized access to systems.
Remember, passwords should be complex, combining upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Additionally, they should be changed regularly and never shared among team members.
To keep things even tighter, consider using password managers. These tools generate and store strong, unique passwords for each account, reducing the likelihood of human error. It’s important that passwords are not written down or stored in easily accessible places like spreadsheets or sticky notes, which can compromise the entire system – were these to end up in the wrong hands, they might have a key to critical pieces of your organization.
Educating employees on the risks associated with poor password management can help enforce better practices across the organization.
We highly encourage using another internal multi-factor authentication (MFA) program. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of identification, such as a fingerprint, security token, or SMS code, before granting access. Even if a password is compromised, MFA can prevent unauthorized access, significantly reducing the risk of a security breach.
As always, one of the best defenses against fraud is vigilance and keeping your passwords protected and secure.
