Welcome to Cyber Security Awareness Month! We'll be uploading an article with tips each week this month to help you boost your online security.

To kick things off, let's review the importance of strong, unique credentials. A good passphrase is far better than a simple password.

Tips for a secure password, or passphrase

Here are the four key rules for creating secure credentials:

1. Go Long (15+ Characters): Aim for a minimum of 15 characters. The best approach is to use a passphrase, which is a sentence or a string of a few unrelated words (e.g., purple-socks-fly-at-noon!).
2. Be Unpredictable: Your passphrase must not be predictable or related to your personal life. Do not use names of children, pets, birthdates, street names, or common keyboard patterns. Also, avoid simple substitutions like capitalising the first letter and adding a "1" or "!" at the end.
3. Be Unique: Never reuse the same passphrase across different websites or applications. If one site is compromised, reusing passwords allows attackers instant access to all your other accounts.
4. Manage and Protect: Consider using a reputable password manager to help you generate, store, and manage your unique passphrases securely.

What difference does this make? Below is a chart showing how long it would take a hacker to crack your password.

Beyond Passwords: A Note on Privacy

In addition to strong credentials, remember to Protect Your Privacy online:

• Review Privacy Settings: Update your privacy settings so that only trusted contacts can see profile details such as your photo, personal information, and activity status.
• Be Mindful of Sharing: Avoid including information related to your job on public profiles, such as your job title and the names and titles of people you work closely with. Hackers and scammers will use this information to fool you into trusting them, or to trick you with phishing emails.

Following these simple rules significantly improves your security posture.