Cybersecurity: Company Password Policy

The most commonly used password in 2019 and 2020 was 123456.

When your company is responsible for the security of customer, employee, and vendor data, it’s important to have a solid password policy for employees. Implementing a policy for a 10-character password with a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols will take a computer running password hacking software 928 years to break. Hackers will move on long before they hack that password.

We’ve created an email template you can use to message your staff today about password security:

{Personal Greeting} 

More and more companies, schools, and government agencies are falling victim to hackers and other cybersecurity scams. I’m going to ask you to do your part to help {company name} keep our company data secure. 

Before the end of the day, would you check the passwords you use on our company systems and be sure they meet the following requirements: 

• At least 10 characters long. 

• A combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Ideally, the letters will not spell an actual word, though you can substitute a number for a letter, or make the capitalization random if that makes it easier to remember, such as: RoAn8Ke instead of “Roanoke.” 

• Unique to your company system, i.e. not the same as a personal password you use. 

• Is not written down near your computer or device. 

Studies have shown that passwords with these characteristics are more difficult for hackers to figure out and they will move on to easier targets. 

Thanks for doing your part to ensure our customer, vendor, employee, and company data remains secure and safe. 

{Signature}