Hans Oliver
Vice President, 10 Fitness
“The key to success is playing the hand you were dealt like it was the hand you wanted.”
Password Fitness
At 10 Fitness we endorse the use of a lot of different Apps to help you along your fitness journey. It would be nice if there was one app that could do everything, but that is not the case, yet.
One thing all of these apps require and have in common is a password. Each require you to create a password to gain access, and we would bet you use a password that you are familiar with, right?
Last month, on May 3, 2018 it was World Password Day. We bet you missed it, but we thought it would be a good idea to share a few thoughts on the subject.
The internet is a wonderful tool that enables us to do some pretty amazing things. And, the internet is a devastating tool that can destroy people’s lives.
The apps that 10 Fitness recommends does not require you to store any financial information, so why is this important? Your password.
Many people use the same password, or two, for everything. Their email, bank accounts, credit cards, health care account, social media accounts, Netflix, Hulu, Sling, fitness apps etc. For that reason, your Password Fitness is extremely important.
Here are three fast tips that can help prevent you from experiencing a cyber attack on you, your family or your business.
There is power in length and strength:
Use complex passwords phrases; upper case, lower case, numbers, symbols, etc. A password phrase or passphrase’s are catch phrases that are easy for you to remember and have some length to them, example, “ILove10FitnesssoMuch”
If you don’t already, use 2-factor authentication if it is available with your services.
Security professionals recommend to set a regular rotation schedule for your passwords of six to nine months.
Keep in mind from a mathematical standpoint, using passphrase’s with 8 characters or more, and 2 factor authentication drastically increase’s your Password Fitness.
Protecting your Passwords is the next step.
If you have 20 accounts of any kind you should have 20 separate passwords.
Find and use a password manager. @Keeper is a good one. The important thing is to securely store them where you will have access to them when you need them. Password managers will help you to keep it all straight.
Password managers can help you create new passwords as well as manage how long a password has been in use.
Encrypt and Don’t Share
Excel is not a acceptable password manager (even if you make the text white to match the background). Always go for the encryption options that are available to you.
Finally, never share your passwords. If you have to share a password remember to immediately change your password to a new one.
Three fast and easy tips that can make all the difference in the world.
Bonus Tip: If you believe your computer or phones biometrics will help keep your information safe (fingerprint reader or face recognition) keep this in mind. Just months after Apple’s release of Face ID someone used a 3D printer mask to hack the system. Password Fitness is important!