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One of the key aspects of securing your workforce is implementing strong passwords that comply with Cyber Essentials password policy best practices.
Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed scheme that teaches businesses how to protect themselves from common online threats.
Why adopt Cyber Essentials password policy recommendations?
A weak password can be the difference between a secure system and a damaging data breach.
Cyber Essentials provides guidelines that help businesses protect themselves against cyber threats. Following them can reduce the risk of unauthorised access by ensuring your systems are as secure as possible.
Cyber Essentials password requirements
To get certified, your business must implement a password policy that meets the following requirements:
1. Password complexity
The NCSC recommends using its three random words approach to password creation. However, you can also use a randomly generated password created by a password manager. The key is that your passwords are complex and near-impossible to guess.
2. Unique credentials
Reusing passwords across multiple personal and company accounts presents a major risk. If a hacker gets hold of them, they could gain access to sensitive data.
Cyber Essentials requires all employees to use unique passwords for every account. Password managers can help employees maintain unique passwords without the burden of remembering them all.
3. Account lock-up mechanisms
Cyber Essentials recommends implementing account lock-up mechanisms to protect against brute-force attacks, where hackers attempt to guess passwords by trying different combinations. This temporarily locks accounts after a certain number of unsuccessful login attempts, requiring additional verification to regain access.
4. Multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an essential layer of security that requires users to verify their identity using two or more methods. This might include a password, a pin, or even a fingerprint.
Cyber Essentials strongly recommends implementing MFA for accessing all critical systems. This ensures that even if a hacker obtains a password, they can’t access sensitive data without the second verification step.
Implementing a CE password policy
Creating a Cyber Essentials-compliant password policy is the first step to securing your business. But ensuring your team adheres to it requires careful planning and execution.
1. Employee training and awareness
Even the strongest password policy can fail if employees don’t know how to use it or where to find it. Every team needs regular training and reminders about the importance of strong passwords and the specific policy requirements.
Consider running interactive training sessions, webinars, and regular cybersecurity newsletters to keep employees informed and engaged. Highlight real-world examples of password-related breaches to emphasise the importance of compliance.
2. Password management tools
Managing multiple, complex passwords can be daunting. Password management tools offer a secure way to store and retrieve passwords, reducing the temptation to reuse or simplify them.
These tools generate strong, random passwords for each account and store them securely. This makes it easier for employees to adhere to Cyber Essentials password policy best practices without sacrificing convenience.
3. Monitoring and support
Implement monitoring tools that allow your IT team to oversee compliance and respond quickly to potential issues.
These tools can also help identify unusual patterns, such as multiple failed login attempts that may indicate a security breach. By monitoring these activities, you can prevent minor issues from escalating into major security incidents.
4. Secure access solutions
Beyond passwords, implementing secure access solutions is crucial. Use secure channels such as VPNs to encrypt data and prevent hackers from intercepting it.
Executing a Cyber Essentials password policy
Securing your businesses’ digital infrastructure is more important than ever as attacks become more frequent. A well-crafted password policy that complies with Cyber Essentials will protect your business from cybercriminals.
To learn more about Cyber Essentials and how it can benefit your business, check out our guide to UK certifications.
