Can you recall the last time you changed your password for your OCAD U account?
We often hear about the importance of strong passwords though we don’t always follow recommended practices. Luckily, there are simple and yet highly effective tactics we can use to increase the quality of our passwords and improve our security online.
Take a moment and check if your account has ever been exposed in a data breach. You may be unpleasantly surprised by the results.
The first thing to do if you become aware of a data breach involving any of your accounts is to change your passwords. It sounds daunting to change the credentials for all your personal and professional accounts and unfortunately, that’s because it is! When updating your passwords remember, they should be complex and different from one another.
Below is a chart that shows the time it takes a hacker to crack a password using brute force. This is a method of trial-and-error that involves a malicious actor attempting to guess a user’s private information until they gain access to the targeted account.
It's time to change your OCAD U password
If you can’t recall the last time you changed your OCAD U password, it’s time to change it by visiting your OCAD U login page. Follow these tips below to make your password extra secure.
Make sure your password...
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is at least ten characters
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does not contain your username, first name, last name or a previously used password
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contains characters from three of the following four categories
uppercase letters
lowercase letters
numbers
non-alphanumeric characters
Other ways to make your password secure
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don't use real words
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use both upper- and lower-case characters
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include numbers and special symbols
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don’t use personal data
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make patterns random and not sequential
It's time to get a password manager
Do you use the same password or a variation of the same password for one or more of your accounts? According to recent nationwide surveys of password habits, most people do this. It is important for your cyber safety that you do not continue this habit.
Password managers enable you to have unique and complex passwords for all your online accounts. They make your life easier since you only need to remember one master password and also make your accounts more secure.
The best password managers let you know if your existing passwords are weak, reused or have shown up in a data breach. They help improve your password hygiene by suggesting new, strong and unique credentials for every login. Some recommendations for high quality password managers are Bitwarden, Lastpass, 1Password and Dashlane.
You’ve been hearing about it for a while and you know that your password habits could use a cleanup, so let's make today the day you update your password and get a password manager.