Network security is very important for organizations in today’s network infrastructure. If you do not properly secure your network, you could end up a victim of a data breach or cyberattack costing your organization hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars to repair your network.
Password reset enforcement can improve network security. Knowing the best practices for password reset enforcement will allow you to better prevent your cyberattacks and hackers from penetrating and damaging your network.
Coeo has helped thousands of customers with network security and knows how important it is to an organization. We want to give you information on password reset enforcement so you can better secure your organization’s network.
By the end of this article, you will know what password reset enforcement is, when to change your passwords, and the best practices for password reset enforcement.
What is password reset enforcement?
Password reset enforcement requires you and your employees to reset account passwords after a specific amount of time. This can be enforced automatically or manually.
You can require passwords to be reset every few months on a predetermined schedule or you can manually change your passwords whenever you believe it’s appropriate.
Changing your password makes it harder for your network to fall victim to a cyberattack. If you use the same password for several months or even years without changing it, it can be much easier for a cyberattacker to access your network.
Password reset enforcement helps create strong passwords, making it harder for hackers to identify them and get access to your network and data.
When to change your passwords
There are many different times or situations when you should change your passwords to improve security. The times and situations you should change your passwords include:
After a security breach
If your network has been breached, you must change your password. If your network has been penetrated, odds are the hacker knows your password and other information and it is important you change your password immediately.
Once your network has been hacked, it is safe to assume your password is no longer safe. The hacker may come back and try to penetrate your network again or they may sell your password on the dark web to other hackers.
Changing your password to avoid these possibilities will likely prevent hackers from causing more damage than has already occurred.
If you suspect access from an unauthorized user
If you suspect that an unauthorized user has access to your information which could lead to network penetration, it is a good idea to change your password even if the risk is low.
It is important not to wait until there is glaring evidence that your network may be hacked because by then it may be too late.
If you have even the slightest suspicion an unauthorized user has access to your network, changing your passwords before your network is hacked is critically important to avoid network penetration.
If you discover malware
Viruses and malware can be devastating to your network. If you discover either within your network, it’s important to change your passwords.
Just like with access from a hacker, malware and viruses can also gain access to and leak your passwords. It is important to avoid any more damage to your network than the malware or virus discovered in your network has already caused.
Share account access
If your organization shares account information with multiple people throughout the company, you could be in danger of having your network breached.
With multiple people having access to one account, it can be easier for that account information to be misplaced such as in an email.
In addition, if a former employee no longer works at the company, it may be a good idea to change your password so that the employee does not have access to that account.
Logging into public places
If you log into your network from a public place such as a coffee shop, your information could be stolen if the WIFI is not secure. It is important that you change your passwords after leaving a public place.
3 best practices for creating a new password
If your organization decides to enforce a password reset policy, or you decide to change your passwords manually due to one of the situations mentioned previously, here are some of the best practices you can follow to make a strong and secure password.
Set up 2-factor authentication
Setting up 2-factor authentication will help improve your network security. 2-factor authentication requires a second step to complete before logging into an account.
2-factor authentication usually looks like a text to your cellphone or an email to your email address containing a unique code that you use to log in to your account to prove that it is you who is logging in.
Audit your passwords
Keeping your passwords safe involves using a separate password for different accounts. If you use the same password for multiple accounts and one is breached, chances are all of your other accounts may also be breached.
Making sure each password is different from the previous one will protect all accounts separately. Additionally, if you use personal information such as your name for your passwords, your accounts can easily be breached.
In this situation, all the hacker might need to know is your first name to breach your account. Using unique passwords for different accounts that do not contain personal information is important.
Create long and unique passwords
Making sure your passwords are at least 12 characters long using unique characters such as symbols and numbers is important. The longer the password and the more unique characters involved, the harder it will be to access your account and breach your network.
Next steps to adopting password reset enforcement
Now you know what password enforcement is, when to change your passwords, and the three best practices for resetting your password.
This will help you create strong passwords and proper timing for changing your passwords so your network will be more secure.
No one wants to be a victim of a cyberattack and pay money to repair their network following an attack. Without password reset enforcement, your passwords may be at risk which could result in an attack on your network.
Coeo has helped thousands of customers with their network security. We want to give you information on password reset enforcement so you can improve network security and avoid being a victim of a cyberattack or data breach.
If you would like to speak with our team to talk about security or ask any questions you may have you can schedule an appointment. 
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