We Need to Talk About Password Hygiene

 I've been in tech for over a decade, and somehow we're still having the same conversation about passwords.

Last week, I conducted a security audit for my team. The results? Depressing. People are still using:

  • Their birth year + first name
  • "Password123!"
  • Variations of their company name
  • And yes, their pet's name (we'll get to that)

Here's the thing: I get it. Password fatigue is real. The average person has 100+ accounts. Remembering unique, complex passwords for each one is genuinely impossible.

But that's exactly why password managers exist.



The Stupid Activities We Need to Stop:

  1. Using the same password everywhere - When one site gets breached, all your accounts fall like dominoes.
  2. Making "clever" substitutions - "P@ssw0rd" isn't clever. It's the first thing attackers try.
  3. Writing passwords on sticky notes - I've seen this in 2024. At a tech company. Please stop.
  4. Ignoring 2FA - Two-factor authentication is annoying. Know what's more annoying? Getting hacked.
  5. Trusting browser autofill on shared computers - Just... don't.
And, drum roll please: Stop Using Your Pet's Name as a Password (I'm Begging You)

Years ago, I used "Marley2014" as a password. Marley was my childhood dog. 2014 was when I graduated university. It felt personal. Meaningful. Secure.

It wasn't.

What You Should Do Instead:

Use a password manager. Seriously. BitWarden, 1Password, LastPass (though they've had issues). Pick one. They generate strong, unique passwords for every site, and you only need to remember one master password.

Enable 2FA everywhere it's offered. Preferably with an authenticator app, not SMS.

Review your old accounts. That MySpace profile from 2007? Delete it or update the password.

I know this sounds preachy. But I've watched too many colleagues, friends, and family members deal with the aftermath of breached accounts. It's preventable.

I've failed on this so many times. Hell, there are still places where I fail. But we should know better.

Do better.

- Ivie

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