What are the most effective ways to ensure password authentication meets industry standards?

2 Implement multi-factor authentication

The second way to ensure password authentication meets industry standards is to implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for any sensitive or high-risk accounts and devices. MFA is a process that requires users to provide more than one piece of evidence to prove their identity, such as a password, a code sent to their phone, or a biometric feature. MFA can add an extra layer of security and prevent attackers from accessing your accounts or devices even if they have your password.

4 Use password managers and generators

The fourth way to ensure password authentication meets industry standards is to use password managers and generators to create and manage your passwords. Password managers are applications that store and autofill your passwords for different accounts and devices in a secure vault, and that can also alert you of any weak or compromised passwords. Password generators are tools that create random and strong passwords for you based on your preferences and requirements. Using password managers and generators can help you avoid the hassle and risk of remembering and typing your passwords manually.

5 Educate and train users

The fifth way to ensure password authentication meets industry standards is to educate and train users on the importance and best practices of password security. Users are often the weakest link in the password authentication chain, as they may choose weak or reused passwords, fall for phishing or social engineering attacks, or disclose their passwords to others. Therefore, it is vital to raise awareness and provide guidance on how to create, use, and protect passwords, and how to recognize and report any suspicious or malicious activities.

6 Monitor and audit password activities

The sixth way to ensure password authentication meets industry standards is to monitor and audit password activities on your network and systems. Monitoring and auditing password activities can help you detect and respond to any unauthorized or anomalous access attempts, password changes, or password resets, and can also help you identify and remediate any password vulnerabilities or issues. You can use various tools and techniques to monitor and audit password activities, such as logs, alerts, reports, or penetration tests.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?