Bluetek IT Solutions Blog

One of the most important applications we choose is our internet browser. When on a computer or a mobile device, we work in that most of the time because many applications are now cloud-based, so accessing them means going through your browser.

Over the years browsers have come and gone. A little over a decade ago, Internet Explorer was the head of the pack, and now that browser is retired, Google’s Chrome has been in the top spot for several years.

But just because a browser is number one today, doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way. One browser that has steadily been making its way up in popularity since its release in 2015 is Microsoft Edge.

Edge is the replacement for Internet Explorer, but it’s taken a while for it to become mainstream. It seems that now is its time.

The key to your online security is to have strong passwords, but the challenge is to create distinct passwords that you can actually remember -- or else you may fall into the bad habit of using the same login credentials for multiple accounts. According to LogMeIn, the company behind the LastPass password manager, you could very easily have 85 passwords for all your accounts once you count all of your social media, streaming, bank accounts and apps.

If your data is compromised, weak passwords can have serious consequences, like identity theft. Companies reported a staggering 5,183 data breaches in 2019 that exposed personal information such as home addresses and login credentials that could easily be used to steal your identify or commit fraud. And that pales in comparison with the more than 555 million stolen passwords that hackers on the dark web have published since 2017.

The identity protection of a post-password world isn't here for most of us. So in the meantime, try these best practices that can help minimize the risk of your data being exposed. Read on to learn how to create and manage the best passwords, how to be alerted if they're breached, and one crucial tip to make your logins even more secure. And here are three old password rules that wound up being dumb today.

Nobody likes passwords. They’re inconvenient. They’re a prime target for attacks. Yet for years they’ve been the most important layer of security for everything in our digital lives—from email to bank accounts, shopping carts to video games.

We are expected to create complex and unique passwords, remember them, and change them frequently, but nobody likes doing that either. In a recent Microsoft Twitter poll, one in five people reported they would rather accidentally “reply all”—which can be monumentally embarrassing—than reset a password.

But what alternative do we have?

For the past couple of years, we’ve been saying that the future is passwordless, and today I am excited to announce the next step in that vision. In March 2021, we announced that passwordless sign in was generally available for commercial users, bringing the feature to enterprise organizations around the world.

Beginning today, you can now completely remove the password from your Microsoft account. Use the Microsoft Authenticator app, Windows Hello, a security key, or a verification code sent to your phone or email to sign in to your favorite apps and services, such as Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Family Safety, and more.

With today's "new normal" ratcheting up the threat level, bolstering cybersecurity has become even more critical than before the pandemic. Here are five defensive measures that can help IT teams minimize the risk of cyberattacks and associated damage to the business. While you may think your business once had these areas under control, the reality is that may no longer be true thanks to the changing dynamics of our new landscape. Consequently, every organization should reevaluate its approach by taking these steps:

1. Conduct A Risk Assessment

Knowing where to focus your remediation efforts requires identifying the biggest weaknesses in your security fabric. This can be achieved by performing a risk assessment, either internally or with the help of an outside consultant. The process is essentially a security health check covering hardware devices, applications, network connections, user authentication systems, data classification and storage and other IT components and policies. Any vulnerabilities detected by this analysis can be prioritized based on the risk level and used to create a roadmap for strengthening your security posture.

Most corporate networks have what is essentially an open floor plan. Employees can reach whatever they need without going through different doors (technically speaking, routers or firewalls). This "flat" network enables an adversary who gains access to a user's computer to roam freely on a search for valuable data, then stage an attack against the relevant servers to steal it.

Make sure your router and devices are secure

If you want to add a bit more security to your device or simply make it easier to remember what you need to put in, you should look into changing your Wi-Fi router's password. Routers come with default passwords that are easy for anyone to guess or look up. Instead, you should change it to something more secure so that nobody can mess with your settings. Here's how to change your Wi-Fi router's password.

How to log into your router

1. First, you need to log into your router's web-based interface.

2. Connect to your router with your PC or mobile device.

3. Visit 192.168.0.1 or www.routerlogin.net.

4. A prompt will show up for login info.

5. Enter the username and password that's on the bottom of your router or what it says in the manual.