At IT Glue, we are continually committed to enhancing security and streamlining IT operations through robust and secure asset, password and SOP management in one interconnected hub. As the next significant step toward that commitment, we’re excited to announce the launch of our all-new Password Policy Enforcement feature in IT Glue. This powerful addition empowers IT administrators and managers like you to create and enforce highly secure passwords tailored to your specific needs, offering greater control and flexibility over password policies.

Boost your security and maximize password strength

IT Glue’s Password Policy Enforcement feature now allows you to select the type and complexity of your passwords, which will then be applied to any newly created passwords afterward, ensuring the new policy is followed. You can determine the type of passwords you want to create (complex passwords or passphrases) and their complexity (password length and required uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters).

The goal is to give you more control and flexibility in creating and enforcing strong passwords that meet the highest security standards and align with your organizational policies and requirements. Generate and document your sensitive data and passwords all in one place, without needing an external password-generation tool.

In addition to the Browser App, Password Policy Enforcement is also available through our IT Glue Mobile App and Browser Extension. No matter where you generate new passwords the policy that you customize will be applied, ensuring your passwords are secure and compliant for all organizations.

Notably, admins also have the option to generate passphrases as passwords. These are six-word passwords divided by a hyphen (‐). IT professionals often struggle to share passwords over phone calls, which can lead to misunderstandings and errors. Passphrases, however, are both strong and easy to dictate, reducing these issues when sharing passwords by phone.

Password Policy Enforcement: Unlocking IT peace of mind

Let’s look at some of the benefits that the feature can bring to IT professionals by strengthening their passwords.

Enhanced data protection and cybersecurity compliance

• Set and forget: Once you set the complexity of your password strength for each organization, then each password created afterward will follow that respective policy and standards/requirements.
• Bolster your security: Generate strong, secure passwords that meet industry standards and protect against cyberthreats. With this feature, IT administrators can ensure that all the new passwords created meet the highest security standards, reducing the risk of breaches and enhancing overall cybersecurity compliance.
• Tailored to your needs: Tailor password length and complexity, including special characters, to align with organizational policies and requirements. This feature will let you decide if passwords need to include special characters, numbers, lowercase and uppercase letters, and, if so, how many.

Robust and centralized password management

• Eliminate the need for external tools: Leveraging the full power of IT Glue, you can save time and money by documenting, generating, managing and enforcing secure passwords all in one pane.
• Enhance your IT efficiency: Administrators can centralize password management and streamline the processes of creating, managing and maintaining all of their critical passwords. This enables IT professionals to be more efficient by reducing the administrative burden of having to access multiple siloed tools for these different functions, in turn reducing human error.
• Complete flexibility: You can also easily and quickly adjust and update the password complexity parameters if your organization’s needs change and evolve.

User-friendly options for varied needs

• Simplify your onboarding: While onboarding clients’ employees, IT professionals can generate passphrases as passwords that are secure yet easy to share and remember, reducing initial login issues and support calls. This feature also enhances the end-user experience. To simplify the onboarding process further, this feature will also include an option to require that all passwords be created as passphrases.

Your one-stop solution for all your password management needs

Password Policy Enforcement is a vital part of IT Glue’s comprehensive password management portfolio, which also includes automated password rotation, offline mode for passwords and the IT Glue Vault. Together, these features provide robust protection and streamlined management for all your password needs.

Learn more about this feature in the knowledge-based article here.

IT Glue’s new Password Policy Enforcement feature ensures your organization’s sensitive information is protected with customized, secure passwords. This feature, along with our other password management capabilities, can significantly enhance your security and operational efficiency, all from one interconnected hub that stores all of your mission-critical IT documentation. To learn how IT Glue provides you with a single source of truth for all your critical IT assets, passwords and SOPs, get a demo now.

The post Ensure Compliance With the New Password Policy Enforcement Feature appeared first on IT Glue.

Until now, all these capabilities were limited to Active Directory passwords. Now, we are introducing the addition of Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft 365 passwords in IT Glue’s password security features for complete password security. Join us as we delve into the functionalities that make IT Glue a preferred choice for dynamic organizations prioritizing security and compliance.

What is automated password rotation?

Automated password rotation is a security measure where passwords are systematically changed on a scheduled basis without manual intervention. This practice is crucial for minimizing the risks associated with stolen or compromised credentials. The top cause of a data breach is human error, like an employee unwittingly giving a cybercriminal their password.

Why is automated password rotation important?

For IT professionals, ensuring robust security measures translates directly to protecting organizational integrity and customer trust. Automated password rotation plays a pivotal role by preemptively renewing credentials before they can be exploited by cybercriminals, thereby enhancing overall security posture and supporting compliance with industry regulations.

Let’s explore some of the specific benefits of Microsoft Entra ID Password Rotation.

Putting password rotation on autopilot

Putting password rotation on autopilot with IT Glue’s automated feature means simplifying the maintenance of password security while enhancing organizational efficiency. Here’s how automated password rotation can transform your security strategy:

1. Time and resource efficiency: Automate the routine, repetitive task of password changes to save valuable time and resources. This shift allows IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than getting bogged down with manual security maintenance tasks.
2. Elimination of human error: Manual password updates are prone to human error, which can lead to security vulnerabilities. Automated password rotation eliminates this risk by ensuring that passwords are changed accurately and consistently, reducing the likelihood of breaches that stem from human mistakes.
3. Streamlined security operations: With automation, the process of updating passwords becomes seamless and non-disruptive. IT Glue’s system ensures that all credentials are rotated as per the set schedules without any need for manual intervention, thus maintaining continuous security coverage.

Robust security for dynamic organizations

IT Glue’s automated password rotation feature is meticulously designed to provide robust security solutions tailored for dynamic organizations. This capability allows IT administrators to proactively manage and secure their network by setting custom password rotation schedules that align with organizational policies and compliance requirements. Here’s how automated password rotation with IT Glue enhances your security landscape:

1. Customizable schedules and frequencies: Tailor the frequency of password rotations to fit the specific needs of your organization.
2. Minimize risks of cyberattacks: With the ability to customize password complexities and rotation parameters, IT Glue helps minimize the organizational risks associated with potential cyberattacks. By regularly updating credentials, you reduce the window of opportunity for cybercriminals to exploit stale passwords.
3. Bulk password updates: IT Glue facilitates the management of password updates by allowing administrators to select and rotate passwords in bulk. This not only saves time but also significantly reduces the workload of IT staff, allowing them to concentrate on more critical tasks.

4. Adaptability to organizational growth: As organizations grow and evolve, their security needs can change. IT Glue’s password rotation feature is built to scale alongside your organization, providing consistent security measures that adapt to your expanding infrastructure.

Bolstering security and compliance for security conscious organizations

IT Glue’s expansion to include Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft 365 in its automated password rotation capabilities marks a significant enhancement in securing a broader range of critical assets. Here’s how this feature enhances security and compliance:

1. Comprehensive protection: By including Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft 365, IT Glue offers a more holistic approach to password security. This integration ensures that key systems are protected by strong, regularly updated credentials, safeguarding sensitive corporate and customer data.
2. Compliance with regulations: Many industries have strict regulations requiring robust data protection measures, including mandatory password changes. IT Glue’s automated password rotation helps organizations meet these compliance requirements more efficiently and without the risk of human error.
3. Prevent unauthorized access: Regularly updating passwords reduces the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive systems and information. Scheduled rotations ensure that even if a password is compromised, its lifespan is limited, significantly reducing the potential impact of a security breach.

Getting started

This feature is available to users subscribed to Network Glue. For more details on setting up and optimizing automated password rotation, click here.

Not a Network Glue Partner yet? Experience the benefits of streamlined and secure password management. Get a demo today and see how IT Glue can transform your organization’s security strategy.

The post Reduce Credential Stealing and Increase Security with Automated Password Rotation appeared first on IT Glue.

In this blog, let’s explore the different aspects of password management and how you can effectively secure your passwords with a powerful password manager.

What is password management?

The focus of password management is to prevent unauthorized access. You can achieve that by incorporating various policies and sustainable practices for storing and managing passwords from their creation to closure. Centralized password management ensures easy management of complex passwords and provides secure access to critical information stored within an organization.

Why is password management important?

The IT landscape is expanding at a rapid pace. The number of tools used by people in an IT setting has increased considerably over the last decade. You need strong passwords to authenticate your logins and keep cybercriminals at bay. However, most people find it complex to maintain different passwords for different logins. As a result, they engage in poor practices like reusing the same credentials all over the web or writing down their credentials on sticky notes.

These practices can be quite dangerous for your digital security. When you have a password management tool in place, all you have to do is remember one master password. This allows you to create strong and unique passwords that are difficult to crack. Also, you can securely share logins with your team members when required without compromising your security.

What are the different types of password management?

Not all passwords are the same. There are personal passwords you use every day for your day-to-day online accounts, and there are business passwords that provide access to critical data in an organization. It is important to have different password management practices based on the significance of these accounts. Some of the common password management types are as follows:

Personal password management

These are your daily life passwords including your banking info, your Netflix account, email accounts, etc. Many people have poor personal password management practices, and it is quite common to use sticky notes to write down passwords. Some login credentials like banking information cannot fall into the wrong hands. You can ensure better password management by using a password manager that comes as a browser extension.

Business personal password management

These are business-related passwords that have an individual login like Salesforce or any other cloud-based SaaS. Many organizations let their employees have their own password management practices, and this can make their entire IT infrastructure vulnerable to attacks. You need a strong password manager that reinforces security across your IT environment.

Business admin passwords

Admin passwords are of utmost importance in an IT infrastructure. This may also include shared logins among multiple technicians like Office 365. Ordinary password management tools are not sufficient to maintain admin passwords. You need a strong password management solution that enables easy sharing of logins among multiple users.

What is a password management policy?

According to Verizon, an estimated 81% of security breaches are caused by poor passwords. If you wish to eliminate password-related breaches in your organization, you need to incorporate a strong password management policy that outlines rules for the creation and management of passwords in your organization.

You need to create a detailed document that includes the policy’s purpose and the requirements that must be met when passwords are created. For instance, you can set the length of the password along with the character requirements (lower case, upper case, special characters, numbers, etc.). You can also set policies for maximum login attempts, the duration for password change, multifactor authentication requirements, etc.

When you have a robust password management tool, it is easy to create and enforce policies throughout your organization.

What is password management software?

Password management software refers to a software tool that stores and manages passwords in an encrypted database. Besides storing the passwords you create, you can also use this software to generate complex, unique passwords that ensure secure authentication. When you use a password manager, you have to remember only the master password to access this tool. The passwords stored in the encrypted vault can be retrieved as and when they are required.

How does password management software work?

Password managers work in a simple mechanism. All your passwords are stored in the vault first. When you are logging in to an account, you just need to access the vault with the matter password. All your complex and lengthy passwords can be easily retrieved whenever you need them.

Most top password management tools like IT Glue also come with something called host-proof hosting. It means the password manager will have zero knowledge of what is stored in the vault. The user data stored here is fully encrypted, and it can be accessed only with the security key. These different layers of defenses make it extremely difficult for cybercriminals to access the stored passwords.

Some of the different types of password managers are listed below.

• On-premises password managers: These password managers are preferred by small organizations that have their own closed environments. These are privately hosted and may be used even without the internet.
• Cloud-based password managers: Here, the passwords are stored in cloud servers. You can access these passwords from anywhere in the world. The cloud servers are centrally hosted and can be scaled up whenever required.
• Browser-based password managers: Top internet browsers have extensions for password managers. These extensions can easily retrieve the passwords and autofill the credentials whenever required.
• Mobile password managers: There are also password managers available for mobile devices of various operating systems. They function similarly by auto-filling passwords in various websites and mobile applications.
• Single sign-on (SSO): This is an authentication method that allows users to login into various applications and websites with the help of a single set of credentials. To take advantage of this method, you have to sign up with an identity provider and leverage this identity across multiple platforms.

Alternatives to a password manager

Without a robust password manager, you may have to use any of the following methods to manage your passwords.

• Documents or notes applications on their phones or laptops
• Sticky notes and leave them near their desktop
• A password protected master spreadsheet with all passwords

Many people still use methods because it is convenient, and they mistakenly believe that these are secure ways. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that passwords stored in these modes can easily be compromised. In addition, a lack of audit capabilities also means it will be hard to trace a breach or prove compliance when required.

What are the benefits of using a password manager?

Managing your passwords becomes much easier when you have a password manager in the system. Some of the key benefits of using a password manager are as follows.

• Single source of truth for all passwords: Your password manager becomes the single source of truth for all your passwords. You can manage all your passwords in a centralized solution and access them whenever you want.
• Removes the need to memorize passwords: When you have a password manager, you don’t have to memorize or write down complex, lengthy passwords. You can retrieve passwords when required or simply use the browser extension to autofill your passwords.
• Boost productivity: You can autofill credentials and log in to your accounts instantly. This helps you save time. Moreover, it prevents downtime caused by lost or forgotten passwords. This enables you to work more efficiently.
• Easy collaboration: When working on shared business accounts, you can use a password manager to provide temporary control to your team members. This boosts collaboration without compromising your security.
• Auto prompts for new passwords to be stored: When you create a new password for a new account, you will get the auto prompt in your password solution to store it in the vault.
• Eliminate shoulder surfers: When you use your passwords in a public setting, you risk attacks from shoulder surfers who now use the latest technology like micro-cameras to steal passwords. With features like SSO, you don’t have to use passwords every time you have to login into an account.

What are password management best practices?

Some of the best practices for password management are as follows.

• Create lengthy, complex passwords: Most short passwords have already found their way to the dark web and can be easily compromised with a brute force attack. Password managers can automatically generate complex, lengthy and unique passwords that are difficult to crack.
• Create unique passwords for different accounts: Reusing passwords is another easy way to compromise multiple accounts at the same time. You need to create unique passwords for different accounts.
• Keep your passwords secret: All your passwords must be kept secret. Writing them down on excel sheets or sticky notes can compromise them easily. With a password manager, you can store all your passwords securely without anyone else accessing them.
• Practice password security: Password management is not just a one-time activity. It is something that must be practiced every day. Don’t share passwords with others, don’t leave them for others to find and don’t use shady password managers. Also, make sure you follow the best security practices when it comes to passwords.
• Define a password management policy: Draft a password management policy and enforce it across your organization. Also, make sure you periodically review your policies and identify violations when they occur.

When choosing a password management tool, make sure that it has the following features:

• SOC 2 Type II – This is a compliance standard that is concerned with how well a company is safeguarding its customer data. When your password tool is SOC 2 compliant, it is easy to ensure compliance and submit reports during an audit.
• SSO – This gives you complete control over your accounts without having to log in to different apps and websites. When working on multiple busy tasks, SSO makes the process more efficient.
• IP Access Control – You can use this control to assign which IP address can access the critical data in your organization.
• Host-proof hosting – You must make sure that your passwords are safeguarded even from the service provider. This allows you to encrypt your passwords, and even the service provider cannot access them without your security key.
• 2FA or MFA – The security of the traditional username and password login is supplemented by an additional layer of protection. This provides better control as to who has access to your data.
• Audit trails – This refers to the series of records documented by your password manager pertaining to user activity.
• At-risk password reports – When an employee leaves, it’s important to understand what passwords they have access to and would require changing.
• Sensitive passwords access notification – When your sensitive passwords are accessed by someone, you must get a notification to verify their authenticity. This helps you prevent cyberattacks originating from internal actors.

Password management with IT Glue

IT Glue is an award-winning documentation solution that comes packed with powerful password management features. With this, you can securely store and access both your business personal passwords and team-based passwords, and you can easily relate them to the rest of your documentation.

IT Glue has granular permissions so you can control who can access the passwords, and it also has OTP for admin passwords, so multiple technicians can access admin accounts like office 365 all securely. It also with SSO, IP access control, host proof hosting, MFA, audit trails and more, all within a SOC 2 type ii compliant solution.

To know more about how IT Glue can help you with password management, request a demo.

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The post Password Management: The Complete Guide to Securing Your IT Environment appeared first on IT Glue.

That’s where our 1-Click AD Password Rotation feature comes into play. It simplifies the process of rotating on-prem Active Directory (AD) passwords directly from IT Glue. This feature brings several benefits, including the ability to efficiently bulk-rotate passwords and automatically sync new ones back into AD. Let’s dive deeper into the intricacies of this feature.

We’re fully aware of the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape, and we’re committed to continuously enhancing our features to meet these evolving challenges. With cyber threats constantly on the rise, we’re dedicated to providing users with the flexibility they need to maintain secure passwords and protect their data with ease. With this mission in mind, we’re thrilled to introduce two new live improvements: the AD Password Rotation Scheduler and Custom Roles.

1-Click AD Password Rotation: On-demand or based on a schedule (NEW)

Our first enhancement is the introduction of the AD Password Rotation Scheduler, which allows you to automate password rotation based on a user-defined frequency. In addition to on-demand rotation, this new capability puts password rotation on autopilot, enhancing compliance and security. IT Glue Administrators can set the preferred frequency for AD password rotation, and selected AD passwords on a predetermined schedule will undergo automatic rotation.

This means you can set up password rotation to align with your organization’s specific needs, ensuring that passwords remain fresh and secure without manual intervention.

1-Click AD Password Rotation: Centralized account management with Custom Roles (NEW)

In addition to the existing capabilities, we’ve added Custom Role functionality. Administrators and managers can now delegate network management tasks, specifically password rotation in Network Glue, to other technicians and team members who previously lacked this ability. By utilizing the Custom Role for 1-Click AD Password Rotation, permissions can be updated without interfering with access to other IT Glue features. This guarantees that all relevant team members will possess the required access to the crucial task of password rotation, enabling administrators and managers to allocate more of their time and attention to other responsibilities.

With the introduction of Custom Roles, your team can efficiently manage password rotation while streamlining access control and delegation.

AD Password Rotation Roadmap: What’s Next?

But we’re not stopping here. We’re committed to further improving this feature, and we have a roadmap of enhancements on the horizon:

• Scheduler Per Organization (Q4 2023): We’re working on a feature that will allow you to customize password rotation schedules on a per organization basis to match their unique needs, offering enhanced control and flexibility.
• Azure Passwords (Q1 2024): One of the most anticipated updates to this feature will be the addition of Azure passwords, providing a comprehensive solution for both on-premises and cloud-based password management.

Stay tuned for these exciting developments and more, as we continue to provide you with the most advanced and comprehensive password rotation solutions in the industry.

For more information on the new 1-Click AD Password Rotation features and how IT Glue can save you time, increase productivity, and enhance your cybersecurity efforts, please visit our Knowledge Base article. Discover why over 300,000 users trust IT Glue to save them time and increase their productivity with industry-leading, centralized and consolidated IT documentation.

The post Product Updates: 1-Click Active Directory Password Rotation for Enhanced Security appeared first on IT Glue.

In this blog, we’ll explore the cybersecurity risks that come with digital transformation and the strategies you can adopt to safeguard your critical documentation and passwords.

Digital transformation and cybersecurity risks

For global businesses, digital transformation has resulted in higher productivity, increased customer satisfaction, data-driven insights, improved analytics, better innovation and more. However, it has also given rise to the following cybersecurity risks:

• Growing threat surface: With organizations digitizing every part of their business, the threat surface has increased substantially in recent times. Hackers now have more ground to cover, posing a major security threat to organizations worldwide. As cybercriminals identify new attack opportunities, they invent innovative tactics to evade an organization’s security measures.
• Increasing attacks on the cloud: Due to rapidly expanding IT infrastructures, cloud usage has increased proportionately throughout the globe. As a result, cybercriminals now target vulnerable cloud networks. It is estimated that 70% of organizations hosting data in the public cloud have experienced a security incident.
• Inadequate security measures: In today’s digital landscape, organizations’ security measures have lagged behind technological advances in digital transformation. Limited resources and security tools force organizations to overlook even simple security measures for convenience. Inadequate security measures often leave vulnerable cloud networks susceptible to exploitation.
• Pressure to adopt new technology: To stand out in a highly competitive market, businesses need to leverage any possible advantages. Since technology and new tools provide those advantages, businesses are always under pressure to adopt the latest solutions available. Inadequate understanding of complex solutions or failure to select the right technology can introduce vulnerabilities that hackers may exploit.

Incorporating effective cybersecurity measures

In the face of digital transformation challenges and evolving threats, organizations struggle with securing vast IT infrastructures. A tailored strategic approach is crucial for enhancing cyber resilience. Effective cybersecurity includes IT modernization, consolidation, data security, integration and a process and people-centric approach. Here’s how you can incorporate an effective cybersecurity strategy in your organization:

• Consolidate your IT operations: Lack of visibility is a major issue for most IT administrators managing modern IT infrastructures. Crucial details about software licenses, hardware assets, expirations, passwords, how-tos and user permissions are spread across multiple disparate solutions. By consolidating this information, you can modernize your IT environment and simplify information management.
• Secure all data and information: Since data is the most valuable commodity today, organizations must invest in robust security solutions to secure their data and information. Besides storing their data in a cloud storage solution, companies must incorporate strong passwords and MFA to access their data. Also, limiting access to critical data based on user roles will help prevent unauthorized access.
• Follow a process and human-centric approach: A process-driven approach can help you overcome the limitations of resource constraints in cybersecurity management. Processes help you define how your security solutions must function, your people’s roles and the documentation required to ensure seamless information flow. Also, by empowering your workforce to actively participate in your security strategy, you prevent various social engineering attacks targeting your network.

A multilayered approach to security

A multilayered security approach aims to safeguard a range of vulnerabilities within IT infrastructures, discouraging hackers by erecting multiple barriers to entry. These security layers cover devices, networks, infrastructure and applications, thwarting cybercriminals from compromising the entire system. Each layer specializes in defending against specific attack types, making unauthorized access increasingly difficult.

You can start by building a strong security foundation, which is essential to create a comprehensive framework tailored to your unique requirements. Next, you must focus on data security by incorporating measures like multifactor authentication (MFA), single sign-on (SSO), IP access control and role-based permissions.

Password security enhancements, such as host-proof hosting and password rotation, are crucial to prevent unexpected attacks. Knowledge security focuses on maintaining comprehensive and high-quality documentation, while user security protects users, devices and online activity by controlling access, optimizing configurations and preventing data loss. This multilayered approach strengthens IT security at every level, ensuring a robust defense against cyberthreats.

Building a resilient and secure digital future

To bolster security in this ever-changing threat landscape, it’s essential to adopt a multifaceted approach, especially with the increasing vulnerabilities in the cloud. Prioritizing consolidation, data protection, processes and people is the need of the hour, and organizations must arm themselves with the tools and knowledge needed to secure their critical documentation and passwords. In an age where data is king, organizations must focus on building a more resilient and secure digital future.

The post How to Secure Your Documentation and Passwords in This Digital Age appeared first on IT Glue.

Your passwords are mission-critical, and the single most important assets in your documentation tool. You need always-on access to passwords for everything from accessing your critical information to logging in to your software solutions. Hence, seamless password access is essential in today’s IT setting. When technicians don’t have instant access to stored passwords, they will experience interruptions that could’ve been avoided.

In IT Glue, your passwords are documented along with the rest of your IT documentation so you can seamlessly carry on with your work. This makes your IT Glue passwords a core part of your daily operations. So, what if you don’t have access to IT Glue but need your passwords? This is no longer a concern for IT Glue users.

With the introduction of one of IT Glue’s most anticipated features, Offline Mode for Passwords, lack of access to passwords will be a thing of the past.

Seamless offline access to passwords

Offline Mode for Passwords is an extremely powerful feature that considers your IT Glue passwords’ security when stored on an approved user’s local device. This feature ensures a smooth process from the moment you set it up through using this feature’s offline password storage and access capabilities. You can achieve this through the following three components:

1. IT Glue administrators will have full control over the settings for this feature through the IT Glue web app.
2. Offline Mode for Passwords will only be available on Microsoft’s Windows OS devices. The dedicated Windows Sync service will maintain security and update your encrypted passwords.
3. The brand-new Offline Mode Chrome Extension will support passwords — shared, personal, vaulted and OTP codes. It is available through the Google App Store (currently only visible and available to those participating in our Beta program).

Guarantee business continuity

Offline Mode for Passwords provides emergency access to all your passwords, even when IT Glue is under maintenance. As a result, you can rest assured knowing you will still have access to your passwords in any unforeseen and emergency situations. Considering the complexity of today’s IT environments, these scenarios are becoming more common.

The compliance needs and security requirements of clients are increasing every day. With Offline Mode for Passwords, you can access your most sensitive IT Glue assets — your stored passwords — anytime from anywhere. This feature can also come in handy when some clients have stringent compliance and security guidelines requiring access to passwords at any given time.

Full control and visibility

When your business is growing, data security is of paramount concern. To ensure maximum security, administrators must control who can access passwords offline. You must ensure your users can only see what they are allowed to see, even during an emergency.

With the Offline Mode Chrome Extension, your team will only see passwords that they are allowed to see in IT Glue. You do not need to worry about sensitive passwords being available to the wrong team members.

For General Availability coming later: Once Offline Mode for Password is available for everyone, Activity Logs will also sync. This will enable administrators to easily see who has accessed what passwords and if something needs extra attention. Complete visibility in usage helps increase security further.

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The post Guaranteed Password Access, Anytime, Anywhere appeared first on IT Glue.

Keeping this scenario in mind, we discuss the relevance of password rotation against evolving threats and how you can effectively automate it with a robust password management solution.

What is password rotation?

Password rotation refers to the periodical resetting of password credentials in an IT setting. It involves changing the passwords of your user accounts from time to time. By forcing user accounts to change passwords, you can minimize vulnerabilities originating from credential-based exploits.

When you incorporate password rotation, you can limit the overall timeframe when a password is active. As a result, it reduces the timeframe in which a breach could occur with a compromised password.

What is the purpose of password rotation?

With credential exploits getting increasingly common across the world, the best way to reduce vulnerability is to reduce the lifespan of a password. Password rotation plays a critical role in making that happen.

Many people prefer to use their familiar personal passwords for their business accounts, which can risk organizational security. Password rotation prevents people from using their personal passwords for business accounts since they must change their passwords periodically. Some organizations make it mandatory for users to not reuse their previous three or five passwords. This further prevents the reuse of old passwords.

Does password rotation improve security?

Password rotation can prevent a range of security vulnerabilities arising from compromised passwords. Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report estimates that 81% of all hacking-related incidents occur from stolen passwords. For instance, brute-force attacks use a trial and error of all compromised passwords. With regular password rotation, you can minimize the chances of falling victim to an unforeseen attack.

Any organization could get targeted by cybercriminals at one point or the other. Password rotation can significantly increase your security posture and give you a strategic cybersecurity advantage.

Is password rotation a good idea?

Any company with critical information to protect should incorporate password rotation. Most importantly, you should incorporate it with other security practices, like multifactor authentication, IP access control, etc. Here’s how organizations can benefit from password rotation:

• Minimizes internal security threats: With frequent password rotation, you can prevent your former employees from accessing company accounts. This is especially important for departments where multiple employees might share one account. You can add an extra layer of security by implementing Privileged Access Management (PAM), where each user has their own login account.
• Prevents breaches of multiple accounts: Password rotation can also help organizations against age-old poor password hygiene – using the same password for multiple accounts. When organizations implement forced password rotation, it prevents the reuse of old passwords by default. As a result, you can limit the simultaneous breach of multiple accounts.
• Reduces the window of breach opportunity: Even if your passwords get stolen at some point, periodic password rotation can reduce the window of opportunity for cybercriminals to take advantage.

Why should you not rotate passwords?

Despite its numerous advantages, password rotation has its downsides. Even the NIST guidelines recommend doing away with password rotation to improve security. Many of the disadvantages have to do with the inefficiency, costs and safety concerns associated with traditional password rotation practices.

• Inefficiency: When many organizations implement forced password rotation, employees find it disruptive to their core jobs. In addition to the issue of having to manually change the password every 30 or 60 days, users might also experience productivity loss when they have to reset a forgotten password. As a result, it brings down the overall efficiency of an employee.
• Poor password hygiene: An average person is estimated to have around 70 to 80 passwords today. It is humanly impossible to remember them all, let alone have them all unique. As a result, people use easy-to-remember passwords. With forced rotation, most people set passwords that closely resemble their previous ones. This makes it easy to compromise even the newly set passwords.
• Increased costs: Inefficient processes result in massive costs for an organization. Between issues like productivity disruption and forgotten password resets, employees lose valuable time. Companies incur high costs due to this lost productivity.
• Security issues: In many cases of forced manual password resets, most users set passwords close to their previous ones. Hackers can always compromise newly set passwords if they are close to the ones they already have. As a result, forced password resets may not contribute much to security when done manually.

Despite these limitations, password rotation is still valid when you have a strong password rotation policy and a robust password management solution. By leveraging the power of automation, you can overcome the shortcomings of manual password rotation and implement it the right way.

What is a password rotation policy?

Most organizations have their own password best practices or guidelines to maximize their security posture and discourage hackers from targeting their user accounts. A password rotation policy is typically a part of an organization’s overall password policy, providing specific guidelines on password rotation.

You can start with how often you should rotate a password. In today’s scenario, hackers act fast, and a compromised password will most likely be exploited immediately. While it is impossible to rotate your passwords daily, you can set a maximum expiry date for old passwords based on convenience.

In addition to the expiry, you can consider the following factors when setting up your password rotation policy:

• The number of characters: This is supposed to be a part of your overall password policy. You can also reiterate this when creating your rotation policy. Specifying the minimum length enables system administrators to bring consistency to the password policy.
• Complexity: In your password rotation policy, clearly define the complexity requirements for user passwords. An ideal password should have a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, special characters and numbers.
• Trigger schedule: Once you have set the basic parameters, you can determine the trigger schedule for how often users should be prompted for password change. Based on your organization’s security requirements, this could be anything from seven days to 60 days.
• Start and end date: You should define the start date to define when the password rotation policy should be activated. Also, define an end date only if you wish to stop enforcing rotation after a particular date.

How often should passwords be rotated?

While there is no fixed rule on how often you should rotate passwords, most security professionals agree that it is a good practice to rotate every 30 days for a normal user. However, most administrators prefer to rotate passwords after each usage for critical accounts with sensitive information. You can achieve this with the help of a powerful password management solution that automates the process.

What is password rotation automation?

Manually forcing users to change passwords will only result in poor password hygiene and security vulnerabilities. For instance, a user with the password “Password1” will simply change to “Password2” if forced to reset their passwords manually. If forced to rotate to a complicated password, people tend to forget them often, and tickets related to password resets may increase significantly.

You need to automate the process with a robust password manager. A password manager will offer you a unique password such as “B3vdk{jKixc9n&oe” and save it automatically in its vault. Your users won’t have to create weak passwords that compromise IT security. Advanced password tools can even automatically alert you when a password is compromised and prompt for change.

How does password auto-rotation work?

Most robust password managers can be installed as browser extensions to generate or store passwords. These solutions come with built-in tools that can automatically generate passwords based on your desired level of complexity. Your users don’t have to worry about creating weak passwords and putting your organizational security at risk.

You need to set a rotation schedule in your password manager when incorporating password rotation. Here, you must specify the required password complexity and timeframe for rotation. When your passwords expire, they will automatically self-destruct, and a new password will be created. These new passwords can be accessed when you need them for logging in.

Password rotation is still a viable strategy that can reduce vulnerabilities in your system. However, it is not a good idea when used alone. You need to add other layers of security, such as MFA, host-proof hosting, IP access control etc. Only the most robust and powerful password manager, like IT Glue, can provide you with all these innovative features.

Password auto-rotation with IT Glue

IT Glue is a powerful documentation solution with a robust password engine. Besides allowing you to securely manage your passwords, IT Glue offers Active Directory password rotation. You can rotate Active Directory passwords directly within IT Glue and view up-to-date Active Directory users and security groups. By showcasing contextual Active Directory information, including Active Directory status, last login, password expires and the last password reset information, along with the ability to rotate passwords in one pane, you have a full view to keep your Active Directory users safe and protected.

IT Glue also has granular permissions, so you can control who can access the passwords. It also has OTP for admin passwords, so multiple technicians can securely access admin accounts like Office 365. It also comes with SSO, IP access control, host-proof hosting, MFA, audit trails and more, all within a SOC 2 Type II compliant solution.

To know more about how IT Glue can help you with password security,

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The post Password Rotation: Leverage the Power of Auto Rotation to Minimize Threats appeared first on IT Glue.

That’s why we’re introducing the new 1-Click AD Password Rotation feature that lets you easily rotate on-prem Active Directory (AD) passwords directly from IT Glue. This feature offers several benefits like bulk-rotate and automatically syncs new passwords back in AD. Let’s look at this feature in greater detail. 

All your AD information in one pane

Having all your critical information in one place as a single source of truth helps you easily implement password best practices and meet compliance requirements. Consolidating all your AD information in one pane is possible with Network Glue — the automation engine that documents all of your managed and unmanaged devices, provides up-to-date network diagrams, and consolidates all cloud, hybrid and on-premises user information from Azure AD and AD.

With Network Glue, you get complete IT visibility in real time so all your assets are always documented. You can automatically document users, groups and passwords in one pane. It lets you bring in contextual Azure AD and AD user information — including status, last login, password expiries and the last password reset information — directly into IT Glue.

1-Click AD Password Rotation: Single on-demand rotation

With the new 1-Click Password Rotation feature, you can automatically rotate all on-premises AD passwords with a single click to reduce credential stealing and security risks. It makes life easy for your help desk technicians. When a user locks themselves out of their account or forgets their passwords, or wants to upgrade their password security, technicians can help them quickly and safely rotate their password in one click from IT Glue.

The best part is that once the passwords are changed in IT Glue, they are automatically updated in the AD, which leaves no room for human errors in the process. Technicians also don’t have to refer to multiple tools and can save time by automating all that manual work.

The 1-Click AD Password Rotation lets you view on-prem AD password details such as last rotated, status, updated date, and the network and organization the AD password belongs to.

1-Click AD Password Rotation: Centralized account management

You can now bulk-rotate on-demand Admin Service accounts with the 1-Click AD Password Rotation feature for greater security. It lets you rotate multiple passwords at once by selecting the administrator passwords you need to update on a regular basis.

This new feature saves valuable time and reduces mistakes while rotating passwords. You no longer have to do this manually one by one but can instead focus on more important tasks. The feature also shows you new AD passwords, which are not yet recorded in IT Glue, and lets you easily update them to minimize security vulnerabilities.

With the introduction of this new feature, you no longer need to purchase another tool just for password auto-rotation — it’s now available within your IT documentation solution.

Learn more about the new 1-Click AD Password Rotation feature in this Knowledge Base article. Discover why over 300,000 users trust IT Glue to save them time and increase their productivity with industry-leading, centralized and consolidated IT documentation.

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The post New Feature: 1-Click Active Directory Password Rotation to Keep Passwords Fresh and Data Safe appeared first on IT Glue.

In this blog, we’ll explore the different aspects of password security the best practices you can follow to boost your digital security.

Why is password security important?

Today’s businesses are heavily reliant on technology for their day-to-day operations. While this has enabled them to compete effectively in a crowded market, it also exposes them to various risks. Ever since data has become the number one asset in the modern world, cybercriminals are on the lookout for any institutional data they can get their hands on.

They do this by targeting an organization’s IT environment, which contains a range of different devices, software solutions, applications and more. All these assets guard critical data that can be accessed with the help of passwords. These passwords are your first line of defense against cybercriminals.

Weak passwords provide an easy gateway for cybercriminals to access an organization’s infrastructure. Verizon’s 2022 Data Breach report estimates that 81% of all breaches result from compromised passwords. Due to this, password security is highly important for businesses of all kinds.

10 password security best practices

Businesses have realized that strong passwords are the best deterrent against unauthorized access to their IT infrastructure. However, what exactly is a strong password? Here is a list of password security best practices that everyone must follow to boost password security in their organizations.

1. Create lengthy and complex passwords

One of the key characteristics of a strong password is its length and complexity. A lengthy passphrase with over eight characters of both uppercase and lowercase letters is a good one for critical accounts. The best passwords usually have at least 12 characters. In addition to alphabets, a strong password should also have a combination of numbers, symbols, special characters, etc.

When creating passwords, it is always better to avoid familiar words or common words. Usually, misspelled or fake words with a lot of symbols and numbers work best for passwords. With more length and complexity, you can create strong passwords that are difficult to break.

2. Keep passwords confidential

It goes without saying that your passwords should not be shared with anyone, no matter how close they are to you. Besides keeping them to yourself, you should also secure your passwords by not writing them down in easily accessible places. In this digital world, writing down your passwords on sticky notes is not going to cut it when it comes to security.

3. Use unique passwords for every account

Many people use the same passwords for multiple accounts or add minor variations when reusing them. This is not a smart way of doing things when it comes to password security. Once hackers breach one of your accounts, they typically perform a credential-stuffing attack to gain entry into other accounts on different platforms.

If you reuse the same passwords for different accounts, there is a possibility of multiple accounts getting compromised in a single cyberattack. Develop a habit of creating unique passwords for all your accounts so that even if one of your accounts is compromised, others will remain safe.

4. No personal information

It is not a good practice to create passwords based on personal information. These passwords can be easily guessed by someone close to you. Also, in this age of social media, a lot of your personal information, like your birthday, hometown, street name or school name, can be easily accessed by anyone.

When you create passwords or security questions based on this information, it becomes easy for hackers to gain access to your accounts. Create passwords based on random words, numbers or symbols that have no special meaning to you. Also, create security questions that cannot be tied back to your personal information under any circumstances.

5. Test password strength

You may think you have created a strong password but how can you know for sure? This is why you need to test the strength of your password. Most online platforms come with a default analyzer to test your password strength. While this can provide you with a solid start, it may not always give you the best idea against passwords that are compromised already.

There are software tools that compare your passwords against already compromised passwords and provide you suggestions to improve. Make sure you always test your passwords before using them for critical accounts.

6. Store Passwords Securely

It is always a good idea to avoid storing your passwords – digitally or on paper. When you write your passwords down on paper, it is highly likely that you might misplace them. Also, there is a great chance that your passwords could get compromised by malicious internal actors.

Many people store their passwords in their browsers through the “autosave” option. If hackers get hold of your computer, all your accounts could be compromised with a single breach.

7. Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA)

With cyberthreats lurking in every corner of the world, your passwords alone are not enough to secure your critical accounts. You need to add an extra layer of security by incorporating multifactor authentication for all your accounts. Even if your passwords get compromised, hackers won’t be able to gain access without this additional security authentication.

There are different ways to incorporate MFA. The most common way is to receive a security code on your mobile device. However, there are also other ways like biometric access, voice recognition, personalized USB token, etc. You need to pick the one that best suits your security goals.

8. Enforce Privileged Access Management (PAM)

This is a security strategy that enforces the principle of least privilege. It incorporates additional control for privileged access to high-level accounts in the IT environment. In other words, this strategy restricts user access rights and privileges to the absolute minimum. By restricting access to your critical accounts, you can significantly mitigate the damages arising from external and internal actors.

9. Stay vigilant

All your security efforts will work only if you stay vigilant. With cyberthreats constantly evolving day by day, your security efforts should not be a one-and-done affair. The following list of tasks will help you monitor your IT environment effectively and ensure up-to-date security measures.

• Periodically review for compromised credentials: Make sure your passwords don’t end up on the dark web by performing a periodic review of compromised credentials. This can be done with the help of a dark web monitoring program like ID agent.
• Beware of public Wi-Fi: Public Wi-Fi networks can be easily hacked by cybercriminals. Always use VPN when connecting to untrusted networks.
• Avoid shared devices: When accessing company files, avoid using public computers from internet cafes. It is also a good idea to avoid using your personal computers to access company information.
• Change passwords when employees leave: When an employee leaves, their credentials must be instantly deactivated, and shared passwords must be changed swiftly. Refer to our employee offboarding checklist to check out the list of security measures you must take.
• Secure mobile devices: Employees in many organizations use their mobile phones to conduct business and access company information. These devices must be secured with strong passwords, fingerprints and face recognition.

10. Use a password manager

When you have a password manager, all you have to remember is just one password. You can create and manage multiple passwords for different accounts with the help of a robust password manager. Modern-day solutions like IT Glue come with host-proof hosting that encrypts your passwords, making them inaccessible to anyone other than you.

Password security FAQs

Password security is a broad topic that covers different aspects of securing your IT environments. Here is a list of commonly asked questions to help you gain more insights on the subject.

What is the “8 4 Rule” for creating strong passwords?

This is one of the basic rules formulated for creating strong passwords. According to it, a password should have at least eight characters with at least one character from four different groups – uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and special characters. Password security has evolved a lot since the formulation of this rule. Now, it is ideal for your critical passwords to have at least 12 characters with different combinations of numbers and symbols.

Is it better to have a long or complex password?

The computing power of today’s brute force attacks is extremely high. Due to this, a strong password has to be both lengthy and complex. However, to answer which is more important, let’s focus on password entropy. Password entropy, which signifies password strength, typically gets higher with the increase in length. An eight-character password comprising random characters is much easier to crack than a 12-character or more passphrase with moderately complex elements.

Do frequent password changes improve security?

In the earlier days, frequent password change was one of the key strategies to ensure password security. However, in today’s landscape, this strategy is not going to help you so much unless the password is already compromised. A strong, unique password with good length and complexity can serve you a much longer time than six months. When you use it with a robust password manager, you can probably use it for life.

What is the most secure way to keep passwords?

Leveraging a password management solution is the best way to go when it comes to ensuring digital security. Most people already have bad password habits like using common phrases, creating shorter passwords, reusing the same passwords and more. This can be quite dangerous considering the different levels of threats like phishing scams, credential stuffing attacks, brute-force attacks, etc.

When you use a robust password manager, you can automatically get warnings for poor password habits. Besides being easy to use, it maintains your passwords in an encrypted vault that cannot be cracked easily. Also, you can maintain all your passwords securely just by remembering one single password.

Manage passwords securely with IT Glue

IT Glue is a powerful documentation solution that comes with a robust password engine. IT Glue allows you to securely store and access both your business personal passwords and team-based passwords. Most importantly, you can easily relate your passwords to the rest of your IT documentation.

IT Glue has granular permissions, so you can control who can access the passwords. It also has OTP for admin passwords, so multiple technicians can securely access admin accounts like Office 365. It also comes with SSO, IP access control, host-proof hosting, MFA, audit trails and more, all within a SOC 2 Type II compliant solution.

To know more about how IT Glue can help you with password security, request a demo.

The post Password Security Best Practices: The Complete Guide appeared first on IT Glue.

It is easier than you might think to steal your password. When that happens, you could lose all critical information in a matter of minutes. In this blog, we’ll discuss how you can secure your critical files with the help of a simple OTP.

What Does OTP Mean?

Before we deep-dive into OTP generators and security posture, let’s define what a one-time password is and what its purpose in cybersecurity is. A one-time password refers to an automatically generated numeric or alphanumeric passcode that can be used to authenticate a user for a single login session. This code is typically sent through SMS, voice or email.

What is the Purpose of an OTP?

The static password we use is the commonly used method of authenticating a user. However, it is also the least secure. When a hacker gets hold of this static password, you risk losing everything from personal information to other sensitive data.

An OTP, on the other hand, offers a temporary password that is valid only for a few minutes. It is near impossible for cybercriminals to get hold of this. Even if they get hold of it, the code will expire before they can use it against you. In other words, it adds an extra layer of security to your online accounts.

Is an OTP the Same as MFA?

Multifactor authentication (MFA) is something designed to make logging in challenging and to boost security. In that sense, an OTP is a part of multifactor authentication. MFA can also include more layers of security depending on the importance of the data. For instance, biometric authentication can also be included as a part of MFA. MFA uses two or more independent credentials to authenticate a user.

What is an OTP Generator?

To automatically generate an OTP and deliver it to a user, you need an OTP generator that randomly generates a string of numeric or alphanumeric passcodes. In most cases, OTP generators work as a two-factor authentication system, where a combination of what a user knows (PIN or password) and what the user has (a cellphone) is used to authenticate a user.

In many OTP generators, the code used once to log in cannot be used again. This reduces the possibility of it being exploited by a hacker. These generators typically use randomness or pseudorandomness to ensure that it is impossible to predict an OTP by using the previous ones. Hence, the algorithms used by the OTP generators also vary significantly in detail.

How Does an OTP Generator Work?

The OTP generator and the authentication server rely on different algorithms to make it work. There are two inputs typically involved – a seed and a moving factor. Here, the seed is a static value that is registered when you create an account on the authentication server. The moving factor generates the unique code, which changes whenever a new OTP is requested. Once the authentication server validates the code, the password expires. The password also expires when the pre-determined time limit is reached after its generation. The OTP values typically have minute or second timestamps to ensure protection from security threats.

How Many Types of OTPs Are There?

OTPs can be classified into two types: HOTP and TOTP. Let’s discuss how they compare against each other and which one is best suited for enhanced security.

HOTP: HMAC-Based One-Time Password

The ‘H’ in HOTP refers to Hashed Message Authentication Code (HMAC). As the name implies, this is based on hash-based authentication codes. The code generated here is attached to a counter and is activated with a new event. This password is not based on time. Here, the code is valid only until the user requests another code or the code is validated by the authentication server.

TOTP: Time-Based One-Time Password

Here, the moving factor is based on time rather than the event. You can customize the timestep based on your preference. Typically, the duration for the passcode lasts between 30 seconds and 180 seconds. If the user hasn’t used the passcode by then, it will lapse.

Both types have their own advantages. While time-based passwords are more secure, hash-based codes are more user-friendly. TOTPs are the advanced versions of HOTPs. Since the code is valid here only for a specific duration, it offers better security.

What Are the Benefits of OTP?

Now that you have a full understanding of what an OTP is and how it works, let’s look at the role it plays in boosting security.

Enhanced Account Security

By implementing dynamically generated, random passwords that expire or can only be used once, you can significantly improve protection against account compromise. OTPs are nearly impossible to be guessed by hackers, which can drastically reduce the attack window. It also prevents the practice of using the same password for many accounts.

Ease of Implementation

In most cases, OTPs can be implemented remotely and with significant ease. You can use your own smartphone for authentication, with no need for an extra device. Also, people don’t have to memorize their codes, and there is no need to ensure password strength.

Convenient to Use

The token required for OTPs can easily be retrieved through one’s email, mobile device or other similar sources. It takes very little time and eliminates the need to memorize a variety of passwords.

OTP Security with IT Glue

Security is the number one priority for IT Glue. As a leading cloud-based documentation platform, IT Glue comes with multifactor authentication to prevent unauthorized access in any form. IT Glue is also equipped with a next-generation password management engine with an OTP generator and MFA to ensure users have access to account passwords instantly without the need to memorize them all.

IT Glue’s SOC 2-compliant documentation platform features an immutable audit trail, network discovery, diagramming and more. All these features are fully integrated and linked with all your documentation.

To know more about multifactor authentication in IT Glue, request a demo.

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