Mind those passwords!

SOUTH Africa ranks third on the cybercrime hot-spot list in the world.

Cyber security expert and GoldPhish CEO, Dan Thornton, said controlling who had access to restricted data, systems or areas was one of the most fundamental elements of security.

“Weak passwords and password reuse are still some of the most serious concerns for cyber security,” he said.

Internet users are urged to have strong passwords that are more difficult for criminals to crack.

GoldPhish advised users to use three random words. “Forget super complex passwords that make no sense – length trumps complexity.

“Instead, use passphrases with three random words. To get a bit more advanced, sneak in the odd number and special characters,” Thornton said.

“Change your passwords on any site that has had a data breach or if you are at all suspicious.”

Users are also advised to enable multi-factor authentication on all accounts, including email, social media, shopping, and financial services, for extra protection.

“If you suspect your login credentials have been stolen, either through a data breach or through some social engineering attack or scam, immediately change your password and set up multi-factor authentication – thus even if a criminal has your password, they will still need the one-time pin or SMS to gain access.”

Thornton said when someone signed in from an unfamiliar device they would be asked to confirm identity via text message, email, or code.