Information Security is Everyone’s Concern
You are the key to successful information security. An unprotected computer can be infected with a virus, worm, or Trojan in less than five minutes after being placed on a network. IT Security awareness means understanding the various threats that exist in one's environment and taking reasonable steps to guard against them.
Studies show that most breaches of computer security are the result of something a computer user did or failed to do. This training site will provide you with valuable information about best practices, policies, and procedures for ensuring secure information systems at Florida SouthWestern State College, so you can enjoy a safe computing environment.
Be sure to take the time to read all of the materials on this site carefully.
Passwords
Passwords are an important part of your IT security. Poor, weak passwords can result in the compromise of an entire network or sensitive data. Everyone should be aware of how to select a strong, secure password. Secure passwords include at least three of the following characteristics and should be at least 8 characters long.
- Numeric character (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9)
- Special character (!,#,#,$,%,^,&,*,=,etc.)
- Lower case character (a,b,c,d,e,f,g,etc.)
- Upper case character (A,B,C,D,E,G,F,G,etc.)
Other aspects of a strong password are:
- A good password is of strong construction and is a password that is not shared by anyone.
- A good password is not posted, emailed, or written down.
- A good password does not contain your username or any part of your name.
- A good password does not contain information about family, friends, or pets.
| A mnemonic can make a good password easier to remember. You can base your password on a song, phrase, or book. Additionally, you can substitute special characters for letters and numbers. For example “One for the Money” becomes !4tM()nE. |