Advice for Using Master Passwords Effectively

Your “Master Password” Should ALWAYS Be 100% Unique

A Verizon Data Breach Report that was issued in 2017 revealed that 81 percent of all security breaches that occurred were the result of weak or repeatedly used passwords. It’s no secret that security breaches can cause major havoc, cost exorbitant amounts of money, and result in major headaches. In order to avoid the drama, creating a strong master password is an absolute much.

Why are strong master passwords so important? How do you go about creating them? To find the answers to these questions and more, keep on reading.

Why are Strong Master Passwords Important?

From email to social media, and from Amazon to online banking, master passwords are what allow you to gain access to all of these online accounts. If you’re like most people, you probably do so many things online these days (and the list keeps on growing). With that said, creating and remembering passwords for each account can be daunting, and so you may just use super-simple passwords that are easy to remember, or you may recycle the same passwords across multiple accounts. While these might seem like simple solutions – and though it’s true that you may be able to easily remember your passwords  when you take this approach – using simple passwords, and using them across multiple platforms, can cause major trouble.

Why? Well, because hackers will be able to figure them out with ease. It doesn’t take a lot of effort for a bot, a cybercriminal, or any other malevolent entity with ill-intent to determine your passwords. And of course, when your passwords are determined, they can gain access to your accounts. If that happens, your email could be hacked, your social media account could be taken over, or (perhaps most harrowing of all) your bank accounts could be drained – and your ID could be stolen!

Needless to say, the best way to combat a cyber breach and all of the hardships that come along with them, selecting super strong, bulletproof master passwords are an absolute must. 

What Makes a Password Strong?

A strong password will feature the following elements:

How to Create a Strong Password

Trying to keep all of the above-mentioned factors in mind can be tough (that’s why so many people end up using simple passwords, and use them across multiple platforms, which often ends up being a major mistake). A simple, yet highly effective strategy that you can use to develop a password that’s easy to remember for you but that’s difficult for hackers to crack is creating a passphrase. 

What is a passphrase, you ask? It’s a random succession of words and alpha-numeric characters that are strung together to serve as a password. It’s quite long (between 20 and 30 characters), and it involves using a combination of characters and/or words that would make sense to nobody else but you, making it easy for you to remember, but difficult for hackers to crack.  Examples might include:

  • So_Excited_to_Be_A_Mama_489

  • Myweddingwasthebestday-ever!!

  • Mytrip-2-Texas-Was-Amazing

About Secutor

Secutor Cybersecurity is a trusted partner comprised of industry leading experts in the fields of Cybersecurity and Governance, Risk and Compliance. We partner with our clients to deliver on-demand solutions tailored to expertly navigate the regulatory demands of their specific industries.

Our proven track record of successfully exceeding client expectations is achieved through the combination of our methodical approach, advanced technologies, subject matter experts, and synergy with client team members.

Secutor is your team of world-class problem solvers with vast expertise and experience delivering complete solutions keeping your organization protected, audit-ready, and running smoothly.

Scroll to Top

Jason Fruge

Consulting Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

Jason Fruge is an accomplished Consulting Chief Information Security Officer at Secutor Cybersecurity, bringing over 25 years of deep expertise in information security. His storied career includes leading and managing robust security programs for Fortune 500 companies across retail, banking, and fintech sectors. His current role involves providing strategic guidance and advisory services to clients, focusing on security governance, risk management, and compliance.

Apart from his consulting responsibilities, Jason is an active member of the global cybersecurity community. He is a Villager at Team8, a prestigious collective of senior cybersecurity executives and thought leaders. Additionally, he serves as an Advisor at NightDragon, an innovative growth and venture capital firm specializing in cybersecurity and enterprise technologies.

Jason’s tenure as a CISO is marked by a proven track record in developing and implementing comprehensive security policies and procedures. He adeptly leverages security frameworks and industry best practices to mitigate risks, safeguarding sensitive data and assets. His expertise encompasses incident response and root cause analysis, where he has notably managed cyber incidents to prevent breaches and minimize business disruption and customer impact.

A key aspect of Jason’s role has been the creation and facilitation of executive and board-level cyber risk committees, ensuring organizational alignment and awareness. His responsibilities have extended to maintaining compliance programs for standards such as PCI and SOX, as well as leading privacy and business continuity programs. Holding prestigious certifications like CISSP, QSA, and QTE, Jason is also a recognized thought leader, contributing articles on cybersecurity to InformationWeek.

Jason’s passion lies in driving innovation and fostering collaboration in the cybersecurity field. He is currently seeking an executive CISO role in a leading retail, finance, or fintech organization, where he can continue to make significant contributions to the cybersecurity landscape.

Jennifer Bayuk

Cybersecurity Risk Management Expert

Jennifer Bayuk is a highly esteemed cybersecurity risk management thought leader and subject matter expert at Secutor Cybersecurity. Her extensive experience encompasses managing and measuring large-scale cybersecurity programs, system security architecture, and a wide array of cybersecurity tools and techniques. Jennifer’s expertise is further deepened with her proficiency in cybersecurity forensics, the audit of information systems and networks, and technology control processes.

Jennifer’s skill set is comprehensive, including specialization in cybersecurity risk and performance indicators, technology risk awareness education, risk management training curriculum, and system security research. Her academic achievements are noteworthy, holding Masters degrees in Philosophy and Computer Science, and a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering. This strong academic background provides a solid foundation for her practical and strategic approach to cybersecurity challenges.

Certified in Information Systems Audit, Information Systems Security, Information Security Management, and IT Governance, Jennifer is a well-rounded professional in the field. Her credentials are further enhanced by her license as a New Jersey Private Investigator, adding a unique dimension to her cybersecurity expertise.

At Secutor, Jennifer plays a pivotal role in steering cybersecurity initiatives, aligning them with organizational risk appetites and strategic objectives. Her ability to educate and train in the realm of technology risk has been instrumental in raising awareness and enhancing the cybersecurity posture of our clients. Her dedication to research and continual learning makes her an invaluable resource in navigating the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape.

Jennifer Bayuk’s blend of academic prowess, practical experience, and certifications make her an indispensable part of our team, as she continues to drive forward-thinking cybersecurity solutions and risk management strategies.

Steve Blanding

CISO Consultant

CISSP, CISA, CGEIT, CRISC

Steve is an IT management consultant living in Dallas, TX. Steve has over 35 years of experience in executive IT leadership, IT governance, risk and compliance (GRC), systems auditing, quality assurance, information security, and business resumption planning for large corporations in the Big-4 professional services, financial services, manufacturing, retail electronics, and defense contract industries. He has extensive experience with industry best practices for adopting and implementing new technologies, IT service management frameworks, and GRC solutions that have dramatically improved customer satisfaction while reducing cost.

Industry Experience

  • State Government: 5 years
  • Retail: 5 years
  • Defense Contract: 5 years
  • Manufacturing: 2 years
  • Health Care: 2 years
  • Local Government: 2 years
  • Public Accounting (Big 4): 7 years
  • Insurance: 3 years
  • Financial Services: 5 years

Key Career Accomplishments

  • Conducted a full-scale ISO27000 audit 4 times over the past 6 years.  Also, conducted a “light” ISO27000 review of a small Dallas-based company in 2007.
  • Developed and authored a comprehensive IT security policy manual, incident response plans, training programs, security contingency plans and configuration management plans for FedRAMP regulatory compliance.
  • Conducted multiple DR and operational backup and recovery IT risk assessments of critical business systems on mainframe, LAN, and distributed system networks located across North America.
  • Conducted data centers audits for Tyco Corporation (Brussels, 2005 and Denver, 2006), Farmers Insurance (Los Angeles, 2006), Zurich Financial Services (Chicago, Kansas City, and Grand Rapids, 2006), and Convergys Corporation (Dallas, 2010, 2011, and 2012).
  • Led a project to remediate segregation of duties and streamline user access system security and HIPAA compliance administration across 5 regions in North America, resulting in cost savings of $700,000 per year (Kaiser Permanente).
  • Implemented Sarbanes-Oxley Section 302 and 404 IT general and application controls, reducing security administration costs and improving operational performance by 50% or $500,000 annually (Tyco Corporation).
  • Led the global SAP business-IT alignment, process re-design implementation initiative for financial accounting, materials management, production planning, quality management, sales and distribution, warehouse management, and plant maintenance, which resulted in creating $2,000,000 in cost savings.
  • Engaged by Arthur Andersen in Houston to transform the local IT organization and then direct 3 organizational mergers/consolidations, which resulted in a 25% reduction in operating costs, or $3,250,000, while improving customer satisfaction by 30%, and improving employee morale, technology availability and the quality of IT infrastructure and service delivery.
  • Assigned by Arthur Andersen global leadership to lead global project teams responsible for data center and customer support call center consolidation, which resulted in annual operational cost savings of 45% or $4,000,000.
  • Implemented ITIL service management practices for problem management, incident management, help desk, project management, and operations management.
  • Conducted SOX 404 audits at Duke Energy (6 months), Red Hat (3 months), Tyco (9 months), Zeon Chemicals (4 months), and Convergys (2 months). Experience includes control design/documentation and effectiveness testing.

Publications:

Author, various articles in EDPACS and Auerbach’s IT Audit Portfolio Series, 1981 – 2001

Author, various articles in the Handbook of Information Security Management, 1993 – 1995

Editor, Auerbach’s Enterprise Operations Management, 2002

Editor, Auerbach’s IT Audit Portfolio Series, 2000 – 2002

Consulting Editor, Auerbach’s EOM Portfolio Series, 1998 -2001

Ready to Find Your Solution?

Reach out using the form below, and we’ll contact you as soon as possible to schedule your consultation.

Ready to Find Your Solution?

Use the form to schedule a consultation, and we’ll reach out within 48 hours to confirm the appointment.

Considering this delay, please only select meeting dates 48 hours or more in advance. Your information will only be used to facilitate a meeting.