Protect Your Online Accounts – Change Your Personal Passwords Today
May 2025
We want to inform you about a recent security alert that highlights the importance of safeguarding your online accounts. Cybersecurity experts have identified a significant increase in compromised passwords, with billions of common passwords being leaked and reused across various platforms.
Why is this important?
Many passwords remain weak, predictable, or reused—making them easy targets for cybercriminals. Common passwords like "123456," "password," portions of your birthday, or simple words related to popular culture or cities are still among the most frequently used, putting your accounts at risk. Additionally, bad actors are leveraging stolen credentials through automated credential stuffing attacks—a cyberattack where the attacker uses stolen usernames and passwords to try to log into other accounts automatically—compromising multiple accounts with minimal effort.
What should you do for your personal accounts?
- Change your passwords immediately: Especially for your most important accounts such as email, banking, and work-related systems.
- Use unique passwords: Never reuse passwords across different sites or services.
- Create stronger passwords: Aim for passwords that are at least 8-10 characters long, incorporating a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA): Adding an extra layer of security helps protect your accounts even if passwords are compromised.
- Stay vigilant against phishing: Cybercriminals are also increasingly using SMS phishing messages to steal credentials. Be cautious of suspicious messages and avoid sharing sensitive information via text or email.
Our commitment to you:
We are continuously working to enhance our security measures and encourage all users to be proactive in protecting their digital identities. Regularly updating your passwords and staying informed are key steps in maintaining your online security.
Remember, taking a few minutes now to update your passwords can save you from potential security issues later. Stay safe and secure!
If you have any questions or concerns, the IT Service Desk is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
