To illustrate how essential IT systems are to the proper functioning of the business, system administrators should use a number of metrics to communicate key KPIs with non-technical leadership. This can help justify the overall budget of the IT department, as well as the... Read More
Specops Software Blog
Death of the password? It’s only 60!
We marked our calendars, counting down the months, days, and minutes. Now, the day we’ve all been waiting for is here: the 60th anniversary of the computer password! Since its beginning in an MIT lab in the fall of... Read More
NYDFS cybersecurity regulation requirements
Financial organizations house a myriad of sensitive customer data, including login credentials, personally identifiable information (PII), and account numbers. With valuable data at stake, the financial services industry repeatedly has the highest cost of cybercrime. As the threat of breaches looms across the industry, and remote work introduces more variables into the cybersecurity equation, it’s clear that... Read More
FFIEC password requirements
Cyberattacks often target the financial industry due to the nature of the information they possess. One of the organizations that provide cybersecurity guidance and standards for financial institutions is the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC). While the FFIEC does not offer specific password characteristics... Read More
Friends or Simpsons? New data shows which TV shows are most popular in breached passwords
Looking to catch up with your favorite TV show as it returns this month? You might want to rethink expressing your fandom in your password, as new research from the Specops team shows which TV shows are most popular in... Read More
Block These Recently Leaked VPN Passwords to Prevent Ransomware Attacks [new data]
Worried about ransomware attacks? Recent attack news indicates you should be looking to secure your VPN connections. Last week, we learned that thousands of Fortinet VPN passwords had been leaked on the dark web by a former ransomware operator.... Read More
Troubleshooting tips for Microsoft Entra (formerly Azure AD) banned password list
Not all implementations of Microsoft Entra Password Protection (formerly Azure AD Password Protection) go smoothly. This blog explores some quirks with the banned password lists, and offers remediation tips related to them. Understanding the Scoring System Many teams get tripped up when establishing their password policies in Entra ID... Read More
Open ports and their vulnerabilities
One of the age-old tenets of good network security is only open network ports that are necessary and make sure you have protection around any port open to the outside world. Open ports provide attackers with an opportunity to compromise... Read More
Division 1 College Football Teams and Mascots Keep Showing Up on Breached Password Lists
The Rambling Wreck of Georgia Tech may not have earned a single vote in the AP’s preseason college football Top 25 rankings, but when it comes to appearing on breached password lists, the prestigious university ranks #1. In conjunction with the... Read More
Why cached credentials are causing account lockouts
Active Directory user accounts can get locked out due to a number of reasons, especially when working remotely. Windows systems can cache credentials for users. Yet, cached credentials causing account lockouts is a major problem for remote users. Cached Active Directory credentials To understand the purpose of... Read More