1q2w3e. Qwerty123. 123456789.

That’s not a cat walking across my keyboard as I type this (sadly). That, friends, are three examples of the most used — and hacked —  passwords from last year. Together, they account for 63.1 million passwords around the globe – chump change compared to the 103.1 million accounts using the airtight “123456” as its password.

Internet, we can do better. 

Here at Vimeo, keeping your video content secure is of utmost importance. While any honest tech business will work hard to keep your accounts secure, there are proactive steps that you can and should take to prevent unwanted access to your company’s information.

We’ve compiled some simple online security tips that you can apply to your accounts (on Vimeo and elsewhere!) to start building strong security habits. In need of something more technical? We’ll dive into some ideas there, too.

Online security tips for your growing business

There were 1,862 data breaches in 2021. That’s a 68% increase from 2020. While IT and security practices may change as your business grows, an important aspect to keep front of mind and focus on getting right is account security. Account details are highly sought after by hackers: someone with your password means access to systems and data that aren’t meant for everyone.

Think about this: over 70% of internet users in the U.S. admit to using the same password for at least some of their online accounts. This makes for a dangerous domino effect: if just one of your team’s accounts is compromised, chances are there are others that are now at risk, too.

Good security sense makes good business sense

A great first step in protecting your business, your team, and your customers is securely managing the numerous accounts it may take to run your business. Whether you’re a team of two or twenty, all must address the basics on account security. 

Here are five online security tips we follow at Vimeo.

1. Password managers

Do use a password manager to store passwords.

Don’t write them down on stickies or notebooks.

A computer pop-up modal showing a password entered and unlocking an account

Password managers save your brain. Not only will they store every password for every account in one place, but they generate strong passwords, update existing account information, and even log you in — all automatically. Some popular password managers include LastPass, 1Password, and Dashlane (freemium and paid options available).

2. Unique passwords

Do use unique passwords for each account.

Don’t use the same password for everything.

If you use the same password for every account and that system or service is compromised, it means that password is now unsafe. A compromise of a social media password, while not great, likely has different consequences than, say, your company bank account password.

3. Strong passwords

Do use strong, complex passwords.
Don’t use passwords that are easily guessed or Googled.

Your pet’s name as a password isn’t going to cut it anymore. Well, unless your pet’s name is something like jr{q8Cc[ (pronounced with a soft “j,” of course). Fortunately, the handy password managers we just mentioned can create strong passwords for you. Even if you aren’t using a password manager yet, most offer a password generator for free on their websites, so you can start tightening up your accounts right away.

4. Set up two-factor authentication

Do set up two-factor authentication.

Don’t compromise security for easy log-in. 

2FA blog art

Two-factor authentication (also known as 2FA) works by adding a second layer of security to your account. Rather than requiring a one-and-done password, 2FA requires one additional login step to confirm your identity and prevent someone from logging in even if they know your password. 

You can set up 2FA by requiring a security code be sent to your email address during login or by using an Authenticator app to confirm your login via your mobile device. Enabling 2FA may add another step to your login process, but it’s one of the easiest ways to make sure your account info is for your eyes only. 

A heads up: all Vimeo users can enable 2FA on their accounts by heading to “Settings > Security” and choosing your selected 2FA method. (Go do that now, yeah?)

5. Individual accounts, across the board

Do use individual accounts across systems.

Don’t use shared accounts.

Dedicated, individual accounts solve lots of problems in fast-growing businesses. A great example is onboarding/offboarding where shared accounts are in play. When someone leaves your company, resetting account passwords is a safe bet, but what happens when there are dozens of accounts? How do those new account credentials get shared?

You can solve this in Vimeo with Team functions to ensure everyone has their own account instead of sharing one. Vimeo Enterprise offers plenty of admin users, as well, ensuring that you’ll be covered as your team grows.

Asking your team or entire company to manage too many account credentials can inadvertently lead to more don’ts than do’s. Fortunately, there is a silver bullet win for everyone with Single Sign-On (SSO).

6. SSO saves the day

No “don’ts” here — when you can use Single Sign-On (SSO), do it. SSO takes care of the basics in one fell swoop, brilliantly.

SSO is a single account that offers access across related, yet still independent, systems. SSO means that users don’t have to remember yet another password. SSO means that administrators save time because they don’t have to set up or manage even more accounts. It’s fairly turnkey, making adoption within your company simple and streamlined.

Every new account and password grows your company’s attack surface (the number of entry points a hacker has to infiltrate your company systems and data). In short, SSO means no extraneous passwords: nothing to reuse, write down, or make too weak.

If there’s one thing to take away from these online security tips, it’s that It only takes being wrong once to cause an issue, and no one wants security worries to distract from your growing business. If your video security practices leave something to be desired, Vimeo can help.

Vimeo Enterprise offers that magic silver SSO bullet for every customer. Whether your team is creating, collaborating on, live streaming, or viewing videos, Vimeo Enterprise’s SSO ensures every account accessing your video content is on lock.

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