Blog

Those Pesky Passwords

By Jason Shipp, Director of Information Technology

“Sorry, your password must contain a capital letter, two numbers, a symbol, an inspiring message, a spell, a rainbow, a hieroglyph and a unicorn”. Have you been frustrated trying to create new passwords that satisfy requirements like these? Do you wonder why this process is really so important? Creating a strong password protects your personal information. Protecting this information can be vital to you, your family, and your organization. Your password is your first line of defense. The stronger your password, the more secure your information is from hackers and computer programs that are designed to steal your information.

Here are some helpful hints on creating a strong password:
1. Use a combination of 12 letters and numbers. This level of complexity can help thwart hackers.
2. Don’t write your password down. Don’t store your password in your computer where it is searchable
    by hackers.
3. Don’t make your password so unique that you forget it.
4. Use an event or something in your life that is memorable or close to your heart.
5. Create a sentence or passphrase using the first letter of each word of a favorite saying, song or     
     a memorable event. “I was married on the beach in Charleston, SC, in 2013” = IWMotbiCSCi2013.
6.  Don’t use the names of your spouse, children or pets, your address or phone number to create
     passwords.

Hemophilia of Georgia Security Audit
At HoG we take computer security very seriously. Your health and personal information is very important to us. We don’t sell your information or provide data to third parties. Every year we conduct a security audit. An outside security expert is onsite for 2 days to conducts tests, run programs and check devices. A report detailing risk levels and any security concerns is furnished to HoG so that we can assess and take immediate steps to address any concerns.