Dashlane launches first-of-its-kind scoring tool for business password health

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Dashlane's new dashboard for scoring password health can inform businesses' security strategies.
Dashlane's new dashboard for scoring password health can inform businesses' security strategies.
Photo: Tyler Franta on Unsplash

This password security for businesses post is presented by Dashlane.

We often report on proper password management as an easy and cost-effective way for folks to secure their online lives against threats. Now Dashlane has gone and made it even easier for businesses to make the most of this vital step by offering the industry’s first password health score dashboard, released Monday.

Password Health Reporting Dashboard

Weak, stolen or reused employee passwords are the top cause of data breaches. Dashlane’s new Password Health Reporting Dashboard helps businesses identify poor password habits among employees and evaluate the effectiveness of a company’s security initiatives, including password policies.

The new feature gives unprecedented visibility into a company’s current password security and the ability to track improvements over time. It helps IT administrators assess employee password hygiene in the moment — such as weak passwords or the same password used in different places — and measure how password security has changed over a period of time. That helps admins indicate to management how their past and current efforts line up with industry best practices. And it helps them visualize security improvements to implement if necessary.

Here at Cult of Mac, we were surprised to see via the dashboard a recent downward trend in password strength. It can be challenging to stay vigilant about good password security over time. The tool showed the staff some room for improvement and the staff responded appropriately, replacing weaker passwords with stronger ones.

Dashlane's Password Health Reporting Dashboard lets businesses see employees' current password hygiene and track improvements over time.
The new dashboard lets businesses see employees’ current password hygiene and track improvements over time.
Image: Dashlane

Remote work makes security hygiene even more important

With employees across the globe working remotely, encouraging good security hygiene is a priority for IT leaders now more than ever. A recent Dashlane survey found that nearly 60% of Americans are using personal devices for work during the COVID-19 pandemic. That suggests they could pass on vulnerabilities to their employers. By encouraging and enabling employees to change bad password practices, Dashlane minimizes organizations’ risks.

A business’s Password Health Score is important. Dashlane recommends a score of 90% or above. But tracking it over time proves even more crucial. When businesses understand the results of security initiatives, they can be more efficient and adjust strategies accordingly. With Dashlane, IT administrators can identify weak employee passwords while providing measurable results to leadership showing the effectiveness of security strategies.

Dashlane currently serves more than 20,000 businesses. Password Health Scores will be available from May 2020. Dashlane trialed the new dashboard internally before its release. (Read about how the company tested and used the new feature.)

Dashlane, the official password manager of Cult of Mac, offers the new feature in both of its business plans.

Price: Subscription options start at $5 per user per month.

Download from Dashlane: Get a free 30-day trial of Dashlane for businesses

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