Security Before the Proxy

Here at The Proxy Update, we all know the importance of having a proxy acting as a Secure Web Gateway to protect end-users who are browsing the web. But there's a whole layer of security before we even discuss the proxy, and that has to do with User Authentication.

Last month, Imperva examined 32 million passwords stolen from RockYou and found some disturbing trends in password practices among end-users.

According to the analysis, approximately one out of five Web users chose a simple, easily guessed password like "123456", "abc123", "iloveyou" or even "password" to protect their data.

“I guess it’s just a genetic flaw in humans,” said Amichai Shulman, the chief technology officer at Imperva, which makes software for blocking hackers. “We’ve been following the same patterns since the 1990s.”

So a reminder to IT admins, make sure your users know the importance of picking secure passwords, and understand what makes a password secure.