07/05/2026
Adding a “!” to the end of your password doesn’t make you a security genius. It just makes you human.
For years, corporate IT policies forced password changes every 90 days. When people are required to update passwords frequently, they tend to make small, predictable changes like “tigerlab1” to “tigerlab2.” In cybersecurity, this pattern is known as password appending, and it’s one of the first things attackers test.
That’s why National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) updated its guidance: periodic password resets are no longer recommended unless there’s evidence of compromise. Because forcing frequent changes often leads to weaker passwords not stronger ones.
For World Password Day, here’s a better approach:
use a password manager. Generate long, random passwords. Let software handle what humans aren’t great at remembering.
Protect your workflows. Protect your data.