As AI-driven tactics continue to fuel the threat landscape, passwords alone are not enough to safeguard sensitive information. As the digital world becomes an increasingly complex (and dangerous) environment, World Password Day is an opportunity for UK businesses to rethink traditional defences and accompany password protection with something greater.

Passwords are one of our most widely used security controls, but often they’re overlooked or abused for longer than they should be. Most breaches come down to some sort of account compromise – accounts of employees, but also those on the fringe of an organisation, who are part of the supply chain and can still access systems. A lack of awareness of good password hygiene practices can result in inadequate cybersecurity measures, putting organisations and employees at risk.

To strengthen their security posture in 2025, individuals and businesses need to do more to keep hackers at bay. Tools such as multifactor authentication (MFA) should be used, providing an additional layer of protection to all online accounts. Using password management tools can also lend a hand in creating complex passwords for accounts and storing them securely, eliminating the need for user memory. Tools like these should be standard practice for businesses and users alike.