The 5-Minute Password Audit That Could Save Your Business From a Breach

Here's a stat that should keep you up at night: 80% of hacking-related breaches involve compromised passwords. And small businesses are the #1 target because hackers know you're less likely to have proper security.

The Problem

You probably have dozens of business accounts — email, banking, social media, accounting software, cloud storage. And if you're being honest, at least a few of them share the same password. Maybe a lot of them.

This Week's Tip

Run a 5-minute password audit using your browser's built-in tool. No software to install. No subscription needed.

For Google Chrome users:

1. Open Chrome and go to passwords.google.com
2. Click "Go to Password Checkup"
3. It instantly scans all your saved passwords and flags:

- Compromised passwords — these appeared in known data breaches

- Reused passwords — same password on multiple sites

- Weak passwords — too short or too simple

For other browsers:

• Safari: Settings > Passwords > Security Recommendations
• Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Logins and Passwords > check for breaches
• Edge: Settings > Passwords > Password Monitor

What To Do With the Results

Don't try to fix everything at once. Prioritize:

1. Fix compromised passwords immediately — especially email and banking. These are already in hacker databases.
2. Fix reused passwords on financial accounts next — banking, PayPal, accounting software.
3. Set up a password manager — Bitwarden is free and excellent. It generates and stores unique passwords for every site.

The Upgrade Move

Once you've cleaned up your passwords, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your top 5 most important accounts. Even if someone gets your password, they can't get in without your phone.

Google Authenticator (free) or Authy (free) both work great.

The 2-Minute Version

If you only have 2 minutes: go to passwords.google.com, run the checkup, and change any password marked as "compromised." That alone eliminates your biggest risk.

Next week: One automation that eliminates 3 hours of data entry per week.