In an increasingly digital world, we&rsquo;re switching more and more of our daily lives over to the Internet. While this brave new world is exciting and convenient, it&rsquo;s not without its problems.&nbsp;
The issue of unsafe passwords has been around for a while. But have you ever thought about where and how to store them?
Most of us have several passwords, and we&rsquo;re encouraged to never duplicate them. Some people simply write them all down on a piece of paper &mdash; which is fraught with danger. But others store their passwords electronically.
As you&rsquo;re about to find out, not all electronic systems of password storage are <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/10-things-you-need-to-do-to-keep-passwords-safe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">safe</a>. Here are five of the most dangerous ways to store your passwords.&nbsp;
But before we begin:
Avoid bad idea passwords and dangerous storage methods with TeamPassword. This advanced <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/why-you-need-a-password-manager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">password manager</a> features a selection of security features, including password encryption and two-step verification. Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">free trial</a> today.&nbsp;

<h2>1. Email</h2>
Have you ever emailed yourself a password to ensure you&rsquo;re never without it? Great idea, right? Actually, emailing yourself your passwords is a really bad idea, and here&rsquo;s why:
<ul>
<li>Emails are usually sent in plain text. Without encryption, your passwords are susceptible if your email account is ever compromised.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Unsafe passwords sent via email often pass through several systems and servers. There&rsquo;ll also be a copy in your sent folder. If someone else can access your email account, your passwords become vulnerable.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Some email platforms store data locally on a drive. If someone steals your computer, phone, or tablet, your passwords become vulnerable.</li>
</ul>
A really bad idea for passwords is to send them via email &mdash; either to yourself or someone else. <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/have-i-been-hacked-how-to-know-for-sure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hackers </a>and scammers are more resourceful than ever, and they can often steal your information before you realize you&rsquo;ve been compromised.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s tempting to send a quick email to yourself containing unsafe passwords when you sign up for new online services. For the sake of an extra minute or two, don&rsquo;t give fraudsters easy access to your accounts. Use an encrypted email vault to safeguard all your passwords.&nbsp;
<h2>2. Online Documents</h2>
A lot of people like the convenience of saving crucial information using online document systems such as Google Docs. But this is a bad idea for passwords, as these systems are designed for text &mdash; not sensitive data.
Yes, a password might protect your online document manager from unauthorized access. But what happens if that password is compromised? Many document software platforms don&rsquo;t offer encryption, two-step verification, or even the most basic security measures.&nbsp;
If you use online documents regularly, you&rsquo;re probably accessing your account on a regular basis &mdash; across several devices. What happens if you step away for a moment to buy a coffee, speak to a friend, or use the bathroom?
A criminal can access an unattended online document platform in seconds. And if this happens, it doesn't take a lot of effort to steal your unsafe passwords.&nbsp;
<h2>3. Instant Messaging Service</h2>
Instant messaging services provide us with a convenient way of staying in touch with friends and family. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Snapchat were designed for private online conversations &mdash; not for storing passwords.
People who store their passwords on these apps do so because they believe they&rsquo;re fully encrypted. While that&rsquo;s often the case, it&rsquo;s important to remember that instant messaging services are often left open and operating in the background.
Imagine someone picks up your phone while you&rsquo;re not paying attention. If you left your device unlocked, that person would be able to access your password in seconds.
It&rsquo;s always a bad idea when passwords are stored on instant messaging services. By nature, these apps are designed to operate in the background &mdash; alerting you when someone sends a message. And because they&rsquo;re open, anyone with the device in their hand might be able to steal your unprotected passwords.&nbsp;
Don&rsquo;t fall into the trap of utilizing bad ideas for password storage. Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free trial</a> with TeamPassword, and give your unsafe passwords the protection they require.
<h2>4. Online Note-taker</h2>
Developers design online note-takers for everyday lists and reminders. While they&rsquo;re great for creating to-do and shopping lists, they&rsquo;re not so good for storing unsafe passwords.&nbsp;
An app such as Apple Notes is easy to use, accessible, and convenient. But it doesn&rsquo;t offer two-step authentication, encryption, or any sophisticated form of security.&nbsp;
If your computer or mobile device is unlocked, your saved passwords are vulnerable. In many cases, a criminal would simply need to open the app to gain access to your sensitive information.&nbsp;
OK, you might be extra vigilant when it comes to keeping your phone or computer locked. But hackers are resourceful, and they&rsquo;re very good at discovering unsafe passwords. Once they access your phone, any passwords stored in your note-taking app become vulnerable.&nbsp;
<h2>5. On a Non-Password-Protected Device</h2>
Of all the bad ideas for passwords, storing them on non-password-protected devices is about the worst. You might think that your tablet or laptop never leaves your side. But if your device is ever stolen, you&rsquo;ve given the criminals the easiest possible opportunity to access your saved passwords.&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;re determined to store passwords on a physical device &mdash; which is never a good idea &mdash; make sure the device password is a complex combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. And it should contain at least 12 characters.&nbsp;
<h2>Use TeamPassword for Extra Protection</h2>
Remembering and safely storing a dozen or more passwords isn&rsquo;t a simple task. By locking away all your passwords in a digital vault, you get maximum protection and easy access.&nbsp;
TeamPassword offers a range of <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">security features</a> &mdash; designed to keep your passwords safe. Offering two-step authentication and encryption, this powerful protection system solves the problem of unsafe passwords with ease. Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free trial</a> to see these exciting features for yourself.&nbsp;

Storing passwords inappropriately can leave you open to fraud and theft. Avoid these storage methods at all costs. | TeamPassword Blog

Storing passwords inappropriately can leave you open to fraud and theft. Avoid these storage methods at all costs. ...

Top 5 Dangerous Ways to Store Your Passwords

Optus, the second-largest telecommunications company in Australia, confirmed on September 22nd that roughly 9.8 million personal records of current and past customers were leaked. They had no additional info at the time, which left those affected feeling helpless and betrayed.&nbsp;
An unidentified person has taken responsibility for the hack. The hacker demanded $1 million to delete the data. Otherwise, they would release 10,000 personal records a day until they received payment.
The alleged hacker followed up on their threat - once. When payment was not received, they released 10,000 records that likely went straight to the dark web to piece together some profiles - a process whereby bots analyze whether criminals have enough information to target someone with scamming or identity theft. The hacker has since withdrawn their demand, apologized for their actions, and has not released any additional records.&nbsp;
Affected records include everything from phone numbers to driver&rsquo;s licenses and passport numbers.&nbsp;
<h2>Backlash</h2>
Investigating a breach is no small undertaking, and it&rsquo;s impossible to know for certain if Optus acted slower than other industry giants would in an identical situation. However, their attitude and lackluster communication resulted in severe backlash from the Australian government and general public.
Optus framed itself as the victim of a cyberattack despite no evidence of how the personal records were accessed. In an interview with <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/technology/optus-commissions-independent-review-into-hack-20221003-p5bmr5.html" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">the Sydney Morning Herald</a>, CEO Bayer Rosmarin said, &ldquo;There has been no review and no report on the nature of what has occurred&hellip; so anyone saying anything about it is not talking from a position of knowledge.&rdquo;
This attempt to control the narrative left government officials unimpressed.&nbsp;
Government Services Minister Bill Shorten told reporters, using a suitably Australian metaphor: &ldquo;Optus senior management are kidding themselves if they want a medal for the way that they&rsquo;ve been communicating. Not even a crocodile&rsquo;s going to swallow that.&rdquo;&nbsp;
<h2>The Situation Worsens</h2>
Two weeks later Optus provided additional info. After combing through logs, they claim that only 2.1 million personal records were exposed, of which 900,000 are expired. They said that all affected persons had been contacted, warned users not to open links from email or SMS, and recommended the My Optus app as the safest way to communicate with them.&nbsp;
However, the leaked data goes back to 2017 and includes many ex-customers. How will these people be contacted safely? Does sending one email count as &ldquo;contacted&rdquo;? No one knows. And scammers are capitalizing on the confusion.
Customers are seeing phishing emails, phone calls, and SMS or social media messages asking users to order new SIM cards or update billing information in order to secure themselves from the attack.&nbsp;
<img src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/DNxRJtnZyv_3cSTit0z00SxuAl4=/500x0/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F81445f8b-5d9d-4eb6-a475-4503a4115f4a" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/DNxRJtnZyv_3cSTit0z00SxuAl4=/500x0/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F81445f8b-5d9d-4eb6-a475-4503a4115f4a 500w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/8giVCxs0LcluhV8nbc6w6CHSXy0=/600x0/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F81445f8b-5d9d-4eb6-a475-4503a4115f4a 600w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/v7aYqCtwFfAW06vEI2E0JbP_2fw=/800x0/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F81445f8b-5d9d-4eb6-a475-4503a4115f4a 800w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/-SfHZJctTIAHRMcJl4wXJZsNEAc=/1000x0/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F81445f8b-5d9d-4eb6-a475-4503a4115f4a 1000w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/HiNJ6jw4HpAkMbpJdRakYwRCuus=/1200x0/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F81445f8b-5d9d-4eb6-a475-4503a4115f4a 1200w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/mG2v3q3g846PwNGrMjzceIhz9Oc=/1600x0/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2F81445f8b-5d9d-4eb6-a475-4503a4115f4a 1600w" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 800px, (min-width: 768px) 600px, 500px" alt="Scamwatch shared these two separate examples of scams following the Optus cyberhack. Correspondence about sim cards should be deleted, and any correspondence about bill &quot;issues&quot; treated with a high level of caution." width="389" height="219" />
The government agency Scamwatch took the initiative to warn customers about these scams. &ldquo;Optus is not contacting people about their bills and asking you to update information.&rdquo;&nbsp;
In the absence of other directions, people are scrambling to update their passports and driver&rsquo;s license numbers.
<h2>How was the data exposed?</h2>
Knowledge of how the breach occurred is frustratingly scarce.&nbsp;
According to Security Boulevard, &ldquo;Unconfirmed reports suggest that an API Gateway was being used by Optus. If so, that API gateway failed to sufficiently rate limit the attacker's access to Optus's sensitive data.&rdquo;
Security Boulevard <a href="https://securityboulevard.com/2022/10/optus-data-breach-why-vulnerable-apis-are-to-blame/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">provides a good overview</a> of possible API vulnerabilities that led to easy personal information extraction. Time will tell if this was the weak link.&nbsp;
Optus is noncommittal regarding whether or not they will release the full review being done by consultancy firm Deloitte. Perhaps this is Optus's ill-conceived attempt to make things seem less bad. If so, they failed to consider that the human imagination proliferates catastrophes, and the possibility that 2.1 million identities are compromised gives it ample fodder.&nbsp;
Optus is now <a href="https://www.optus.com.au/support/cyberattack" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">attempting open communication through its website</a>, but it may be too little too late to save face.
We&rsquo;re waiting on the results of the investigation to form a picture of what you can do to prepare for future breaches of this nature, or how you can take action to mitigate risk now. Fingers crossed that the findings will get released to the public.&nbsp;
Optus has dug itself a bit of a hole. Government fines loom on the horizon, and user trust is eroded. We shall see how they choose to proceed.&nbsp;
To be continued&hellip;

Learn why Optus got lambasted by the government and public alike for their communication surrounding 9.8 million stolen records.

An overview of the Optus Breach so far: what happened, how Optus responded to victims of the breach, ...

The Optus Breach: How Not to PR

An overview of the Optus Breach so far: what happened, how Optus responded to victims of the breach, and why their communication was lambasted by the government and public alike.

2022 has been a year of tech giants getting breached. Human fallibility continues to be, for the most part, the weakest link in company security. More on that later.&nbsp;
The latest victim is the ubiquitous ride-sharing company, Uber.&nbsp;
<h1>The 2022 Uber Breach - What, How, and Lessons Learned</h1>
This isn&rsquo;t the first time Uber has been breached. In 2016 they allegedly paid hackers $100,000 to delete the data they stole and keep the breach a secret. A year and CEO change later, the hack was publicized, revealing that personal information from over 50 million Uber riders and the driver&rsquo;s license numbers of 600,000 US drivers had been leaked.
Every publicized breach is a chance to learn and prepare. In this article, we will briefly cover what happened with the Uber breach of 2022 and then discuss what companies should do to shore up their defenses.&nbsp;
For more details about the breach itself, Uber <a href="https://www.uber.com/newsroom/security-update/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">maintains their own newsroom</a> covering the situation.&nbsp;
<h2>How did the Uber breach happen?</h2>
The 2022 Uber breach was a &ldquo;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/your-passwords-are-only-as-secure-as-your-teams" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">social engineering</a>&rdquo; attack. In social engineering attacks, cybercriminals use psychology to manipulate users into disclosing secret information or taking an action that allows the criminal to access private data.&nbsp;
In this case, one Uber contractor unknowingly allowed the hackers the access they needed. Uber states that &ldquo;It is likely that the attacker purchased the contractor&rsquo;s Uber corporate password on the dark web, after the contractor&rsquo;s personal device had been infected with malware, exposing those credentials.&rdquo;&nbsp;
The attacker then employed an increasingly common attack called MFA (multi-factor authentication) Fatigue. They repeatedly attempted to log in with the stolen password, which caused the contractor to be spammed with authentication requests. Eventually, either by accident or to make it stop, the contractor accepted one such request.
With access to one account, the hacker was able to get into other employees&rsquo; accounts and further elevate their permissions. They took the opportunity to boast of their feat internally.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/EoRmRO0rRBSwr8DQBQQw" alt="undefined" width="665" height="393" />
Uber has taken cautionary steps, including mandatory password resets and locking down its codebase.&nbsp;
<h2>Who was responsible for the Uber breach?</h2>
They believe LAPSUS$, a hacking group that has taken credit for breaches of Nvidia, Samsung, and Microsoft, to name a few, is responsible.&nbsp;
LAPSUS$ itself is an interesting rabbit hole. They first made headlines by hacking Brazil&rsquo;s Ministry of Health and deleting the health records of millions of people (thankfully the government had backups). LAPSUS$ later breached Nvidia - a technology company famous for its GPUs -&nbsp; and demanded that they make their drivers open-source if they did not wish their data leaked. In March of this year, the London police arrested seven teenagers related to the group. All have since been released, and LAPSUS$ continues its prolific run.&nbsp;
LAPSUS$&rsquo;s goal is unknown, nor do authorities know whether they have backing from a larger organization. Recent activity suggests that members operate from the UK and US, though some suspect ties to South America given their propensity for targeting that region.&nbsp;
For more information about LAPSUS$, Krebs has done great work <a href="https://krebsonsecurity.com/?s=%22lapsus%24%22" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">documenting their activity</a>.
<h2>What can we learn from the Uber breach?</h2>
The breaches at Microsoft, Cisco, Uber, etc. all have a common pattern. There were no incredible feats of &ldquo;hacking,&rdquo; where a genius criminal breaks through security systems with sweat dripping down their brow as shown on TV. Instead, the attacks were intentional, methodical, and exploited human fallibility.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Humans are the easiest and often the weakest target. Many people see through and avoid becoming victims of social engineering tactics. But among companies like Uber, which employs over 29,000 people and has 122 million users each month, or T-Mobile (<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/t-mobile-data-breach-2021-what-happened" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">victim of a major breach in 2021</a>), which employs 75,000 people and outsources much of its customer support, there are more than a few prime targets for cybercriminals.
We may sound like a broken record exhorting you to educate your employees and demand security best practices. But seriously - educate your employees and demand security best practices!
If we&rsquo;ve learned anything from recent breaches, it&rsquo;s that they would not have been possible without successful social engineering.&nbsp;
<h2>How could the Uber breach have been prevented?</h2>
The Uber hackers followed two relatively simple steps:&nbsp;
<ol>
<li style="text-align: left;">Buy compromised passwords</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Social Engineer an employee&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
<h3>Improve Password Hygiene</h3>
Individuals and companies can reduce the risk of compromised passwords by regularly scheduling password changes. Setting a reminder to appear every 90 days on your phone to change vital passwords and run manual security checks makes it less likely for your passwords to be available for purchase. There are also programs that will monitor personal devices in real-time. These precautions alone aren't enough, as even relatively new passwords can be compromised.&nbsp;&nbsp;
For added security and convenience, <a href="https://teampassword.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">use a password manager like TeamPassword</a>. Password managers encrypt and store all of your passwords in one secure location. Many even include built-in password generators and mandatory 2FA.&nbsp;
<h3>Use 2FA</h3>
To counter the second step - social engineer an employee - you should use the best 2FA available and stay calm in the face of urgent requests to bypass the security measures you have in place.&nbsp;
Not all 2FA methods are equally effective. Authenticator Apps that generate One-Time-Passwords (OTP) directly on your device and refresh them regularly are more secure than SMS sent via a cellular carrier to your phone. The danger of SMS is mostly due to the possibility of SIM-swapping, where a criminal convinces a carrier to transfer a customer&rsquo;s number to the criminal&rsquo;s own device, thus gaining control of any OTPs. The <a href="https://krebsonsecurity.com/2021/10/fcc-proposal-targets-sim-swapping-port-out-fraud/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">FCC is making attempts to stop this</a>, but SMS is still widely used and remains vulnerable.&nbsp;
Using 2FA can be annoying. It requires you to use a second device, and the time it takes adds up. But the security it provides is worth the cost. So use it if you can.
<h3>Don&rsquo;t Act - Ask</h3>
Finally, common sense and a healthy dose of skepticism are essential components of a strong defense. If a request for information seems urgent, doesn&rsquo;t seem familiar, or make sense, then it&rsquo;s best to pause, consider, and confirm. Call the sender or ask a colleague to take a look. No one wants to &ldquo;cry wolf,&rdquo; but cybersecurity is a complex subject, and caution will be appreciated more often than not.
It&rsquo;s always better to get a second pair of eyes on the situation.&nbsp;
<h3>Consider Using Hard Tokens</h3>
The Uber breach has also raised questions about hard vs. soft tokens. Soft tokens are software-based like MFA that uses a passcode or pin. Hard tokens are physical objects that grant access, like a USB or fob.&nbsp;
Hardware tokens are generally much more secure, as proven by the <a href="https://blog.cloudflare.com/2022-07-sms-phishing-attacks/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">failed phishing attack on Cloudflare</a> and <a href="https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/07/google-security-keys-neutralized-employee-phishing/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Google&rsquo;s success in thwarting phishing</a>. Someone has to physically steal the hard key to gain access. However, hard keys are more expensive to purchase and maintain, which has historically precluded them from all but the most high-security applications.&nbsp;
<h2>Final Thoughts</h2>
Cybersecurity is an incredibly dynamic field. Researching the Uber breach and LAPSUS$ motivated me to take inventory of my current 2FA settings and improve security where possible. Hopefully, this overview of the Uber breach has helped you identify an area of improvement for yourself and your company.

The Uber breach shows that human fallibility continues to be weakest link in company security. What can we do about it?

2022 has been a year of tech giants getting breached. Human culpability continues to be, for the most ...

The 2022 Uber Breach

2022 has been a year of tech giants getting breached. Human culpability continues to be, for the most part, the weakest link in company security. More on that later. The latest victim is the ubiquitous ride sharing company, Uber. This isn’t the first time Uber has been breached. In 2016 ...

Reports of cybersecurity threats to small businesses continue to rise, but many companies aren&rsquo;t feeling the urgency.
<h2>The Stats</h2>
Hackers compromised 30 million Facebook accounts in 2018. Roughly 70% of internet users use the same password on multiple accounts. Spot the problem?

Are you confident your employees are not using the same password for Instagram as they are for their Hootsuite or company dashboard logins?&nbsp;

The <a href="https://blog.talosintelligence.com/2022/08/recent-cyber-attack.html">most recent Cisco breach</a> was made possible by an employee saving work passwords in their browser; not as heinous a security crime as reusing passwords, but unsafe enough that the attacker was able to use the password stolen from the employee&rsquo;s browser, phish MFA authentication, and get into Cisco&rsquo;s systems all the same.

So what&rsquo;s the point of all these stats and scare stories?&nbsp;

If you&rsquo;re not providing employees with a password management solution and educating them on how to use it, your business will eventually fall victim, through one avenue or another, to a cyberattack.&nbsp;

And according to the latest data, that will cost your business anywhere from <a href="https://terranovasecurity.com/data-breaches-prove-costly-for-small-businesses/">38k</a> to over <a href="https://www.ibm.com/security/data-breach">$4.35 million</a>.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Here are a few more stats to arouse your caution:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Ransomware attacks happen every 14 seconds.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">43% of cyber attacks are targeted at small businesses, while 60% of those that are targeted go out of business within 6 months.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">65% of large companies have over 500 employees that have never changed their passwords.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2>The Solution</h2>
If you aren&rsquo;t using a password manager, get one. If you are, use its features.

Set a schedule for updating your passwords. Many breaches happen months after the data is stolen. By updating your passwords, you may be foiling all the attacker&rsquo;s hard work.&nbsp;

The cost of security breaches often results from businesses not having a Cyber Security Incident Response Plan. While it takes time and thought to set up, it will save you thousands or millions in the event of an attack.

Phishing emails are the primary form of cyberattack. Teach your employees to spot spoofed URLs and spam emails.&nbsp;
<h2>TeamPassword is Designed for Security</h2>
We know it&rsquo;s tempting to simplify your password life by relying on your browser&rsquo;s offer to save every password you enter or reuse some tried-and-true passwords, but the data is clear that there will eventually be consequences for these tactics.&nbsp;

TeamPassword&rsquo;s browser extension provides seamless access to your websites and logins, so you have no excuse for unsafe password habits. Just pin the extension in your browser, and your logins are a couple of clicks away.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/P2O02i1SxKcX7mlXr2gJ" alt="undefined" width="627" height="437" />
TeamPassword also tracks the last time a password was changed and includes a built-in password generator so that you have the appropriate tool at hand to take action. You can also test your passwords with our <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">free password generator</a>.
&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/u6O8K1UDT0KRySKM8wwN" alt="undefined" width="433" height="287" />
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/N1ZN2993RDuMHsFTHNEw" alt="undefined" />
 Password management can feel overwhelming. We built TeamPassword to make it a bit simpler. Give us a try for <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">free for 14 days</a>.

Reports of cybersecurity threats to small businesses continue to rise, but many companies aren’t feeling the urgency. Hackers compromised...

Reports of cybersecurity threats to small businesses continue to rise, but many companies aren’t feeling the urgency. The ...

The Importance of Responsible Password Management

Reports of cybersecurity threats to small businesses continue to rise, but many companies aren’t feeling the urgency. The Stats Hackers compromised 30 million Facebook accounts in 2018. Roughly 70% of internet users use the same password on multiple accounts. Spot the problem? Are you confident your employees are not using ...

Operating a business in today&rsquo;s market means managing dozens of online accounts and (for our typical customer) over 100 passwords.&nbsp;
<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/5-habits-that-put-your-accounts-at-risk" style="color: #40d8e3;">Poor password management</a> costs your business time, money, and countless headaches. Every business should have a password vault that makes it easy to collaborate and share online accounts.&nbsp;
Here&rsquo;s why.&nbsp;

<h2>Increase Productivity</h2>
Studies showed that <a href="https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2019/12/new-password-study-finds-78-of-people-had-to-reset-a-password-they-forgot-in-past-90-days.html" style="color: #40d8e3;">57% of users</a> needed to reset work passwords in the last 90 days, and employees spend <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/up-to-11-hours-spent-every-year-resetting-passwords-1.819620#:~:text=We%20spend%20on%20average%2012%20minutes%20every%20week%20entering%20or%20renewing%20passwords&amp;text=Almost%2011%20hours%20are%20lost,new%20report%20published%20on%20Tuesday." style="color: #40d8e3; text-decoration: underline;">over 10 hours a year resetting</a> and trying to remember passwords. This, combined with the <a href="https://www.cyclonis.com/report-83-percent-users-surveyed-use-same-password-multiple-sites/" style="color: #40d8e3;">terrible security habits people adopt</a> when left to their own devices, exacts a damaging cost on your business across time.&nbsp;
Don&rsquo;t waste your team&rsquo;s time and expertise on password management when they can have the accounts they need at their fingertips.&nbsp;
<a href="https://help.teampassword.com/en/articles/6143477-sharing-records" style="color: #40d8e3;">Sharing passwords is easy</a> when the tool is designed for the job.&nbsp;

<h2>Avoid Duplicate Accounts</h2>
Duplicate accounts lead to disorganization, confusion, and lost productivity.
TeamPassword lets your employees see which services your company has signed up for so that Jenna from HR doesn't accidentally create a Hootsuite account when Joe from Marketing already made one.&nbsp;
Having multiple accounts for the same service is a nightmare.&nbsp;
It can be difficult to shut down twin accounts, and companies end up paying duplicate subscription fees for months or years.&nbsp;

<h2>Faster Onboarding</h2>
No one wants to spend their first day figuring out how to log onto the accounts they need to do their job. A password manager for teams makes it easy to integrate new employees.
Just <a href="https://help.teampassword.com/en/articles/5722465-how-to-invite-a-new-user" style="color: #40d8e3;">add the new employee</a> to your TeamPassword account, then <a href="https://help.teampassword.com/en/articles/5530821-how-to-create-a-group" style="color: #40d8e3;">grant them access</a> to the appropriate groups.
Our password manager clearly shows new employees what accounts you have. If they&rsquo;re unfamiliar with one of the tools they&rsquo;ll be using to do their job, they can ask you about it sooner rather than later and hit the ground running.

<h2>Ease the Breakup</h2>
A password manager makes it <a href="https://help.teampassword.com/en/articles/6143642-how-to-change-a-user-s-role" style="color: #40d8e3;">frictionless to revoke access</a> when an employee leaves your company.&nbsp;
It might also be a good time to go through and refresh your passwords - easily done with our built-in <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" style="color: #40d8e3;">password generator</a>. You can also see the last time a password was updated right there in the login.&nbsp;
Grant access to your accounts on a need-to-know basis. It takes one moment of vindictiveness for a spurned employee with Twitter access to tarnish your company's reputation.&nbsp;
Cybersecurity is getting more complicated every year. It&rsquo;s tempting to look the other way and do what you&rsquo;ve always done, but with the <a href="https://www.upguard.com/blog/cost-of-data-breach" style="color: #40d8e3;">cost of data breaches</a> rising further, there&rsquo;s no reason to put the livelihood of you and your employees at risk.

Use a password manager. It doesn&rsquo;t have to be ours - be realistic about your use case. We designed TeamPassword to be the most straightforward, easy-to-use tool on the market. If that grabs your interest, <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" style="color: #40d8e3;">give us a try for free for 14 days</a> (no credit card required).&nbsp;

Operating a business in today’s market means managing dozens of online accounts and over 100s of passwords. Poor password management costs y

Operating a business in today’s market means managing dozens of online accounts and over 100s of passwords. Poor ...

Why All Businesses Should use a Password Manager

Operating a business in today’s market means managing dozens of online accounts and over 100s of passwords. Poor password management costs your business time, money, and countless headaches. Every business should have a password vault that makes it easy to collaborate and share online accounts.

Bad habits can cost you serious time and money when managing your passwords.
We all know the hassle of forgetting a password and having to reset it, but that's nothing compared to what you'll go through if your accounts are compromised because you managed your passwords poorly.
It's the age-old story of a company that uses the same password for everything, then one unimportant site gets hacked, and the attacker gains access to all of their accounts.
Luckily, building good password habits is easy with the right strategies and tools. Read on to learn about lazy password management habits and how you can fix them.
<h2>1. Don&rsquo;t use the same password everywhere</h2>
It's only a matter of time before one of the websites or apps you use gets hacked or has a security lapse. See <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/aug/31/dropbox-hack-passwords-68m-data-breach">Dropbox</a>, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-24740873">Adobe</a>, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heartbleed">Heartbleed bug</a> that affected several websites.&nbsp;
Once a hacker gets one of your passwords, it's easy for them to try that password on countless other websites. For example, if you use the same password for Instagram as for online banking, a lapse in Instagram's security can result in an empty bank account.&nbsp;
Using the same password is one of the riskiest things you can do online; it's asking for trouble.
<h3>Fix it</h3>
Stop using the same password! Instead, use a password management service (like <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/">TeamPassword.com</a>) to randomly generate and store your passwords so that you have unique passwords for different services without needing to remember them all.
<h2>2. Don&rsquo;t keep the same password for an eternity</h2>
Passwords, like the oil in your car, should be changed regularly. Many breaches happen during the weeks and months before an attacker acts on the data they've captured. If you update your password, it's tough luck for the hacker.&nbsp;
Don't make it easy for hackers and malicious users. Change your password on a regular basis.
<h3>Fix it</h3>
Set up a system that reminds you how old your passwords are. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> shows the last time you updated the password every time you use the account--shaming you every time you see "Last Updated: 5 years ago."
<h2>3. Don&rsquo;t rely on your browser</h2>
Storing passwords in your browser is quick and easy, but doing so <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-save-passwords-in-chrome-and-alternatives">opens a can of worms for your personal and business security</a>.
Browsers now allow you <a href="https://blog.malwarebytes.com/privacy-2/2021/02/browser-sync-what-are-the-risks-of-turning-it-on/">to sync</a> your passwords, bookmarks, and more so that you can sign in from any device and access your data.&nbsp;
Awesome, right?&nbsp;
Except that if you lose your laptop or phone or forget to sign out on a public computer, your data will continue to sync between devices until you remember to sign them out manually and update your passwords.&nbsp;
In the meantime, you&rsquo;re an easy target.
We've all seen those "Brian left his Facebook open!" posts made by someone's friend (and that's the polite version). Imagine the kind of mischief--or trouble--someone could get into with access to your bank account or company Workspace.&nbsp;
What if you store passwords in your browser but don&rsquo;t sync? You may think you won&rsquo;t need them while traveling in Morocco--until you realize you forgot to schedule your car loan payment or you get a text message about suspicious activity on that credit card you hardly use.
<h3>Fix it</h3>
Use a logic management service that requires authentication to access your passwords so that you can access them everywhere (and so that your friend Jessica can't be a jerk on your social media or bank account when she borrows your computer).&nbsp;
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> offers a mobile app and 2FA so that you can access your passwords securely on the go.&nbsp;
<h2>4. Don&rsquo;t share your passwords liberally</h2>
We all need to share passwords from time to time, whether you're giving the WiFi password to a guest or collaborating to update a Twitter account for a business.&nbsp;
The problem is sharing too many passwords. Bad habits often come in clusters, so you may use that same password on other services, exposing you to severe risks. Think of passwords like they're the keys to your house. You're not going to give that up to just anybody.&nbsp;
Furthermore, you will likely forget who you shared your passwords with. It might not seem like a big problem now, but let's be honest, do you want your crazy ex (or vindictive former employee) to have access to any of your online accounts?
<h3>Fix it</h3>
Use a team <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager</a> that helps you share passwords and shows you who has access. That way, adding or removing password access as needed is easy. Plus, you'll quickly know which passwords you need to change if you've parted ways with someone.
<h2>5. Don&rsquo;t share your passwords via email</h2>
Email is an inherently insecure means of communication. You don't need to be <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Pictures_hack">Sony to be a target of an email hack</a>. Never use email to send sensitive information. Plus, who wants to comb through old emails to find a password?
<h3>Fix it</h3>
Use a password storage service with strong security practices to share that sensitive information. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> offers unlimited groups, so passwords are securely shared with only those teammates who need them.&nbsp;
<h2>Bottom Line</h2>
If you have any of these bad habits, you must stop doing them now, before one of the apps you use gets hacked. Malicious hackers can steal your money, time, and even identity if you have risky password practices.
We started TeamPassword to help teams avoid these bad password habits and the losses that come with poor password management. Try it out with our free <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">14-day trial</a>.

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So you think hackers have stolen your password? You're not the only one. 
Perhaps you've noticed strange activity on your email account or frequent pop-ups on your computer. Perhaps it's just a hunch. 
But how can you know&nbsp;for sure?
There are many warning signs that you've been the victim of a data hack:
<ul>
<li>Your device is slower than normal.</li>
<li>You use more data than normal.</li>
<li>Videos take longer to load.</li>
<li>You received an email notification about a password change you didn't make.</li>
<li>An online account no longer accepts your password.</li>
</ul>
However, hackers can steal your passwords and identity&nbsp;without you ever knowing. That's why it's so difficult to tell if you're the victim of a hack.
This guide will help you work out if hackers have stolen your information and tell you how to stop it from happening again.&nbsp;
Prevent hackers from stealing your data by incorporating TeamPassword into your tech stack. This password manager for teams comes with a range of security features like two-step verification and password encryption.&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sign up for a free trial</a>&nbsp;today.&nbsp;

<h2>Have I Been Hacked? How Do I Know?</h2>
There are various ways to tell whether hackers have access to your information:
<ul>
<li>Look for unusual activity on your account. This activity includes logins to your social media accounts from unfamiliar locations or mass messages sent from your email account.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Look for security emails from account providers that warn about failed login attempts or password changes you didn't make.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li>Look for changes in performance on the devices, apps, and websites you use. For example, see if videos take longer to buffer than normal.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Look at your browser's password manager (if you use one) and check that nobody has changed these credentials.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
All the above can be a guessing game. You might have a feeling that you're the victim of a hack but don't know for sure. 
Checking a stolen password list like "Have I Been Pwned" clears up some of the confusion. This tool searches across multiple data breaches &mdash; when hackers take stolen passwords and usernames and post them online &mdash; to see if cybercriminals have compromised your personal information. 
Here's how to use this stolen password list:
<ol>
<li>Enter your email address on the main page.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Click "pwned."</li>
<li>The website will search thousands of databases to see if hackers have stolen your personal information.</li>
<li>If you receive the "Oh no &ndash; Pwned!" message, it means hackers have posted sensitive information associated with your email address (passwords, addresses, phone numbers, etc.) somewhere online.</li>
<li>If you receive the "Good news &ndash; no pwnage found!" message, it means the website could not find your information on the internet.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
Note: Just because the website can't find your data on the internet, it doesn't mean hackers haven't compromised your personal information.
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-manager-for-small-businesses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Password Manager for Small Businesses</a>

<h2>Which Passwords Did Hackers Steal?</h2>
Establish which passwords hackers stole in a data breach so you can take quick action. Websites like "Have I Been Pwned"&nbsp;won't&nbsp;tell you which passwords are at risk. You'll only learn whether hackers have compromised the data associated with a particular email address. 
Note: Sometimes, hackers might have access to your email address and other personal information but not your password. It's hard to know for sure.&nbsp;
If hackers have access to your data, it's a good idea to change&nbsp;all passwords&nbsp;associated with the compromised email address. If you use your email address for several online accounts, change the passwords for these services. Updating these passwords might take you a while, and remembering the new passwords leads to additional problems. (Keep reading to find a solution.)
Here are some other tips:
<ul>
<li>When choosing new passwords, use combinations of lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Passwords that use all these elements are stronger than those that don't.</li>
<li>Don't write your passwords down because this increases the risk of identity theft.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li>Don't tell anyone your new passwords.</li>
</ul>
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-most-secure-way-to-share-passwords" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Most Secure Way to Share Passwords</a>.

<h2>How Common Is a Data Hack?</h2>
More common than you think. Hackers were responsible for more than 4,000 attacks every day in 2020, and the total number of compromised records exceeded 37 billion. That's a 141% increase from 2019. Much of this compromised data appears on the dark web, where cybercriminals use it to facilitate illegal activities such as identity theft and money laundering.&nbsp;
If you have been the subject of a data hack, you are not alone. However, it's important to act quickly to prevent hackers from accessing your personal or financial accounts.&nbsp;
There are other types of cybercrime to consider. Cybercriminals use techniques like phishing, where they impersonate people online and trick victims into handing over their personal information. Phishing now accounts for more than 80% of all cybersecurity incidents, and criminals steal $17,700 every minute in these attacks.&nbsp;

<h2>What Kind of Information Do Hackers Steal?</h2>
Hackers steal all kinds of personal and financial information:
<ul>
<li>Names</li>
<li>Email addresses</li>
<li>Usernames</li>
<li>Passwords</li>
<li>Addresses</li>
<li>Phone numbers</li>
<li>Bank account details</li>
<li>Credit card numbers</li>
<li>Social Security numbers</li>
<li>Insurance information&nbsp;</li>
<li>IRS information</li>
<li>Photos</li>
<li>Private message</li>
<li>SMS messages</li>
</ul>
Nothing is off-limits for hackers, and these criminals go to great lengths to steal your data. Once they have access to the information above, hackers can transfer money from your bank accounts, use your identity to apply for financing, and damage your credit file.&nbsp;
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-scariest-data-breaches-of-all-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Scariest Data Breaches of All Time</a>.
TeamPassword is the best password manager for teams. Features include two-step verification, password encryption, easy password sharing, and more.&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get a free trial now</a>&nbsp;and learn how TeamPassword keeps you safe online.&nbsp;

<h2>Have I Been Hacked? How to Stay Safe.</h2>
There are several ways to improve online security and prevent hackers from accessing your personal information:
<ul>
<li>Use the latest security software and apps when using devices and browsing the internet.</li>
<li>Carry out regular risk assessments where you evaluate your security software.</li>
<li>Back up personal data to a reputable cloud service instead of keeping it on your device.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Don't share personal information with other people.</li>
<li>Create a security management strategy for your organization and share it with all team members.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Using a password manager is another way to stay safe online. The best ones encrypt your online passwords so hackers can't access these credentials, and you can keep passwords in a secure cloud-based vault and not have to remember them. There are various password managers online, including free ones available through most internet browsers, but not all tools are the same.&nbsp;
If you work alongside a team, consider TeamPassword. It's the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">password manager for teams</a>&nbsp;that require world-class security and performance. This all-in-one password solution helps teams like yours store, manage, and share passwords in the safest way possible.&nbsp;

<h2>How Can TeamPassword Help?</h2>
TeamPassword prevents hackers from stealing your organization's most sensitive data with an incredible range of password management features. Enterprises of all sizes use TeamPassword to manage passwords, including tech startups, digital marketing agencies, creative agencies, and software and development teams.
Here are some&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/features" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeamPassword features</a>&nbsp;that prevent situations involving a stolen password:
<ul>
<li>Random password generation that creates unique passwords for websites.</li>
<li>Two-step password verification.</li>
<li>Activity and logging tools so you can discover who has access to password management features.</li>
<li>Secure encryption technology.</li>
<li>Email notifications about password management actions.</li>
<li>Passwords stored securely in one place. </li>
</ul>
<h2>Final Word</h2>
If you're looking for the answer to the question, "Have I been hacked?" it's difficult to know for sure. Preventing hackers from compromising your data in the first place provides a better resolution. TeamPassword lets you store and manage passwords in a secure environment and minimize the effects of a stolen password so you can avoid hackers stealing your data and continue to collaborate on team projects.&nbsp;
With features like password encryption, two-step authentication, and random password generation, TeamPassword is the best password management solution for teams that want to improve online security.&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sign up for a free trial</a>&nbsp;now.

Have I been hacked? Here's how to check if you have and learn how to stop hackers from stealing your data. | TeamPassword Blog

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