See the best way to come up with a new username. We break down types of usernames and give you the best username ideas out there.

See the best way to come up with a new username. We break down types of usernames, why ...

How to Make a Good Username | Create a Unique and Secure Username

See the best way to come up with a new username. We break down types of usernames, why secure usernames are important, and how to create them effectively!

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In an era where data is the lifeblood of businesses, securing your information on the cloud is non-negotiable. Even with the impeccable reputation of Microsoft Azure, understanding and implementing Azure security best practices is crucial. This guide aims to empower you with immediate steps to enhance your security while utilizing Microsoft Azure.

<ol>
<li>Key Takeaway: Azure offers a versatile set of services, including Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS).</li>
<li>Key Takeaway: Empower Your Security with RBAC, and use Azure's MFA features to get your team one step close to authentication best practices: something you know, something you have, and something you are.</li>
<li>Key Takeaway: Strengthen Passwords, provide a password manager so the burden isn't on your employees, and Leverage Azure Security Center.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
[Table of contents]
<ul>
<li><a href="#Whatismicrosoftazure" rel="follow">What is Microsoft Azure?</a></li>
<li><a href="#bestsecuritypractices" rel="follow">Best Security Practices for Microsoft Azure</a></li>
<li><a href="#teampasswordelevatesecurity" rel="follow">Elevate security with TeamPassword</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>What is Microsoft Azure?</h2>
Microsoft Azure, launched in 2010, has evolved into a robust cloud computing platform that offers a comprehensive suite of services. Its inception was a strategic move by Microsoft to compete in the growing cloud services market. Over the years, Azure has become a cornerstone for businesses seeking scalable and flexible cloud solutions.
Azure's journey began as a platform primarily focused on providing Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). It allowed organizations to virtualize their computing infrastructure, providing a cost-effective and flexible alternative to traditional on-premises solutions. As cloud computing gained momentum, Microsoft expanded Azure into a Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) provider.
With continuous innovation and updates, Azure has positioned itself as a leading player in the cloud industry. Its global data centers, spanning multiple continents, ensure low-latency access and high availability for users across the globe. Microsoft's commitment to security, compliance, and interoperability has contributed to Azure's reputation as a reliable cloud service.
Azure's Data Storage Base is a key component, offering a variety of storage services to meet different business requirements.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>
Azure Blob Storage: Designed for storing massive amounts of unstructured data, Azure Blob Storage provides scalable and cost-effective object storage. It is ideal for scenarios such as backup, archiving, and serving large-scale static content.
</li>
<li>
Azure SQL Databases: For organizations requiring relational database management, Azure SQL Databases offer a fully managed and scalable solution. This service ensures high-performance, security, and reliability for applications relying on structured data.
</li>
<li>
Azure Cosmos DB: Geared towards globally distributed applications, Azure Cosmos DB is a multi-model, multi-API database service. It provides low-latency access to data on a global scale, making it suitable for scenarios where responsiveness and reliability are paramount.
</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="bestsecuritypractices">Best Security Practices for Microsoft Azure</h2>
In the expansive realm of Azure services, prioritizing security is not just a choice; it's a necessity. Let's delve into key practices that act as a fortress, strengthening the security of your Azure environment.
<h3>Utilize Role-Based Access Controls (RBAC)</h3>
In the dynamic landscape of cloud computing, granting access is a nuanced task. Utilizing Role-Based Access Controls (RBAC) is akin to handing out keys selectively in a secure facility. By assigning roles to users, organizations achieve precise control over who can access specific data and features. This separation of duties enhances security and streamlines workflows by limiting access to job-specific tasks.
As your organization evolves, RBAC allows adjustments to access levels as needed. Embrace the power of RBAC to ensure your Azure environment is safeguarded against unauthorized intrusions.
<h3>Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)</h3>
Relying solely on passwords is like leaving your front door unlocked. There's a door, and it's closed, but someone only has to go up and try the handle.
Implementing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), preferably of the "something you have" variety (software token, hardware key), gets you one step closer to the recommended trio of authentication steps: something you know, something you have, and something you are.
Emphasize the significance of MFA, especially on mobile devices where vulnerabilities can be exploited. This security measure requires users to provide multiple forms of identification, such as a password and a verification code, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized access. Elevate your security posture by making MFA a non-negotiable aspect of your Azure environment.
Read more: <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/2fa-vs-mfa" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">2FA vs MFA: Are they the same?</a>
<h3>Use Strong Passwords</h3>
Azure handles SSO for many services, but passwords are still broadly used and needed, and they need to be strong.&nbsp;
The problem is that imposing requirements but leaving it up to the user to store/memorize the password, results in bad practices. Change it every 3 months? 'password1' becomes 'password2'. Special character and uppercase? Fine, I'll go with 'Password1!'. Has to be 12 characters? How about 'password1111'?&nbsp;
Password length and variety&nbsp;are cornerstones of secure passwords, but you need to provide a password manager so your employees aren't tempted to create weak, reused passwords.
Use a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">password generator</a> for quick, secure passwords.&nbsp;
Most password managers have browser extensions that can easily autofill those complex passwords for you. Removing friction is key for your employees - especially those less tech-savvy - to use the software you provide for everyone's security.&nbsp;
For an in-depth guide, read our <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-password-security-teampassword" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Ultimate Guide to Password Security</a>
<h3>Leverage Azure Security Center</h3>
Azure Security Center stands as a comprehensive solution, acting as a sentinel for your security management. Its unified platform allows you to manage both Azure and non-Azure clouds efficiently, bringing simplicity to the complex realm of cloud security.
Capitalize on its robust threat detection capabilities, ensuring you are promptly notified of potential threats to your services and networks. Additionally, benefit from actionable insights provided by security recommendations, allowing you to stay one step ahead of potential security risks.
By adopting and integrating these best security practices into your Azure environment, you fortify your defenses against potential cyber threats and ensure a resilient security posture in the digital age.
<h2 id="teampasswordelevatesecurity">How TeamPassword Can Elevate Your Security</h2>
Passwords aren't disappearing anytime soon. SSO solutions and <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/passkey-technology" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">passkeys</a> continue to improve, but companies are slow to change, and passwords are easily implemented and familiar.&nbsp;
If you want your employees to use secure passwords, you need to provide them with the tools to do so. TeamPassword is a <a href="https://teampassword.com/security" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">secure</a>, <a href="https://teampassword.com/features" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">straightforward</a>, and cost-effective password manager for businesses.&nbsp;
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Try it for free for 14 days</a> - no credit card required!&nbsp;

Looking for ways to enhance your cyber security with Microsoft Azure? Check out our  Microsoft Azure security best practices and how TeamPassword can help!

Looking for ways to enhance your cyber security with Microsoft Azure? Check out our  Microsoft Azure security ...

Microsoft Azure Security Best Practices | Keep Azure Secure

Welcome to the world of passkey security, where the key to unlocking your digital fortress is simpler, yet more robust than ever. In this blog, we'll break down the basics of passkeys, explore how they work, and delve into their advantages and potential challenges.
[Table of Contents]
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#understandingthebasics" rel="follow">Passkey Security: Understanding the Basics</a></li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#passkeysandmfa" rel="follow">Passkeys and MFA</a></li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#howdoespasskeysecuritywork" rel="follow">How Does Passkey Security Work?&nbsp;</a></li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#advantagesofpasskeysecurity" rel="follow">Advantages of Passkey Security</a></li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#bestpractices" rel="follow">Best Practices for Passkey Security</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="understandingthebasics">Passkey Security: Understanding the Basics</h2>
If you want to protect your data from cyberattacks, you need to use strong and secure authentication methods. One of the most effective ways to do that is by using passkeys. But what are passkeys and <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/passkey-vs-password" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">how do they differ from traditional passwords</a>?
A passkey refers to a cryptographic key pair that together encrypts and decrypts data. Unlike passwords, the passkey is never seen by the user.
If you don't know the passkey, how do you use it?
When creating a passkey for a new account, you'll verify your intent by unlocking the device using your PIN or biometrics. Your operating system creates a unique cryptographic key pair; one key is stored on the application or website where you're making an account, while the other is stored in secure elements on your device (such as secure enclaves or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_Platform_Module" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">trusted platform modules (TPMs)</a>).
When you return to log into your account, you'll need to verify yourself as the device owner with that same PIN or biometric.
Passkeys are highly resistant to stealing, guessing, and brute-forcing, and cannot be phished. A criminal's best bet is to steal your device and biometric data that unlocks it.&nbsp;
One drawback is that only this device is authorized to log into the account. This inconvenience is being overcome, however, as tech giants like Google and Apple give you the option to sync your passkeys with your Google or iCloud account. Third-party password managers are implementing passkey support as well.&nbsp;It's important to understand that this puts the security of your private key in their hands.&nbsp;
A full walkthrough of setting up a passkey, understanding what is stored where, and handling roaming can be found <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/passkey-technology#:~:text=device%20FIDO%20credentials-,Passkey%20Login%20Examples,-Note%3A%C2%A0Below" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;
<h2 id="passkeysandmfa">Passkeys and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)</h2>
Part of a passkey's appeal is that it combines the security elements achieved by passwords + MFA.
Passkeys require something you are or&nbsp;know (biometrics, PIN) plus something you&nbsp;possess (the device you authorized to store the cryptographic key pair - usually your phone).&nbsp;
The password + MFA setup requires two steps to achieve this. You need a password (something you know) and something else you know or are supposed to possess (software token from 2FA app, the code texted to your phone). But <a href="https://krebsonsecurity.com/2021/03/can-we-stop-pretending-sms-is-secure-now/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">SMS as a 2FA solution has severe drawbacks</a>, and people's <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-password-security-teampassword" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">password hygiene habits</a> aren't keeping up.
By combining elements of MFA with phishing-resistant cryptographic key pairs, passkeys increase convenience and improve security - a rare package in cybersecurity.&nbsp;
<h2 id="howdoespasskeysecuritywork">How Does Passkey Security Work?</h2>
Now that we've laid the groundwork, let's explore the inner workings of passkey security.
<h3>Passkey Generation</h3>
Passkey generation refers to the process of creating a unique cryptographic key pair for use in an authentication process. Passkeys replace the most common authentication method of username/password.
Here's an overview of the key components of passkey generation:
<ul>
<li>Randomness: Passkeys are designed to be unpredictable and difficult to guess. To achieve this, cryptographic systems often use sources of entropy, such as random number generators, to ensure that the generated passkey is truly random.</li>
<li>Asymmetric-key cryptography: This involves a pair of keys &ndash; a public key and a private key. The passkey generation process generates these key pairs. The public key is stored on a server, but it is useless without the private key, which is stored on your device. Data encrypted with the public key can only be decrypted by the corresponding private key.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Secure Storage: Once generated, passkeys need to be securely stored. This is crucial, especially for private keys in asymmetric cryptography. Unauthorized access to the keys compromises the security of the system.</li>
</ul>
Details of passkey generation may vary depending on the specific cryptographic protocols or standards being used. Additionally, security best practices and standards evolve over time, so if you plan to implement passkeys from a developer's perspective or wish to know the latest in passkey security enhancements, you'll be best served by the <a href="https://fidoalliance.org/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">FIDO Alliance website</a>.
<h3>Public and Private Keys</h3>
Enter the concept of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-key_cryptography" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">public and private keys</a>. In passkey security, the public key is stored in an online database, while the private key remains on the user's device, or is "roamed" to other devices by a service like iCloud Keychain. This asymmetrical approach adds an extra layer of security, ensuring that even if the public key falls into the wrong hands, it remains useless without its counterpart.
Note: There are now several methods to sync your private key online and skip the <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/passkey-technology#:~:text=Now%2C%20I%20need%20to%20log%20in%20on%20my%20Macbook." rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Bluetooth authentication ceremony</a> normally required to enroll a new device. Syncing your private key places the security of said key in the hands of Google, Apple, or a third-party password manager. Whether or not this is a worthwhile tradeoff is up to you and your use case.&nbsp;
<h2 id="advantagesofpasskeysecurity">Advantages of Passkey Security</h2>
Let's explore why passkey security is gaining traction in the digital landscape.
<h3>Increased Security</h3>
Leaked and stolen passwords, phished 2FA tokens, and social engineering attacks continue to cost millions for businesses and wreak havoc for consumers.&nbsp;
Passkeys can't be phished, obtained through social engineering, or tricked into signing into a fake website. Passkeys are always long and random - something fallible humans continue to miss with passwords despite warnings from every side.
Together, these features eliminate the main downfalls of passwords.&nbsp;
<h3>User-Friendly Authentication</h3>
Say goodbye to complex password requirements and forgotten combinations. Passkeys streamline the authentication process, offering a user-friendly experience without compromising security.
<h2 id="challenges">Challenges and Considerations</h2>
As with any security system, passkeys come with their own challenges.
The features that make passkeys secure make managing them trickier.&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Passkeys can't be exported and imported between ecosystems at the time of this writing.</li>
</ul>
It's partly a security problem, but what incentive do vendors have to make it easy to transfer passkeys from Google Password Manager to iCloud Keychain, or from Keychain to a third-party password manager? If you have your passkeys in iCloud Keychain and decide to switch to Android, you'll have a lot of manual work to do setting up new passkeys for your accounts.&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>If your passkey isn't synced and you lose the device storing it, how do you create a new passkey?&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Relying parties (websites/applications) don't have a good answer. Sending a "reset passkey" email is off the table - it undoes the security benefits passkeys provide.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Corporate security policies are slow to change - passkeys are not. </li>
</ul>
How will corporate security teams handle their users using passkeys? In the vast majority of cases, passkeys are more secure, yet most companies have no documentation or policies around how they should be used, whether or not the private key can be synced and to what vendor, etc. Passkeys will be adopted slowly and messily.&nbsp;
<h2 id="bestpractices">Best Practices for Passkey Security</h2>
The critical element in passkey security is device security. If you lose your smartphone and it's only protected with a PIN like 1234, you risk your passkey-protected accounts being compromised.&nbsp;
The best thing you can do is to never leave your devices unattended where they could be stolen, and secure them with biometrics or a strong PIN.&nbsp;
You may wish to opt out of syncing your passkeys to a third-party password manager. A Bluetooth authentication ceremony will be required to authenticate a new device to use the website/application, but the private key security remains on your device.
<h2>Increase Security with TeamPassword</h2>
Passkeys lack universal support; password security remains critical. If you share passwords with colleagues and seek an effortless, secure, and cost-effective solution, test out TeamPassword.
TeamPassword prioritizes seamless implementation, <a href="https://teampassword.com/features" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">user-friendliness</a>, <a href="https://teampassword.com/security" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">security</a>, and outstanding customer support.
Need evidence? Explore <a href="https://www.g2.com/products/teampassword/reviews#reviews" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">customer testimonials on G2</a>.
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Try us for free for 14 days!</a>&nbsp;

Struggling to understand the difference between a password and passkey security? Our comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know!

Struggling to understand the difference between a password and passkey security? Our comprehensive guide will walk you through ...

Passkey Security | Understanding How Passkeys Keep You Secure

When people are thinking about common vectors for cybercrimes, a voice phone call might not come to mind. However, over the last decades, criminals have found it increasingly profitable to gain information over the phone. Vishing, or voice phishing, is when a cybercriminal uses the phone to gain sensitive information from the recipient as part of a larger cyberattack. Here&rsquo;s what you need to know to keep yourself safe from vishing attacks in 2024.&nbsp;

TeamPassword makes it easy to keep your accounts safe from cybercriminals. Don&rsquo;t believe us? Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">14-day free trial today</a> and try for yourself.
[Table of Contents]
<ul>
<li><a href="#whatisvishing" rel="follow">What is vishing?</a></li>
<li><a href="#vishingexample" rel="follow">Vishing example</a></li>
<li><a href="#vishingstats" rel="follow">Vishing statistics</a></li>
<li><a href="#commonvishingtactics" rel="follow">Common vishing tactics</a></li>
<li><a href="#howtoprevent" rel="follow">How do you prevent vishing attacks?</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>What is vishing?</h2>
Here is a simple definition of vishing.&nbsp;

Vishing definition: Vishing (voice phishing), sometimes referred to as a phone scam, is when cybercriminals use phone calls to gain sensitive information from the recipient as part of a cyberattack.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/dJiqlM9S7a7v9O6WxBjJ" width="601" height="400">
<h2 id="whatisvishing">What is the goal of vishing attacks?</h2>

Ultimately, vishing attacks like most cyberattacks, are about gaining money from the victim. This can be done directly, by getting the person on the phone to transfer money during that phone call or subsequent ones, often using cryptocurrencies or gift cards to make it harder to reverse and track the payments.&nbsp;

However, for businesses, vishing attacks are often designed to get more money indirectly, by getting sensitive information, such as usernames and passwords, to further a larger sophisticated attack.&nbsp;

For example, vishing is often part of a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/10-cyberattacks-recently-used-by-hackers-2023#ransomware">ransomware attack</a>.
<h2 id="vishingexample">Vishing example&nbsp;</h2>
If you search news sites for vishing examples, you&rsquo;ll find dozens. Many of them are long-running scams that target the elderly and gain a few hundred to thousands of dollars per victim. However, <a href="https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/european-police-take-down-9m/">the total gained can reach the millions</a> as these scams are hard to investigate and easy to scale.&nbsp;

While less common, vishing attacks also threaten business, and the total dollar value of a single attack can easily exceed millions of dollars. Caesars and MGM, two Las Vegas casinos, were attacked using vishing and <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/spear-phishing">spear phishing</a> techniques together.&nbsp;

Criminals used information found on LinkedIn to impersonate employees on the phone with the IT department. Then, they used the new credentials provided by IT to break into their systems and install ransomware.&nbsp;

The results were devastating. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/noahbarsky/2023/09/20/caesars-and-mgm-boards-lose-cybersecurity-gambles/?sh=256cf4974463">MGM</a> saw their cash flow drop by 10-20% and market capitalization decrease by $2 billion during the 10 days they were unable to operate.&nbsp;

Caesars, unlike MGM, decided to pay a reported $15 million to the <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/resources-for-ransomware">ransomware-as-a-service</a> hackers. Indeed, if you allow the vishing scheme to get to the point where ransomware has been installed on your business&rsquo;s system, then paying the ransom is often the most economical route.
<h2 id="vishingstats">Vishing statistics</h2>

Phone scams have been around for decades, but the nature of these schemes has changed dramatically in the last decade. Criminals are now able to &ldquo;spoof&rdquo; local phone numbers, even your grandchild or coworker&rsquo;s phone number, to make their pitches seem more authentic.&nbsp;

In addition, they can use information publicly available on <a href="https://aag-it.com/the-latest-phishing-statistics/">Linkedin</a> to further benefit their case. These tools combined with lots of practice have made it very hard for even IT professionals to recognize a visher.&nbsp;

That&rsquo;s why about <a href="https://www.truecaller.com/blog/insights/truecaller-insights-2022-us-spam-scam-report">one third of all Americans</a> have fallen victim to a phone scam at some point. All of these attacks combined have pushed the economic cost higher, from $29.8 billion in 2021 to $39.5 billion in 2022.&nbsp;

Around <a href="https://www.proofpoint.com/sites/default/files/threat-reports/pfpt-us-tr-state-of-the-phish-2023.pdf">300,000 to 400,000</a> vishing phone calls were recorded daily in America in 2022. Despite this, only 30% of professionals were familiar with the term &ldquo;vishing&rdquo; in 2022, up from 25% in 2019.&nbsp;

Vishing represents the third most popular vector for cyberattacks on businesses, with the average loss from a successful attack reaching <a href="https://techreport.com/statistics/vishing-statistics/">$10.1 million</a>.
<h2 id="commonvishingtactics">Common vishing tactics</h2>

According to the Federal Trade Commission (<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/phone-scams">FTC</a>), &ldquo;There is no prize&hellip; You won&rsquo;t be arrested&hellip; You don&rsquo;t need to decide now&hellip; Only scammers demand you pay certain ways&hellip; [and] Government agencies won&rsquo;t call to confirm your sensitive information.&rdquo;&nbsp;

That&rsquo;s a pretty good summary of common vishing tactics. Basically, they use the same tools as marketers to make you feel like you need to make a decision now and the stakes are high enough that you should listen to the visher instead of your gut.

Here are some common specific vishing strategies:

<ul>
<li>
Bank or other account problems: The visher pretends to be from your bank and says there is an issue with your account. They might have just enough information to make you think it is legitimate. For example, the first four digits of your credit card is likely the same as every other person using the same bank. They then get you to give up more sensitive information so they can steal money from your account.
</li>
<li>
Tax or other payment problems: In this case, the scammers pretend to be a member of a government organization (probably the IRS in America, CRA in Canada, and so on). They tell you that you must pay immediately as the fines on your tax return are increasing quickly. Remember, outside of Nicaragua, no government wants Bitcoin.
</li>
<li>
Technical support: In this case, the vishers are looking to gain entry into some of your personal accounts, especially your <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/why-do-hackers-want-your-email-address">email account</a>. They can then use &ldquo;lost password&rdquo; functions or your tendency to reuse passwords to get into all of your other accounts.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Free prize: In this case, instead of scaring you into giving them money, they try to get payment information in exchange for the promise of a big prize.
</li>
<li>
Impersonation: Instead of posing as a bank or other organization, some vishing attacks include impersonating a specific person. Common examples include posing as the CEO or CFO of your employer, or as your grandchild.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Investment or timeshare scams. Vishers might convince you that, if you pay right now, you can lock in a great investment deal, or cheap vacation, or really anything else that someone might be tempted to accept.
</li>
<li>
Charity scams: Fear and excitement can get you to do something you might not otherwise, but so can sadness or guilt. Charity scams do just that by making you feel sad or guilty and therefore more inclined to hand over payment information.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/QCjkejDQfKiAtEYWEkuT" width="601" height="400">
<h2 id="howtoprevent">How do you prevent vishing attacks?&nbsp;</h2>

No vishing attack can succeed if you do three things: slow down, hang up, and call back.&nbsp;

<ol>
<li>
Slow down: The IRS is not going to put you in a position where you have to pay a fine while on the phone. They definitely aren&rsquo;t going to make you pay with crypto or gift cards! Whatever emotion they are pushing&mdash;fear, guilt, excitement&mdash;just take a couple of breaths and think about whether this is a scam.
</li>
<li>
Hang up: If you have even the slightest feeling something is a scam, then it&rsquo;s almost definitely a scam. Simply hang up. If the call was legitimate, then you can find out during Step 3.
</li>
<li>
Call back: If someone from the Bank of America calls you, then you can always hang up, find the number online, and call that number to ask about your account. If the issue was legitimate, then they&rsquo;ll know about it. Otherwise, pat yourself on the back for dodging a scam.&nbsp;
</li>
</ol>

As an IT leader, you should equip your team with the knowledge and tools they need to avoid vishing scams.&nbsp;

<ol>
<li>
Knowledge: A paltry 30% of Americans know the term vishing. While many more probably have a general idea of what phone scams are, they might not be aware of just how sophisticated they can be. You should be informing them of the pitfalls and how to protect the business from this major threat.
</li>
<li>
Tools: There are many types of software available to protect employees from vishing attacks. Foremost among the tools needed is a way to protect your most sensitive information. <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/best-password-managers-for-teams">TeamPassword is the best password manager for teams.</a> When your employees don&rsquo;t need to know the credentials to share them, they can&rsquo;t accidentally share them with hackers.
</li>
</ol>
<h2>Use TeamPassword to prevent vishing attacks</h2>

TeamPassword can help you stay safe from the threat of vishing attacks. By creating and securely storing unique, random, and strong passwords for each account, they are off limits to those trying to steal your information. The less information available publicly, the harder it is for vishing calls to sound legitimate.

Furthermore, by making it easy to securely share passwords within the company, employees know that anyone asking for such information over the phone is a scammer.&nbsp;

TeamPassword can protect your important accounts from vishers. Don&rsquo;t believe us? <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today and try for yourself.

Vishing is when hackers use the phone to get sensitive information from the recipient. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe.

Vishing is when hackers use the phone to get sensitive information from the recipient as part of a ...

Vishing: What you need to know to stay safe in 2024

Vishing is when hackers use the phone to get sensitive information from the recipient as part of a sophisticated cyberattack. Here’s what you need to know.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face a growing number of serious cybersecurity threats in the modern age, especially as malicious actors develop more sophisticated attack vectors and techniques. According to <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://www.blackfog.com/smbs-were-victims-cyberattack/" href="https://www.blackfog.com/smbs-were-victims-cyberattack/">a June 2023 study by BlackFog</a>, 61% of small and medium-sized businesses in the U.S. and U.K. were the victims of successful cyber attacks in the previous year. A large number of these impacted organizations faced downtime during critical operating hours and customer data loss.
SMEs find themselves in a particularly vulnerable cybersecurity position, as they're large enough to have multiple applications and data sources that can fall prey to attacks but small enough that they may not have up-to-date, enterprise-level security safeguards in place. In many cases, these organizations do not think they have the internal budget and know-how to set up their cybersecurity infrastructure for success.
Fortunately, there are many low-cost and no-cost steps you can take to optimize your SME's cybersecurity setup. In this guide, we'll walk you through some of the best practices, tools, and strategies you can adopt for more effective cybersecurity management.
But before we dive into the five most effective ways to keep your SME secure, we've compiled a quick list of key takeaways from this article:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Key Takeaway #1: SMEs face unique cybersecurity threats, but there are many low-cost and easy-to-implement solutions that can mitigate these threats across an organization.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Key Takeaway #2: Employees at all levels in your organization can act as a gateway to security threats; train all staff on cybersecurity and password best practices to improve your overall cybersecurity posture.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Key Takeaway #3: Invest in relevant cybersecurity software and services, but more importantly, make sure all existing components in your network are regularly monitored, audited, and updated.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Key Takeaway #4: Password managers offer a low-cost way for organizations to manage individual, team, and company-wide credentials in a secure and accessible format.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Key Takeaway #5: Your data is an asset to you but a liability in the wrong hands; invest in tools like TeamPassword that prioritize and support data security and compliance best practices.</li>
</ul>
Table of Contents
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#whyiscybersecurityimportant" rel="follow">Why Is Cybersecurity Important for SMEs?</a></li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#commoncybersecuritythreats" rel="follow">Common Cybersecurity Threats for SMEs</a></li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#5waystokeepyoursmesecure" rel="follow">5 Ways to Keep Your SME Secure</a></li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#strengthenyoursme" rel="follow">Strengthen Your SME Security with the Help of TeamPassword</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="whyiscybersecurityimportant">Why Is Cybersecurity Important for SMEs?</h2>
Cybersecurity protections are an important part of ensuring an SME's operations stay up and running, no matter how threat actors behave and other external factors change. These are some of the key ways in which a strong cybersecurity strategy can benefit your SME:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Data Protection: Small and medium-sized enterprises work with a wide variety of applications, hardware, software, and datasets that may include sensitive or proprietary information. Setting up data security tools and best practices gives security administrators more visibility into how data is being used, enables data encryption, and notifies administrators if/when data becomes vulnerable to attack.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Financial Security: Many cybersecurity tools protect data privacy and adhere to data compliance regulations, including strict regulations in the financial sector. Investing in the right cybersecurity tools and frameworks can support more secure financial transactions, give administrators an interface to monitor financial data for fraud, and provide businesses with the tools they need to encrypt and otherwise protect financial data and comply with regulations like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX).</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Business Continuity: A successful cybersecurity attack can lead to a range of problems, including data loss and network downtime and disruptions. With cybersecurity tools and strategies in place, your organization can prevent these kinds of disruptions by proactively detecting threats and quickly determining and acting on an incident response strategy.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Adherence to Compliance and Legal Obligations: Many compliance laws and other kinds of regulations have strict rules about how and by whom data can be handled. A cybersecurity strategy that emphasizes data security and encryption can help your organization pass audits with flying colors, protect customer data, and maintain your reputation as a compliant operator.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="commoncybersecuritythreats">Common Cybersecurity Threats for SMEs</h2>
SME cybersecurity threats may target individual users, third-party applications, storage systems, databases, or other elements of your organization's network. Some of the most common ways in which bad actors launch attacks against SMEs include the following:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Phishing: Phishing is a communication-driven attack vector in which hackers send messages with malicious code, malware, or other subtle attacks to individual network users, most often via email. It's an effective cyber attack method because it targets multiple users with believable messages that can lead to accidental information leakages at scale.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Ransomware: This type of malware is one in which malicious code is installed on an enterprise network in a way that shuts down key operations and data access until the victim pays a ransom to the attacker. It most often impacts SMEs when their core applications are outdated or otherwise lacking in perimeter security protections and can lead to data loss and public leaks.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Viruses: A type of malware attack in which the attack code is multiplied and used to infect other tools and programs in the same system. Viruses can quickly take over an entire computer or network if no protections are in place against lateral movement; this type of takeover can lead to network downtime, data loss or theft, and other operational issues.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Malware: Any type of malicious software that is used to infiltrate a business network and cause some type of damage. Malware can be difficult to detect and remove, and even once it's removed, the damage may already be done in the form of data loss or corruption.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Password Hacking: When hackers attempt to gain unauthorized access to networks and related systems and accounts by exploiting password and credential vulnerabilities with brute-force attacks, phishing, or credential stuffing. Password hacking can give unauthorized users access to your most sensitive data and systems, resulting in data loss or corruption, fraud, and/or noncompliance issues.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="5waystokeepyoursmesecure">5 Ways to Keep Your SME Secure</h2>
Regardless of the budget and current in-house cybersecurity expertise your team has, there are many best practices and strategies that can improve your SME's overall security posture. These five tips will get you started in securing your organization's most important assets:
<h3>1. Train Employees on Cybersecurity Best Practices</h3>
An organization's most important asset is its people, but people can also become a cybersecurity liability if they aren't trained on how to uphold security and privacy best practices in their daily work. Offering regular cybersecurity training sessions to employees throughout the organization is a great practice, as it educates them on a range of potential threats and the role they can unknowingly play in opening the organization to new threats.
Whatever training you develop should cover best practices, like not clicking on links in suspicious-looking emails, and the importance of using strong <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/blog/best-types-of-usernames-username-ideas-to-make-your-logins-more-secure" href="https://teampassword.com/blog/best-types-of-usernames-username-ideas-to-make-your-logins-more-secure">usernames</a>, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/ko/blog/password-best-practices-what-makes-a-strong-password" href="https://teampassword.com/ko/blog/password-best-practices-what-makes-a-strong-password">passwords</a>, and other user credentials. Also, give employees a clear process for reporting suspicious activity or suspected threats; a ticketing system or threat monitoring system that can accept user notifications is a possibility.
<h3>2. Use Strong Authentication Measures</h3>
Making sure users are who they say they are is one of the easiest ways to prevent unauthorized access to and behaviors on your organization's network. Strong authentication measures, like multi-factor authentication (MFA), device registration, and/or credentials-based logins give employees access to everything they need without opening the floodgates to everyone else.
However, authentication measures like passwords are only as effective as the credentials that are used. If users are regularly picking easy-to-guess passwords or sharing their credentials with other users through unencrypted and unsecured channels, bad actors can fairly easily phish out those credentials and get into your network. It's important to not only set but enforce standards for unique password creation and secure sharing to prevent these kinds of scenarios.
Password managers offer <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/security" href="https://teampassword.com/security">built-in security features and benefits</a> and are great solutions for any organization that wants a more standardized way to generate and manage user passwords. For example, TeamPassword supports secure group-based credentials-sharing and gives administrators real-time visibility into password and user group activities that may lead to security incidents.
<h3>3. Complete Regular System Maintenance Tasks</h3>
Besides user error, outdated software and operating systems are some of the most common gateways for cyber attacks. Software providers regularly identify issues in their products and patch or completely revamp their products to fix the problem, but if your team does not keep up-to-date with these third-party changes and recommendations, hackers can quickly pick up on the presence of out-of-date tools and find ways to get into your network and wreak havoc.
Whether it's a tool you've spun up internally or a third-party application, your team should prioritize keeping all software, operating systems, antivirus programs, and applications up to date and regularly check with third-party vendors for updates that minimize risk.
However, depending on the number of third-party tools you're using, this can become an overwhelming process. Consider investing in tools like vulnerability scanners, patch management systems, continuous monitoring tools, and security information and event management (SIEM) systems to automate and scale the process of system maintenance across your network.
<h3>4. Increase Network Security</h3>
Your organization's WiFi network includes infrastructure that can easily be compromised if you're not intentional with your network security practices. When it comes to your WiFi network, be sure to use encryption, unique network names, and regularly updated passwords, and keep track of all of this information with thorough and secure documentation. If possible, you should also set up your WiFi as a private network with only authorized users, as public WiFi networks provide limited safeguards against hackers.
It's important to note that, in the modern cloud, hybrid, and multi-cloud networks, traditional network and perimeter security practices aren't nearly as effective as they used to be. It's certainly still important to maintain firewalls and WiFi best practices, but modern network security techniques and tools may be necessary. One of the following tool types may be what you need to up your network security game:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Endpoint detection and response (EDR) or extended detection and response (XDR).</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Secure access service edge (SASE).</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Security information and event management (SIEM).</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR).</li>
</ul>
<h3>5. Back Up Data Regularly</h3>
Regularly backing up data ensures that your organization's most important data &mdash; including financial transactions, customer profiles, product information, and more &mdash;is stored in a secure, secondary location. It's important that data backups are not conducted as a one-time effort but as a regular part of your business operations. In the event of a cyber attack, up-to-date backups allow you to quickly restore any data that was lost to a virus or other malware attack.
The data that you back up should also be encrypted, both in transit and at rest, especially if it is data that is subject to compliance regulations and rules. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-password-encryption-and-how-much-is-enough" href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-password-encryption-and-how-much-is-enough">Encrypting data</a> is one of the most effective ways to protect your data from unauthorized access.
<h2 id="strengthenyoursme">Strengthen Your SME Security with the Help of TeamPassword</h2>
The cybersecurity threat landscape is massive, diverse, and overwhelming, especially for SMEs that may not have up-to-date tooling and training in place to mitigate threats. To add insult to injury, several of the most advanced cybersecurity tools are prohibitively expensive and difficult to set up, meaning many organizations opt out entirely and leave their network vulnerable to more and more attack vectors.
Fortunately, modern SMEs are picking up on the importance of robust cybersecurity tools and comprehensive security best practices and are working to create a more holistic and affordable approach to security management. Tools like password managers have come to the fore in this refocused cybersecurity effort, giving SMEs an accessible and easy-to-implement tool for managing users, systems, and data across the organization.
TeamPassword is a leading password manager for SMEs because it balances ease of use and setup with <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/features" href="https://teampassword.com/features">key features</a> like robust group password management, password generation, administrative controls, and data compliance features.
Looking to get started with a low-cost, capable password manager for your SME? <a rel="follow noopener" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://app.teampassword.com/signup?_gl=1*185nks8*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE2OTY5MTM5MDEuQ2p3S0NBand5WTZwQmhBOUVpd0FNem1md2V3Z2lnOEhhX2hsZ0d5anE1OURScjh6bDFRRV9vVFNVN09feEhFbFFfcHozTklQWGZnaUZob0NwMFFRQXZEX0J3RQ..*_gcl_au*ODA2ODgxMDgxLjE2OTYxMzM2MjU." href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup">Try out TeamPassword today.</a>

Discover essential cybersecurity strategies tailored for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in our comprehensive blog. Learn how to fortify your business against cyber threats with expert insights and practical tips.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face a growing number of serious cybersecurity threats in the modern age, especially ...

SME Cyber Security | 5 Ways to Keep Your SME Secure

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face a growing number of serious cybersecurity threats in the modern age, especially as malicious actors develop more sophisticated attack vectors and techniques. According to a June 2023 study by BlackFog , 61% of small and medium-sized businesses in the U.S. and U.K. were the ...

SME Cybersecurity | 5 Ways to Keep Your SME Secure

The challenge of managing several websites in an agency environment doesn&rsquo;t stop at the need to refine and execute effective briefs and make sure you&rsquo;re delivering on your clients&rsquo; expectations. When these companies have entrusted their sites to your care, you also need to have robust security measures in place to prevent fraud and cyberattacks.

Whether you&rsquo;re providing web design, marketing, or any other agency service, you&rsquo;ll need to make security a top priority as you manage your clients&rsquo; sites and deliver on projects.

Here are eight effective ways to ensure secure multi-website management as an agency.
<h2>1. Implement a Secure Centralized Site Management System</h2>
Centralized site management systems involve using a single tool for easier multi-website management. These kinds of tools will not only improve security for your agency through a unified, real-time view of the accounts you&rsquo;re managing but also simplify administration when it comes to monitoring and updating plugins that may be the cause of security vulnerabilities.

There are many platforms that come with a range of features that can help you keep your client sites secure through reliable backups and regular security checks, while also supporting your general account management with auxiliary features such as uptime and SEO monitoring, performance checks, and more.

By onboarding one of these site management tools, you&rsquo;ll have fewer security risks to worry about and more bandwidth to deliver your services as an agency.

<h2>2. Practice Effective Data Isolation</h2>
Ideally, your agency and clients will never be affected by a security breach, but it&rsquo;s still important to have preventative measures in place in case an attack does happen. When managing multiple websites, it&rsquo;s essential to keep each site&rsquo;s data sufficiently isolated so that an incident affecting one site can&rsquo;t affect the others you&rsquo;re managing.

Using several virtual private clouds will effectively compartmentalize your clients&rsquo; data, while also providing greater functional bandwidth and flexibility compared to multi-tenant cloud solutions.&nbsp;

For a little more peace of mind, agencies should also look into implementing security layers at a server level, such as access controls and firewall rules ensuring that no unauthorized data transfer can occur between your client sites.
<h2>3. Segment by Security Needs</h2>
Though security is certainly important, if you blanket every client account with the same approach to cybersecurity, you could risk wasting the precious resources you&rsquo;ll need to deliver on client projects. By segmenting your accounts by your clients&rsquo; unique security needs, you&rsquo;ll be able to allocate your time and resources more efficiently while still keeping every site secure.

If, for example, you&rsquo;re working with clients in industries that have strict privacy requirements like <a href="https://www.upguard.com/blog/cybersecurity-regulations-financial-industry" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">finance</a> or healthcare, you may want to classify them as higher risk and allocate additional detection layers, more frequent auditing, and more sensitive alerts for log monitoring.

Your segmentation strategy will largely depend on the kinds of clients you serve and the risks they face, but each one should involve account-specific reviews and risk assessments, along with sections of your <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/34212/how-to-create-a-service-level-agreement-sla-for-better-sales-marketing-alignment.aspx" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">service level agreements</a> to reflect the security you&rsquo;ll be providing for your clients.
<h2>4. Use Managed Hosting</h2>
Where your clients have entrusted you to oversee their hosting, it&rsquo;s important that you find a reliable managed hosting provider to maintain a base level of security as part of your multi-website management.

Managed WordPress hosting providers like <a href="https://www.20i.com/us/wordpress-hosting" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">20i</a> can provide you with &ldquo;enterprise-level security as standard&rdquo;, taking care of security layers like PCI compliance, SSL certificates, malware scans, and more. Providers will also typically manage updates for any relevant security tools, and consistently monitor your sites for emerging threats.

Finding your managed hosting provider should come after you&rsquo;ve reviewed your client accounts for specific security needs, as there&rsquo;s a lot of variance from one service to another and it&rsquo;s important to find a provider who aligns with the unique needs of your website.
<h2>5. Use a Password Manager</h2>
When you&rsquo;re managing several websites with several sets of credentials, it&rsquo;s important to maintain strong passwords, but impossible to remember them all.&nbsp;

Using a password manager like <a href="https://teampassword.com/features" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Teampassword</a> will allow you to maintain access to every client account you need, without running the risk of simplifying the passwords to something that&rsquo;s easy to crack or storing this data in an insecure shared file.&nbsp;

Password managers also make access control much easier through intuitive dashboards where you can control which people in your team have access to which accounts, and enforce two-factor authentication for an additional layer to keep out hackers.
<h2>6. Research and Develop Your Compliance with Data Regulations</h2>
Depending on the kind of data your clients handle and the locations where they operate, you may need to make sure their sites comply with specific data and privacy regulations like <a href="https://termly.io/resources/articles/ccpa/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">CCPA</a>, GDPR, PCI DSS, and others.

Aside from ensuring your clients are maintaining a level of security that reflects their user data&rsquo;s sensitivity, making sure your managed sites are up to date on these regulations will help shield them from potential legal complications in the event of a data breach.&nbsp;

There&rsquo;s a wealth of resources available online to help you understand the data requirements tied to each major regulation in this space. Research the topic thoroughly and make plans to audit the sites you&rsquo;re managing, and consider seeking out help from a legal professional if you&rsquo;re unsure of how to make your sites compliant.
<h2>7. Enhance Employee Security Training</h2>
It doesn&rsquo;t matter if your individual team members are IT experts, designers, or anything else - everyone is accountable for cyber security when managing client websites.

Effective security training is a critical part of safe multi-website management in an agency setting. You&rsquo;ll need to take steps to ensure your team is thoroughly well-informed on the latest security best practices and threats facing your clients to effectively protect their sites.

Aside from basic information about the proper use of security tools like password managers, it&rsquo;s a good idea to schedule recurring security awareness sessions for your employees, looking at threats such as phishing, social engineering, and the principles of effective incident response.
<h2>8. Schedule and Carry Out Regular Audits</h2>
The cybersecurity landscape, like the work of an agency, never sits still for long. After you&rsquo;ve added necessary security measures to your client accounts, you&rsquo;ll also need to schedule regular security audits to ensure you&rsquo;re keeping on top of any relevant threats.

Effective <a href="https://reciprocity.com/resource-center/best-practices-cybersecurity-audits/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">security audits</a> should be thorough and systematic reviews of your client websites to identify any vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and potential emerging risks. This should be done at least annually for any multi-website management situation, but this frequency can and should increase based on the level of risk faced by the specific client.

Going back to the topic of client segmentation, you should try to develop separate audit schedules and SOPs depending on the level of risk faced by each of your clients, ensuring that your resources are being targeted efficiently and your approach to security reflects the needs of your clients.
<h2>Working for Secure and Efficient Management</h2>
Before you carry out any agreed services for your client&rsquo;s website, developing a secure approach to multi-website management ensures a base level of functionality and safety you&rsquo;ll need to maintain as an agency.
We hope these best practices have given you a better understanding of the threat landscape as it applies to agencies managing client websites, and a helpful jumping-off point as you develop security policies at your agency.
If you're looking for a password manager for your agency, but need something straightforward and easy-to-use, cost-effective, and <a href="https://teampassword.com/security" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">reliable</a>, <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">give TeamPassword a try for free!</a>

Explore 8 expert strategies for secure multi-website management as an agency. Elevate client satisfaction with robust security practices. Unlock efficiency and trust. Dive in now!

Explore 8 expert strategies for secure multi-website management as an agency. Elevate client satisfaction with robust security practices. ...

8 Ways to Securely Manage Multiple Websites For Multiple Clients as an Agency

Small businesses are increasingly turning to cloud solutions to streamline their operations and boost their efficiency. However, the rise in cloud usage has also led to an increase in cloud security threats. The need for small business cloud security is more critical than ever to protect your company, customers, and assets.
In this guide, we will discuss the importance of cloud security for small businesses and how tools like Team Password can help mitigate risks against it.
Before we dive in, here are the key concerns you need to know about cloud security for small businesses:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Data Breaches: Data breaches are a common concern for small business cloud security because they can tarnish brand reputation and consumer trust.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Compliance Violations: Compliance violations are another concern because violations can result in hefty fines.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Third-party Risks: Small business cloud security can be significantly improved by diminishing the amount of third-party vendors accessing your cloud.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Data Leaks: Without proper encryption and access controls, your cloud data is at risk of a security breach. Once that information is acquired, it can be shared anywhere, putting you, your customers, and your assets at risk.</li>
</ul>
Read on to learn about best practices for small business cloud security.
[Table of Contents]
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#commoncloudsecurityrisks" rel="follow">Common Cloud Security Risks for Small Businesses</a></li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#bestpractices" rel="follow">Cloud Security for Small Businesses: Best Practices to Follow</a></li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#howteampasswordcanhelp" rel="follow">How TeamPassword Can Help You Secure Your Cloud</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="commoncloudsecurityrisks">Common Cloud Security Risks for Small Businesses</h2>
A majority of small businesses use cloud services to ease operations, boost efficiency, and ensure scalability. Before delving into our small business cloud security tips, let&rsquo;s expand on how dangerous cloud security breaches can be. Here are the most common cloud security risks faced by small businesses today.
<h3>Data Compromises</h3>
A majority of the data businesses store in their cloud is sensitive, whether it is user data or proprietary information. While this is a helpful solution, if this data is protected by inadequate security measures, it is all at risk of being breached.
The impact of these data breaches can be far-reaching and catastrophic for affected businesses and clients. How many times have you heard "X company data breach" on the news? These attacks not only affect those whose data is now compromised but can tank a brand&rsquo;s reputation and consumer trust.
<h3>Compliance Violations</h3>
Various industries and jurisdictions have strict compliance requirements regarding the management of data stored or used in the cloud. Small businesses must adhere to these requirements or risk facing penalties.
Two examples of such industries are the GDPR and HIPAA.
The <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://gdpr-info.eu/" href="https://gdpr-info.eu/">GDPR</a> is a European regulation that governs how businesses worldwide use or manage the data of E.U. residents. Breaching GDPR rules can lead to hefty fines.
<a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://gdpr-info.eu/" href="https://gdpr-info.eu/">HIPAA</a> is an American regulation that dictates how U.S. healthcare organizations must handle user data. Violations can result in civil and criminal penalties.
If your business falls under GDPR or HIPAA rules, a cloud security breach can put you on the receiving end of legal repercussions.
<h3>Unauthorized Access</h3>
Many small businesses make the mistake of letting any employee have access to sensitive data. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/is-the-cloud-secure" href="https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/is-the-cloud-secure">99% of all cloud security failures</a> are related to human error. An untrained or unauthorized employee accessing sensitive data can create an opening for cyber-attacks through phishing, social engineering, and other means. Minimize such small business cloud security risks by implementing processes and guardrails that restrict access to your sensitive data.
Common examples of security risks include:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Ex-employees retaining access: Individuals who no longer work for you yet retain access to sensitive company information pose a threat to your security whether through data breaches or unauthorized use.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Vendors with poor security practices: Using a third-party vendor can jeopardize your small business by exposing your vulnerabilities to cybercriminals who know how to manipulate them.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Lack of network monitoring: Without proper network monitoring, security threats and breaches that occur will go undetected. Proper oversight is key to early detection and action.</li>
</ul>
By implementing these processes and guardrails, small businesses can significantly reduce cloud security risks and better protect their sensitive data from potential threats.
<h3>Third-Party Risks</h3>
Most small businesses rely on various third-party cloud service providers without realizing that many of these providers come with unique security issues.
Your cloud data storage security relies on the security strength of your cloud storage provider. If your provider has lax security and data handling practices, you&rsquo;ve set yourself up for trouble.
<h2 id="bestpractices">Cloud Security for Small Businesses: Best Practices to Follow</h2>
Breaches in <a data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/blog/data-security-for-cloud-computing" href="https://teampassword.com/blog/data-security-for-cloud-computing">cloud and data security</a> can be costly. Now that you know the dangers posed by inadequate small business cloud security, let&rsquo;s look at the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/blog/data-security-for-cloud-computing#bestpractices" href="https://teampassword.com/blog/data-security-for-cloud-computing#bestpractices">best practices</a> for securing your cloud operations.
<h3>1. Evaluate Your Cloud Provider</h3>
The cloud solution provider you choose greatly influences security. We recommend working with a cloud service provider like Team Password, which has a track record of satisfying security and compliance requirements.
When evaluating a cloud provider to verify their security capabilities, you'll want to:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Understand Your Security Needs: Define your security needs by knowing the type of data you'll be sending or storing and the level of security it requires.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Compare Cloud Providers: Identify cloud providers that provide the services you need and compare them. Your comparison should focus on each provider&rsquo;s security offerings, measures, and track record.</li>
</ul>
Give preference to providers offering fast and dependable security support to help you identify and resolve security issues quickly.
<h3>2. Establish Cloud Security Policies</h3>
Establishing your cloud security policies clarifies how your small business will go about using cloud solutions safely. The process involves creating and communicating clear guidelines your team must follow to use and secure cloud services. An effective cloud security policy should cover:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Data Management: Your cloud security policy should state how to handle, store, transmit, and backup sensitive data via the cloud. It should also specify who should have permission to interact with sensitive data and the encryption standards for securing stored and transmitted data.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">User Access Control: Your cloud security policy should specify who can access specific cloud systems and data. It should also state the requirements a person must fulfill to gain access, according to data types, and the circumstances in which a person can lose said access.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Security Awareness: One of the most common pitfalls on a team is the use of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/blog/common-password-problems-faced-small-organizations" href="https://teampassword.com/blog/common-password-problems-faced-small-organizations">weak passwords</a>. Your cloud policy should include training that teaches employees about cyber threats and how to spot, prevent, and respond to them.</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1">Threat Response: The policy should spell out how to respond to different security incidents. It should also specify who does what, such as who is responsible for incident reporting, response, and recovery.</li>
</ul>
<h3>3. Train Your Team on Cloud Security</h3>
Humans are the weakest link in a company&rsquo;s security infrastructure, which is why cyber attackers use social engineering tactics. Strengthen your small business cloud security by <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/blog/10-easy-cybersecurity-strategies-for-small-businesses" href="https://teampassword.com/blog/10-easy-cybersecurity-strategies-for-small-businesses">training and educating your team</a> to be your first line of defense.
No matter how basic it may seem, routinely reiterating best practices to your team is crucial. Reviewing methods as simple as employees not sharing systems, passwords, or manager credentials demonstrates your dedication to cloud security and sets an expectation among your team.
Should you feel it is warranted, you may choose to offer specialized training to a select few team members. This training would teach your team how to identify and respond to various cyber-attacks, including a notification chain in the event of a cyberattack.
<h3>4. Complete an Audit of Who Has Access</h3>
An audit of which employees or stakeholders have access to which systems and data will help you stay on top of user access control. In the event of a problem, the audit will reveal if there were any unauthorized data access points, allowing you to restrict their access before they can cause damage.
This helps prevent potential exploitation with the early detection and resolution of potential security gaps, including dormant accounts that need to be deactivated. While you can perform audits annually, we recommend doing them more regularly, especially if you handle highly sensitive data or frequently change employees.
<h3>5. Use a Password Manager</h3>
A password manager offers a simple, affordable, and effective way to optimize small business cloud security. Tools like <a rel="follow noopener" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/blog/why-you-need-a-password-manager" href="https://teampassword.com/blog/why-you-need-a-password-manager">TeamPassword</a>, safeguard your credentials and prevents unauthorized access to your cloud-based tools and sensitive data. Password managers effectively create and manage strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts and applications, reducing the risk of security breaches.
Team Password stores your login details and automatically fills them in when you log in. This is not only convenient but enhances security by allowing you to use complex passwords without having to worry about forgetting them or having to share them with too many people.
Our <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">Secure Unique Password Generator</a> and Activity Monitoring are just some of the tools we offer to help increase your cloud security. The password generator helps generate randomized, highly secure passwords and enters them into your cloud solutions. The activity monitoring tool lets you monitor who&rsquo;s using which login details and provides real-time email notifications when password or user modifications occur.
<h2 id="howteampasswordcanhelp">How TeamPassword Can Help You Secure Your Cloud</h2>
TeamPassword provides a fast, easy, and highly <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/security" href="https://teampassword.com/security">secure way</a> to store and share team logins and passwords. Our affordable password manager is suitable for businesses of all sizes, allowing your team to access and manage passwords from mobile and computer systems. We even offer Chrome, Firefox, and Safari extensions that let your team load login details from their preferred browsers.
<a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" data-gc-link="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bcms&amp;_gl=1*1h333zh*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE2OTY5MTM5MDEuQ2p3S0NBand5WTZwQmhBOUVpd0FNem1md2V3Z2lnOEhhX2hsZ0d5anE1OURScjh6bDFRRV9vVFNVN09feEhFbFFfcHozTklQWGZnaUZob0NwMFFRQXZEX0J3RQ..*_gcl_au*ODA2ODgxMDgxLjE2OTYxMzM2MjU.#signup/testimonial" href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bcms&amp;_gl=1*1h333zh*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE2OTY5MTM5MDEuQ2p3S0NBand5WTZwQmhBOUVpd0FNem1md2V3Z2lnOEhhX2hsZ0d5anE1OURScjh6bDFRRV9vVFNVN09feEhFbFFfcHozTklQWGZnaUZob0NwMFFRQXZEX0J3RQ..*_gcl_au*ODA2ODgxMDgxLjE2OTYxMzM2MjU.#signup/testimonial">Sign up today</a> to experience the many benefits of using TeamPassword to optimize your cloud security.

Cloud security is crucial for business of all sizes. Learn how to keep your cloud secure in this guide.

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Password encryption is essential to store user credentials stored in a database securely. Without password encryption, anyone accessing a user database on a company's servers (including hackers) could easily view any stored passwords.
Even a strong 32-character password created using a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">secure password generator</a> is useless without password-encryption! If someone can read your password on a server, they can use it simply by copy/pasting it&mdash;no matter how long or complicated the password might be!
Encryption scrambles your password before saving it on the server. So, if someone hacks the server, instead of finding password123, they find a random series of letters and numbers.
In this article, we're going to explore the world of password encryption, why <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/tips-and-tricks-to-create-a-strong-password">strong passwords matter</a>, and how you can practice better password management!
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> is the password management solution for small businesses! Create, store, and share login credentials safely with employees, contractors, and clients. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today!
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;[Table of Contents]
<ul>
<li><a href="#understandingpasswordencryption" rel="follow">Understanding Password Encryption</a></li>
<li><a href="#howdoespasswordencryptionwork" rel="follow">How Does Password Encryption Work?</a></li>
<li><a href="#5commonpasswordencryptionmethods" rel="follow">5 Common Password Encryption Methods</a></li>
<li><a href="#whystrongpasswordsmatter" rel="follow">Why Strong Passwords Matter</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="understandingpasswordencryption">Understanding Password Encryption</h2>
To explain password encryption effectively, we must first grasp the language. Several terms might be unfamiliar, so here is a quick intro to password encryption terminology.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Key: Used to lock and unlock passwords using a random string of bits. You get private and public keys that crypt and decrypt data differently, but we won't get too deep in the weeds with keys!</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Bits: A logical state with one of two possible values, including 1/0, true/false, yes/no, or on/off as typical examples.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Block (block cipher): A deterministic algorithm operating on fixed-length groups of bits, called blocks.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hash function: The algorithm that uses the key to create password encryption and decryption. A hash function is essentially a piece of code that runs every time someone saves a password or logs into an application.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hash: A random series of numbers and letters representing your password. The hash function uses your hash instead of the raw password for authentication.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Salt: Additional letters and numbers appended to the hash</li>
</ul>
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2 id="howdoespasswordencryptionwork">How Does Password Encryption Work?</h2>
When you save a new password, a hash function creates a hash version and saves that on the server.&nbsp;
Every time you log in using your password, the hash function recreates the hash to see if it matches what's stored. If the hashes match, the algorithm passes the authentication and logs you in.&nbsp;
For example:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Original password: Pa$$w0rd123</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hashed password: 6AF1CE202340​FE71BDB914AD5357​E33A6982A63B</li>
</ul>
While this might seem secure, simple hashed passwords aren't hack-proof.
The hash function only creates a unique hash for each password, not each user. So, if multiple users have the password, Pa$$w0rd123, the hash will be exactly the same.
To overcome this encryption vulnerability, engineers salt passwords so each hash is unique, even if the passwords are identical.
<h3>How Salt Works</h3>
A salt appends a unique value of 8 bytes (16 characters) to the password before the hash function creates a hash. This way, even identical passwords are unique before the hash function.
For example:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Two identical passwords: Pa$$w0rd123</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Salt value one: E1F53135E559C253</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Salt value two: 84B03D034B409D4E</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password one before hash: Pa$$w0rd123E1F53135E559C253</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password two before hash: Pa$$w0rd12384B03D034B409D4E</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password one hashed value (SHA256): 72AE25495A7981​C40622D49F9A52E4F15​65C90F048F59027BD9​C8C8900D5C3D8</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password two hashed value (SHA256): B4B6603ABC670​967E99C7E7F1389E40​CD16E78AD38EB1468E​C2AA1E62B8BED3A</li>
</ul>
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2 id="5commonpasswordencryptionmethods">5 Common Password Encryption Methods</h2>
<h3>1. Data Encryption Standard (DES)</h3>
While applications no longer use Data Encryption Standard (DES), it's important to mention this password encryption method because of its history and influence on more secure modern standards.
IBM developed DES as a 56-bit encryption technology in the early 1970s. The NSA adopted and improved DES before it was approved worldwide as the encryption standard.
However, since the late 70s, hackers have been able to break DES encrypted passwords. In 1999, ethical hackers managed to break a DES key in under 24 hours.&nbsp;
To make DES more secure, engineers created Triple DES and later Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which we still use today.
<h3>2. Triple DES</h3>
Triple DES uses three 56-bit keys (blocks) to create 168-bit encryption (some security experts argue that Triple DES is only 112 bits strong). Although Triple-DES is slowly being phased out, many financial institutions still use it to encrypt ATM PINs.
<h3>3. Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)</h3>
AES is the new encryption standard&mdash;trusted by the United States Government and many other prominent organizations globally. At 128 bits, AES is sufficiently secure, but most organizations prefer heavy-duty 256-bit encryption.
At <a href="https://teampassword.com/security">TeamPassword</a>, we use 256-bit encryption to store passwords, ensuring the highest levels of security for our clients. We're also a <a href="https://teampassword.com/security">secure hosting provider</a> holding multiple security accreditations.
Hackers can only break an AES encrypted password through a brute-force attack&mdash;trying password combinations to find the right one.
To counter brute-force attacks, applications will lock an account after a certain number of attempts or use tools like Google's reCAPTURE.
<h3>4. Blowfish</h3>
American cryptographer, Bruce Schneier, designed Blowfish in 1993 as an antidote to the weak DES encryption. Blowfish uses a 64-bit block and variable key length of 32 to 448 bits.
Although Blowfish is more robust than its DES predecessor, the 64-bit block is still vulnerable to attacks, most commonly birthday attacks&mdash;a cryptographic attack that exploits the mathematics behind the algorithm.
To solve Blowfish vulnerabilities, engineers created Twofish in 1998 (128-bit blocks with 256-bit keys) and Threefish in 2008 (256, 516, 1024-bit blocks with 256, 516, 1024-bit keys).
<h3>5. Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA)</h3>
RSA is one of the oldest and widely used to transfer data securely. The encryption works with two keys, two large prime numbers, and an additional auxiliary value.
Due to the complicated encrypting and decrypting process, there is no known method for breaking RSA encryption.&nbsp;
Although widely used for transferring data, RSA is slow and not suitable for password encryption.
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2 id="whystrongpasswordsmatter">Why Strong Passwords Matter</h2>
Password encryption can only prevent criminals from viewing saved credentials stored on a server&mdash;but cannot prevent hackers from guessing weak/commonly used passwords. If you <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/colonial-pipeline-ransomware-attack-dont-reuse-passwords">reuse the same password for multiple accounts</a>, this also puts you at risk!
Encryption is most effective when users create robust, unique passwords for every account. For example, a random 32-character password with letters, numbers, and special characters hashed and salted is near impossible to guess or decode, even using a computer!
In another scenario, let's assume you have a strong 32-character password, but you use it for every account. If hackers manage to steal that password, they have access to every account using the same credentials! Your strong password is effectively useless.
<h3>Improving Your Password Management</h3>
Now that you understand password encryption and the associated vulnerabilities, you can see why strong passwords are essential.
Effective password management is crucial to protect yourself against cyberattacks or in the highly likely event of a data breach where hackers steal your credentials.
Criminals are after the low-hanging fruit&mdash;people who use weak passwords!
5 tips for creating stronger passwords:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Create strong passwords for every account. The easiest way to do this is using a password generator. <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">TeamPassword has a free password generator</a> anyone can use to create passwords from 12-32 characters using uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters. We recommend creating passwords as long as the application will allow.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Never create passwords shorter than eight characters, with 12 being our recommended minimum.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Never reuse the same password for multiple accounts.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Never create passwords with your name, family member's names, or pet's names. With social media, this information is freely available. Criminals can add those names to algorithms for brute-force attacks.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Don't store passwords in digital notepads or spreadsheets. We recommend using a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager like TeamPassword</a> to create and store your credentials.</li>
</ol>
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2>Why You Need a Password Manager like TeamPassword</h2>
We have so many accounts these days; it's almost impossible to create unique, memorable, secure passwords for each one. A password manager solves this problem.
Instead of remembering the credentials for every account, you only need to memorize the one to log into your password manager.&nbsp;
TeamPassword keeps all of your credentials safely stored and encrypted, so you never have to memorize a password again. Instead of entering your credentials, you use one of TeamPassword's browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox, and Safari) to log into accounts.
<h3>Built for Teams</h3>
TeamPassword's best feature is its ability to share credentials with team members securely. Instead of sharing passwords, you provide access through TeamPassword.&nbsp;
Employees <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">use TeamPassword</a> to log in, meaning you never share raw passwords&mdash;no more worrying about unauthorized access or sharing.
You can create groups in TeamPassword to share access with employees, clients, contractors, and freelancers. When someone no longer needs access, remove them from the group with a single click. No need to change passwords every time someone leaves a project!
<h3>Built-In Password Generator</h3>
TeamPassword features a built-in secure password manager so you can create robust passwords for every account. TeamPassword also ensures you never reuse the same credentials so that you won't fall victim to credential stuffing attacks!
With a built-in password generator, you can change passwords regularly, and TeamPassword will update the new credentials for all users!
<h3>Monitor Login Activity</h3>
TeamPassword's activity log keeps track of every action across all of your accounts&mdash;logins, password changes, new team members, sharing access, and more.
You can also set up email notifications for all TeamPassword actions so that you can react fast to any suspicious activity.
<h3>Get Your Free TeamPassword Trial</h3>
Password encryption is not enough to protect your business from password vulnerabilities! You need a robust password manager like TeamPassword to create, store, and share credentials securely.
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> and let TeamPassword secure your company's digital assets.

Password encryption is the number one component of password security. TeamPassword encrypts passwords with state-of-the-art technology to keep passwords safe.

Password encryption is the number one component of password security. TeamPassword encrypts passwords with state-of-the-art technology to keep ...

What is password encryption and how much is enough?

What is password encryption and how does it work?

Over the last decade, the gig economy boom has allowed professionals worldwide to switch to freelancing and build a network of international clients.&nbsp;
According to Upwork, 1 in 3 US workers engaged in freelance work during 2020. Some of the most successful freelancers earn hundreds of thousands of dollars per year through platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Toptal.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
Does your company hire freelancers? How do you <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/should-i-share-data-with-freelancers">share passwords with freelancers</a>? TeamPassword is an affordable password management solution for small businesses, startups, and agencies to share credentials securely with team members and freelancers. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>10 Successful Freelancers</h2>
Here are ten successful freelancers and what they do. These freelancers have earned their place as experts in their given field with excellent track records&mdash;many have worked with the biggest companies in the world!
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>1. Scott Luscombe - Graphic Designer / Shopify Expert / Website Developer / Copywriter&nbsp; - Canada</h3>
Scott Luscombe is a freelance graphic designer, Shopify expert, website developer, and copywriter from Uxbridge, Canada. He holds a degree in Illustration from Sheridan College and a degree in Marketing from the University of Toronto.
Scott has been a freelancer for most of his professional career and has earned over $500k on Upwork. He has completed over 311 jobs and worked&nbsp;10,956 hours!&nbsp;
Scott's work includes graphic design and branding, illustration and icons, copywriting, website design and development, UX/UI, and printing and packaging. He also provides freelance coaching and consulting. Scott is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer currently charging $99 per hour for various creative gigs.
Some of Scott's most notable work includes designs for Coca-Cola, the Canadian Cancer Society, Nickelodeon, and Wallet Ninja (to name a few).&nbsp;
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>2. Kathy Edens - Marketing Consultant / Freelance Copywriter - United States</h3>
<a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~016177d19f0624c1a7?viewMode=1">Kathy Edens is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer</a> with over $300k platform earnings! Kathy has been self-employed as a marketing consultant and freelance copywriter for almost ten years from her home in Ohio, United States.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Professional Writing and Psychology from Oregon State University, which she says "...helps me understand how to reach your target audience with words."&nbsp;
Kathy has ghost-written several non-fiction books on various topics, including social entrepreneurship, healthcare, real estate investing, and the cannabis industry, to name a few.
Kathy also writes web content, sales pages, email marketing content, case studies, white papers, brochures, press releases, and more. Kathy's rates start at $86 per hour for her writing and marketing services.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>3. Koen van Oeveren - UX designer - Netherlands</h3>
Koen van Oeveren is a freelance UI &amp; UX designer from North Brabant, Netherlands, with almost ten years of experience. Koen works with several design agencies in the Netherlands, designing apps, websites, and eCommerce experiences for many international brands.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Koen holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Communication and Multimedia Design from Avans University in the Netherlands. Koen's <a href="https://www.koenvo.com/index.html">portfolio website Koenvo</a> was nominated for a <a href="https://www.awwwards.com/sites/koenvo-ui-ux-portfolio">2021 awwwards. Award</a>.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>4. Pascal Strasche - Product / UX designer - Germany</h3>
Pascal Strasche is a product and UX designer with more than ten years of design experience from Germany. He holds a Master of Arts in Interaction Design and a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, both from HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
For almost a year over 2020/2021, Pascal worked as the sole product designer to design Con Cubo's SaaS tool that helps complex organizations visualize and manage teams. He's also worked with German steel giant XOM Materials to find product solutions to digitalize&nbsp;Germany's steel industry.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
In 2019, Pascal founded Product Design Resources, a growing archive of 800+ design resources, weekly updated for the design community.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>5. Paul Hunkin - Developer - New Zealand</h3>
Paul Hunkin is a freelance software consultant and developer from Tauranga, New Zealand, but currently living in Portugal.&nbsp;
Paul has over ten years of experience as a software developer with an impressive work history, including Google, NASA, InfoSys, and the Chinese aerospace industry leader COMAC.
He's worked with several early-stage startups designing everything from high-performance big-data systems to complex web applications to 3D rendering engines. He's also built a lot of the foundational code for independent games on Android.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
Paul is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer with over $400k in platform earnings. His rates start at $120 per hour for software development. <a href="https://paulh.consulting/">Check out Paul's website</a> for more about his impressive portfolio and work history.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>6. Jana Galat - Writer / Brand Strategist - Canada</h3>
Jana Galat is a freelance copywriter and brand strategist from Ontario, Canada. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Management and Organizational Studies from King's University College and an Honors in Business Administration from Western University.
Jana has extensive experience writing landing pages, email campaigns, social media ads, and print materials and says, "I am obsessed with creating copy that sells..."
After several years of professional work experience, Jana went freelance in 2019 and has quickly built a reputation as a <a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01bfa17a48301876dd">Top Rated Upwork Freelancer</a> with over $70k in platform earnings. Jana's rates start at $100 per hour for copywriting and brand consulting.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>7. Kate H. - Logo Designer / Branding Expert - United States</h3>
Kate is a freelance professional logo designer and branding expert from Maryland, United States. Kate&nbsp;ran her own green wedding brand which she sold to mywedding.com in 2014, allowing her to focus on helping small&nbsp;businesses figure out what they want (and who they are) and translate that into design.
She holds a Master's degree in Environmental Management from Yale School of The Environment, and a J.D. in environmental law from Pace Law School.&nbsp;
Kate's skillset includes redesigning and updating material to make it easier to understand, building a consistent brand from a simple starting point like a logo, and creating unique logos that guarantee results.
Kate is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer, and her rates start at $225 per hour. You can find out more about Kate on her <a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~013ce73876c1c18126" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Upwork profile</a>.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>8. Marcos Rezende - UX designer - Canada</h3>
Marcos Rezende is a UX Designer from Ontario, Canada, with more than 13 years of experience. Marcos has worked in over 30 industry sectors for multinational organizations in the United States, Canada, Germany, and Brazil.&nbsp;
Some of Marcos' notable projects include apps for Ontario's COVID-19 dashboard, Urban Master Planning collaboration platform, and Reaction (kid's e-learning app), to name a few.&nbsp;
Marcos loves sharing his industry expertise with aspiring UX designers and regularly writes for the popular UX publication Career Foundry. Total recognizes Marcos as part of its "Top 3%" of global freelancer talent&mdash;a title given to elite freelancers in their given field.
We don't have access to Marcos' rates, but the best UX designers on Upwork earn upwards of $100 per hour. As a Toptal Top 3% freelancer, Marcos likely charges $200-$300 per hour.
<a href="https://www.marcosrezende.com/">Marcos Rezende's website</a> was nominated for the prestigious <a href="https://www.awwwards.com/sites/ux-portfolio-marcos-rezende">awwwards.</a> in 2021.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>9. Tanya Litvinova - UX/UI Designer - United States</h3>
Tanya Litvinova is a freelance UX/UI designer from New York City, United States. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising Design / Communication Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Tanya specializes in product, mobile, and web design as well as user experience flow, research, and validation.
"I have a passion to make the complex simple, shape behavior, design, plan, and strategize. Aiming for the best user experience, all the while balancing the needs of business and technology to create engaging, habit-forming digital products."
Tanya has worked with Fortune 100 &amp; Fortune 500 companies and successfully delivered business-transforming data-driven analytics, responsive BI dashboards, enterprise web apps, and management systems. Some of Tanya's notable clients include KOCH Industries, BlackRock Financial, BCG Group, and FireEye, to name a few.
<a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~0165035041b26e96df">Tanya is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer</a> with more than $200k platform earnings. Her current rate starts at $162.50 per hour.
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<h3>10. Guangming Lang - Data Scientist - United States</h3>
Guangming Lang is a freelance data scientist from Michigan, United States. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from New College of Florida and a Master of Science in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan. Guangming has also completed several Coursera courses in data science and machine learning.
Guangming has been a freelancer since 2013 and has worked across several industries, including fintech, trading, medicine, biotech, advertising, and HR.&nbsp;
Guangming is a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer with over $400k in platform earnings. He's completed 216 jobs on Upwork totaling 3,805 hours! Guangming's current rates start at $200 per hour.
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<h2>Secure Freelancer Workflows With TeamPassword</h2>
No matter how talented or reputable the freelancers and contractors you hire, your company must use secure workflows to protect your digital assets.
Freelancers often need access to shared accounts and tools. Using a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager</a> is the first step to securing these accounts and platforms. You can also use a password manager to share credentials with employees, clients, and other stakeholders to ensure you never expose raw passwords via email, spreadsheets, chat apps, and other non-secure methods.
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> lets you create groups to share access with only those who need it. When they're done, revoke access with a single click. No need to change passwords every time someone leaves the team.
If you do need to change a password, TeamPassword's built-in <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">password generator</a> lets you create secure passwords between 12-32 characters using numbers, letters (uppercase/lowercase), and symbols.
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Ready to onboard clients and freelancers securely with TeamPassword's robust <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password management solution</a>? <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a free trial</a> to secure your company's digital assets today!

Here are ten successful freelancers and what they do. These freelancers have earned their place as experts in their given field.

Here are ten successful freelancers and what they do. These freelancers have earned their place as experts in ...

10 extremely successful freelancers and what they do

Here are ten successful freelancers and what they do. These freelancers have earned their place as experts in their given field with excellent track records—many have worked with the biggest companies in the world!

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