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

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

Have I been hacked? Here's how to check if you have and learn how to stop hackers from ...

Have I Been Hacked? How to Know for Sure.

Here at TeamPassword we help over 14,000 customers worldwide securely manage their passwords and keep their businesses functioning at the highest level. This customer database provides a unique insight into the popular tools, apps, and systems that top marketers, startups, and tech giants rely on to keep their projects moving efficiently. On average, our clients are managing 147 system logins using TeamPassword. (That's a lot of passwords to keep track of!) The more logins you add on TeamPassword, the more time you will save and the easier it becomes to collaborate across teams. We analyzed data from our 14,000 worldwide users to identify the top 30 marketing tools they rely on every day. Which of these tools do you use? If you're not familiar with these tools maybe you should be! At TeamPassword we're dedicated to helping you be more productive; in a busy workday, we understand that every minute counts. In a May 2017 survey, we learned that our Digital Marketing customers are saving an average of 120 minutes when onboarding new employees and clients by using TeamPassword. What could you accomplish with an extra 2 hours in your schedule? Perhaps you'd like to use a few of those extra minutes to exercise your brain? We hid the top 30 marketing tools in a word search to give you a break from the daily grind. *Studies have found that word searches and other puzzles help improve cognition, memory, focus and expand vocabulary. When we complete a task - like finding all the words in our marketing tools puzzle - we get a satisfying surge of dopamine from the brain. Maintaining a healthy dopamine flow helps keep us motivated in other areas of our lives. So refresh yourself with a little playtime - you've earned it after saving all those valuable minutes by using TeamPassword! <a href="https://blog.teampassword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/TeamPassword-Word-Search.pdf">TeamPassword Word Search</a> TeamPassword allows you to store, manage and share access to the apps, services, and tools your team needs to save time and keep projects moving smoothly. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup">Click here to start your free 14-day trial</a>, and decide for yourself how to spend all your extra time!

Here at TeamPassword we help over 14,000 customers worldwide securely manage their passwords and keep their businesses functioning at the hi

Here at TeamPassword we help over 14,000 customers worldwide securely manage their passwords and keep their businesses functioning ...

Take a Break with Our Top Marketing Tools Word Search

Here at TeamPassword we help over 14,000 customers worldwide securely manage their passwords and keep their businesses functioning at the highest level. This customer database provides a unique insight into the popular tools, apps, and systems that top marketers, startups, and tech giants rely on to keep their projects moving ...

<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/EtEOdgRrTVyQBnjnBrKQ"/> Hampus Jakobsson is the founder and CEO of Brisk Enterprise. Based in Malmo, Sweden, Brisk Enterprise puts customers on the fast-track to sales by converting your company's sales tool data into actionable steps for sales reps and customizing your teams' workflow to maximize efficiency. They specialize in Sales productivity, CRM, Javascript, and Salesforce. Their clients include Evernote, Hootsuite and Zendesk and they launched their first product, GetSalesDone, available in the Apple App Store, which integrates with Salesforce.com. Several companies using Brisk have found sales increases up to 200%, with an 80% increase in conversion rates. The functionality of Brisk affords customers the opportunity to use third-party Salesforce tools, which in turn allows them to gather more information and make better use of their CRM data. <h4>Brisk + TeamPassword</h4> Before using TeamPassword, Hampus and the rest of the Brisk team kept passwords <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/fHjCAsJFSDunvNrvCRFZ"/>within an algorithm as their own personal method of saving them. At that time, they had opened an office in Canada to accompany their headquarters in Sweden. When the Canadian office became confused with their password storage methods, they knew it was time for a new strategy. They began using Meldium, another password management website, but when that proposed a new set of issues, they were once again on the lookout. That's when they stumbled across TeamPassword. We asked Hampus what it was like to first use TeamPassword and how he feels about it now. It felt a bit awkward in the beginning. What Hampus liked about Meldium is that they could save a link, click on it, and in some cases, the passwords were already saved. At first, TeamPassword felt almost akin to filling out a spreadsheet, because he had to write in his password. But once it became second nature to him, he generally enjoyed the process. He said it felt "a bit awkward" in the beginning. What Hampus liked about Meldium is that they could save a link, click on it, and in some cases, the passwords were already saved. At first, TeamPassword felt almost akin to filling out a spreadsheet, because he had to write in his password. But once it became second nature to him, he generally enjoyed the process. So what would Hampus change about his TeamPassword experience? One aspect he favors is the team sharing feature. He likes that you can split into smaller teams to share passwords with a select group of coworkers, however, he does wish it to be clearer to customers. He would also like to see ultra-secret categories - ones that only certain teammates would be privy to. Follow @TeamPassword on Twitter for more tips If you're convinced, you should give TeamPassword a whirl.

Hampus Jakobsson is the founder and CEO of Brisk Enterprise. Based in Malm o, Sweden, Brisk Enterprise puts customers on the fast-track to s

Hampus Jakobsson is the founder and CEO of Brisk Enterprise. Based in Malm o, Sweden, Brisk Enterprise puts ...

Customer Spotlight: Hampus Jakobsson from Brisk

Hampus Jakobsson is the founder and CEO of Brisk Enterprise. Based in Malm o, Sweden, Brisk Enterprise puts customers on the fast-track to sales by converting your company's sales tool data into actionable steps for sales reps and customizing your teams' workflow to maximize efficiency. They specialize in Sales productivity, ...

<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/Y3X9hlugTuSCUg6Zugvw"/> Mohit Dilawari is the Senior Engineering Director at Localytics, a leading mobile engagement platform based in Boston. Localytics gives companies the insights and tools they need to grow and engage with their customer base. Approaching 200 employees, Localytics serves such companies at The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Hulu. Localytics' buzzwords include analytics, big data, and marketing automation. Essentially, their business takes in a lot of data from mobile apps and gives it to their clients. This gives them insight into their customer base with predictive analytics and allows their clients to market directly to their customers via in-app messaging and push messaging. Localytics entire company is born out of mobile and cloud technologies. <h4>Daily Workflow</h4> Mohit's role is to manage and run a portion of the engineering team, specifically those that work on their product's backend and platform. When he first started with Localytics five years ago, the entire company comprised of about 10 employees. Now, he has 3 managers reporting into him, with 4-5 direct reports each. The entirety of the Localytics engineering team is made up of about 45 people, 50 including management. By and large, he delegates most of the engineering work to his team. However, because he does have the technical know-how and the experience, he tries to be as hands-on as possible. He still "hacks on stuff" in his spare time. He prides the company on having hard-working, talented engineers, and in his words, "no jerks!" <h4 style="line-height: 27px;"><img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/N4XNmhgWQImDz52uJAbY"/></h4> <h4>Localytics + TeamPassword</h4> For Localytics, TeamPassword solved the problem he had with databases that only allow one single data admin. Because Localytics is a Software as a Service company, some of the products they use are not password controlled and have just one password account. TeamPassword is also helpful when teams change hands - this way when someone leaves, they can change the accessibility that person has to any account. Though Mohit was the person to initially sign up for TeamPassword, choosing us over CommonKey, he admits that he doesn't use it every day, but his team does. Mohit would love to see a Google Apps integration for TeamPassword. This way, when someone signs into Google Apps, which they use for other things within their daily workflow, they can SSO into TeamPassword. If he needs to kill someone's account, he can do it from the Google level. He'd also love to see a forced password setting, making it mandatory for his team to change their passwords once every 6 months or so. Follow @TeamPassword on Twitter for more tips If you're convinced, you should give TeamPassword a whirl.

Mohit Dilawari is the Senior Engineering Director at Localytics, a leading mobile engagement platform based in Boston. Localytics gives comp

Mohit Dilawari is the Senior Engineering Director at Localytics, a leading mobile engagement platform based in Boston. Localytics ...

Customer Spotlight: Mohit Dilawari, Localytics

Mohit Dilawari is the Senior Engineering Director at Localytics, a leading mobile engagement platform based in Boston. Localytics gives companies the insights and tools they need to grow and engage with their customer base. Approaching 200 employees, Localytics serves such companies at The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, ...

<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/YR2QvGJdRPiEgAqgk2Dd"/> It's not every day that we meet somebody as passionate and excitable about online security as us at TeamPassword. In May, we met our match. Robert Lowry is the Director of Information Security at VTS, a New York-based startup that prides itself as the #1 platform for leasing and asset management. VTS has been a longtime user of TeamPassword. His company was already well acquainted with our password manager when he started, back in August 2015. Lowry has always worked in the world of cybersecurity. After college, he began stints at the Department of Defense and Federal Reserve, then followed a friend and colleague to NASDAQ at a time when application security was really taking off. He took the opportunity to work with VTS as his interests in SAAS grew. "I knew I didn't want to go to any old startup," Lowry admits, "B2B is my expertise and VTS fit like a glove." <h4>Daily Workflow</h4> As Lowry rounds out his first year one at VTS, he finds himself enjoying the many hats the startup lets him wear and loves coming up with creative solutions to everyday security issues. He's a stakeholder on the Platform Team, managing and working with team members to ensure the platform is following the right procedures. This includes monthly dynamic scans and code scans on the platform side, granting the right level of account access, and making sure applications and services are integrated properly on the organizational side. Lowry even has a hand in sales. When a customer has a question about the company's security, he'll put together a document describing how VTS' procedures work and is happy to jump on the phone to answer follow-up questions. <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/O9zC66VTQcmAVz5MNgbL"/> <h4>VTS + TeamPassword</h4> It goes without saying that somebody who has spent the entirety of their career in cybersecurity needs a reliable service to securely store and share passwords. Lowry describes TeamPassword as, "a secure way to share your passwords with teammates or other people in your organization, in a world where you can't really." He recognizes the hard truth that when it comes to passwords, many companies just write them down or add them to an insecure spreadsheet, even when told not to. Lowry uses TeamPassword every day. It comes in handy at times when teammates are on the road and they need access to credit card information from Finance, or when a new hire needs the wifi password. Everybody in the company has access to certain accounts, such as the product blog, so having a way to share those particular passwords is a lot easier than creating some "easy to remember" password, and rotating it out every so often. "Pretty much anything sensitive, we've come to rely on TeamPassword as a place to store it." When asked what he would do to improve TeamPassword, there was one thing Robert Lowry felt very strongly about: integrating Saml. "Saml integration would be big for us," he shares. "Coming from NASDAQ, anytime we were integrating with a third party, using Saml was one of my requirements for our vendors." Alongside Saml, Lowry also feels strongly about enforcing 2-factor authentication. Lowry's passion for cybersecurity really shines through when he speaks on TeamPassword's strengths and where he thinks the service could improve. "The whole model, as a security person, is really the right way to do things," he says.

It's not every day that we meet somebody as passionate and excitable about online security as us at TeamPassword. In May, we met our match.

It's not every day that we meet somebody as passionate and excitable about online security as us at ...

Customer Spotlight: Robert Lowry, VTS

It's not every day that we meet somebody as passionate and excitable about online security as us at TeamPassword. In May, we met our match. Robert Lowry is the Director of Information Security at VTS, a New York-based startup that prides itself as the #1 platform for leasing and asset ...

Congratulations! Your favorite team password manager now has a Safari extension! You'll never have to leave your browser window again! <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/zMn0qROXRQKFnyRfcwFn"/>Add shared logins from TeamPassword, update existing logins, or create new logins directly from your browser... then never type another password again! That's what login management is all about, right?! Here's how it works: When you browse to a service where the login information is stored in TeamPassword, simply click the TeamPassword extension and all shared logins for that page will be shown at the top of the list. Click the name of the login you need and we'll fill that login form for you! Multiple logins per site? No worries--we'll show you everything we got and you pick the best fit. Want to come to TeamPassword first? You can do that too! Open the TeamPassword Safari extension, click any account, and we'll browse to that URL and fill the login form for you. Even in the extension you still have all the TeamPassword login tools available. Sort by group, search by keyword, or both! This extension is just what you needed to level up your productivity. Your easy password manager just got easier! When you're ready to take the plunge: <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/safari">Install the TeamPassword Safari Extension here</a>. If there's anything we can do to make this extension even better, please let us know! We're super excited to get our Safari extension out into the world, we hope you love it as much as we do.

Congratulations! Your favorite team password manager now has a Safari extension! You'll never have to leave your browser window again! Add s

Congratulations! Your favorite team password manager now has a Safari extension! You'll never have to leave your browser ...

Big news: Announcing TeamPassword's New Safari Extension

Congratulations! Your favorite team password manager now has a Safari extension! You'll never have to leave your browser window again! Add shared logins from TeamPassword, update existing logins, or create new logins directly from your browser... then never type another password again! That's what login management is all about, right?! ...

Are you ready to party, Firefox users? We've recently released the 2.0 version of our Firefox extension, with a number of perks to make your password management experience even better. First off, let's talk about Add-on Signing by Mozilla. Previously an optional step, newer versions of Firefox require add-ons to be signed otherwise, your browser will show a scary warning message (and eventually, they'll be disallowed altogether.) Nobody likes scary warning signs. From 2.0 on, our add-on will always be signed by Mozilla for additional peace of mind. Here's something cool: Self Updating! We weren't eligible to get TeamPassword into the Firefox Add-on Store so we decided to build our own update distribution network! This means you'll no longer need to download the new version of the add-on when updates are available. Also, have you seen our <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/revealing-our-new-brand">brand new look</a>? Go take a look, we'll wait. Okay great, now that you've seen it, we're happy to announce that this look is also a part of the Firefox add-on! Now for a behind the scenes scoop: We've made a number of backend improvements to our login management system to make form filling more dependable while improving performance. So if you're still operating under the old version of our Firefox extension, go ahead and update already! We'll make it easy for you (as if our password manager wasn't easy enough). Click <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/firefox_addon">here</a> to get started. Sincerely, The best enterprise password manager in the game

Are you ready to party, Firefox users? We've recently released the 2.0 version of our Firefox extension, with a number of perks to make your

Are you ready to party, Firefox users? We've recently released the 2.0 version of our Firefox extension, with ...

Just Released: Firefox 2.0 Extension

Are you ready to party, Firefox users? We've recently released the 2.0 version of our Firefox extension, with a number of perks to make your password management experience even better. First off, let's talk about Add-on Signing by Mozilla. Previously an optional step, newer versions of Firefox require add-ons to ...

Team Password Blog | Author donnie-hasseltine | Page 4

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!
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<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;
<h2>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>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$$w0rd123</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hashed password: 6AF1CE202340FE71BDB914AD5357E33A6982A63B</li>
</ul>
While this might seem secure, simple hashed passwords aren't hack-proof.
The hash function only creates a unique hash for each password, not each user. So, if multiple users have the password, Pa$$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): 72AE25495A7981C40622D49F9A52E4F1565C90F048F59027BD9C8C8900D5C3D8</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password two hashed value (SHA256): B4B6603ABC670967E99C7E7F1389E40CD16E78AD38EB1468EC2AA1E62B8BED3A</li>
</ul>
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2>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>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>
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<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?

Usernames are essential for security and anonymity online. But some people come up with username ideas to stand out or align with a brand. Usernames can also help gain followers or build a social media following.
With so many possibilities, coming up with username ideas can be challenging! Luckily, there are plenty of tools and methods to create unique usernames.
Whether you're aiming for fame or privacy, we have username ideas to help you create unique usernames easily!
Using unique credentials (including passwords and usernames) can mitigate many cybersecurity vulnerabilities. When paired with a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager like TeamPassword</a>, strong usernames and passwords can protect you against attacks. Sign up for a 14-day free TeamPassword trial today!
&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>Why You Need to Use Unique Usernames</h2>
There are several reasons people want unique usernames ideas:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Security</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Anonymity</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Popularity</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Humor</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Business name ideas</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Unique Usernames for Security</h3>
Many people don't know about the importance of using unique or secure usernames for online security. Reusing usernames can be just as troublesome as <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/colonial-pipeline-ransomware-attack-dont-reuse-passwords">reusing passwords</a>.
If criminals steal your credentials from a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/category/data-breaches">data breach</a>, they can use your username to figure out where else you have accounts and deploy spear-phishing attacks using fake correspondence to steal your credentials.
For example, hackers will send you a "password reset" from Instagram because they "suspect suspicious activity!" If you use unique usernames for every account, the attackers won't find your Instagram profile!
Don't think that you won't fall for these ploys! Many individuals with regular cybersecurity training fall victim to phishing attacks. Cybercriminals know that if they keep trying, they'll catch you when you're distracted or in a hurry.&nbsp;
In effect, unique usernames act as a second password, preventing anyone from finding your accounts with a single username.
What are some username mistakes that could put you at risk?
Don't use easy-to-guess information that could be found elsewhere on the web or sensitive info such as your social security or phone number.&nbsp;
<h4>What should not be included in a username so that it's secure?</h4>
<ol>
<li>
Personal Information: Avoid using any personal information such as your real name, date of birth, or address as part of your username.
</li>
<li>
Passwords or PINs: Do not use your passwords, PINs or other sensitive information as your username.
</li>
<li>
TMI: Do not include too much information that could potentially give away your identity, such as your phone number or email address.
</li>
<li>
Phishing Traps: Do not include any words or phrases that could be used in phishing attempts, such as "password", "admin", "login", etc.
</li>
</ol>
<h3></h3>
<h3>Unique Usernames for Anonymity</h3>
Aligned with security is anonymity. Maintaining anonymity online can protect you from cyberattacks and prevent work colleagues, clients, and other companies or individuals from finding you online.
Many people want to separate their professional profiles from their personal ones while maintaining an online presence. Using unique usernames can hide the profiles you prefer to keep private.
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Unique Usernames for Fame, Popularity, Attention</h3>
A good Instagram username can help you stand out and boost your online presence. If your username is unique or obscure, it could lead to more profile clicks and followers.
A good example is French Connection UK or @FCUK. At first glance, the username looks like an expletive, drawing people's attention to the brand.
People often use made-up words, obscure combinations, and other naming conventions to grab attention online.
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Unique Usernames for Humor</h3>
Humor is another reason people often want unique username ideas. For example, @PickledElephantTusk is sure to get people's attention and perhaps a chuckle at the ridiculousness.
Funny usernames are great for social media profiles, but you might want to avoid these if you're trying to aim for security or anonymity!
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Business Name Ideas</h3>
Most startups want a unique brand name, including URL and social media usernames. Startups can ensure that every digital touchpoint is unique to their brand by choosing an available unique username first.
While using the same username is necessary for branding on social media channels, companies should always choose different, unidentifiable usernames for non-public accounts&mdash;email marketing apps, keyword research tools, productivity tools, accounting apps, etc.
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>How Can You Get Unique Usernames Ideas?</h2>
There are many places you go for unique username ideas. Here are a few of our best sources for inspiration:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Pinterest</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Username generators</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Google Search - type a word and look through the autocompletes. This is also an excellent way to find trending usernames</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Instagram hashtags</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>Here are a Couple of Methods for Thinking of Great Usernames Ideas</h2>
If you're looking for inspiration, here are three methods for coming up with great username ideas. We've included processes for creativity, speed, and security.
<h3>Creating Your Own Unique Usernames</h3>
The best way to create unique username ideas is by combining two or three mismatched words with a number. First, come up with two or three categories, and then pick a word from each.
For example, let&rsquo;s choose the two categories fish, and US State:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">US State: Idaho</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Fish: Pufferfish</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Number: 13</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">@IdahoPufferfish13</li>
</ul>
You can come up with funny and cute usernames using this method. It's also a fantastic creative exercise some people might find entertaining.
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Use a Username Generator</h3>
If you don't want to waste time coming up with usernames yourself, a username generator is a fantastic option to create unique usernames fast!
Some username generator tools will let you add a prefix, suffix, or number and randomize the rest. This method works well if you're trying to find unique username ideas for a specific industry, like fitness, health, tech, etc.
Some username generators even provide a social media search function to see if your unique username is available on the relevant platforms&mdash;providing you speed and efficiency!
Random username generators are also excellent for security because you avoid familiarity, making it less likely for attackers to find you.
&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Use a Password Generator</h3>
Password generators are great for creating unique username ideas. Password generators produce random strings with letters and numbers, significantly reducing the possibility of someone identifying you.
Try creating a username with TeamPassword's password generator:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Visit our <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">free password generator</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Deselect symbols (most platforms don't allow symbols in the username. Keep this selected if your platform does allow it!)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Our password generator only allows a minimum of 12 characters. If you need a shorter user name, drop the characters you don't need</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Copy/paste your random username to use when signing up for a new account</li>
</ol>
Remember to use our password generator with uppercase, lowercase, symbols, and numbers to create a secure unique password.&nbsp;
TeamPassword's password manager features a built-in password generator that suggests and pastes a strong password into forms during signup or resets. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a free 14-day free trial</a> to start managing your usernames and passwords securely.
&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>How You Can Secure Your Accounts Using a Password Manager</h2>
Usernames and passwords are the keys to your individual and company accounts. These credentials prevent attackers from breaching your devices, networks, social media, apps, financial services, and more.
Most companies have hundreds of accounts requiring authentication daily. Often team members need to share access, especially for social media, research tools, productivity apps, store accounts, and marketing tools, to name a few.
<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/secure-password-sharing">Sharing credentials</a> over email, chat, or via spreadsheets exposes your company, clients, employees, and users to many cybersecurity risks. In some states and countries, sharing passwords this way is illegal!
Using a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager</a> is a secure and efficient way to store and share your company's credentials.
Here are five reasons to choose TeamPassword for your company:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Affordable - Enterprise-grade password managers are often expensive. TeamPassword provides small businesses, agencies, and startups with an affordable password management solution.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Secure - TeamPassword is an <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-password-encryption-and-how-much-is-enough">accredited secure hosting provider</a> using state-of-the-art encryption technology. We store your passwords using AES-256, trusted by US government agencies and many other organizations globally.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Efficient - Share and revoke access in TeamPassword with a single click. Quickly create passwords using our built-in <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">secure password generator</a>.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Scalable - TeamPassword's plans scale with your business. Start with as few as five members and upgrade your plan as your workforce expands.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Flexible - Employees can sign into accounts using TeamPassword's Chrome, Firefox, or Safari browser extensions&mdash;catering to both Apple and Windows users.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>Password Management With TeamPassword</h2>
TeamPassword makes it easy and secure to share credentials with employees, clients, freelancers, and contractors. Everyone gets a separate TeamPassword login to manage access and monitor activity.
TeamPassword encrypts your passwords, making it impossible for employees (or even TeamPassword staff) to preview raw credentials.
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Sharing Access With Groups</h3>
Add your team to TeamPassword and create groups to share access to your various accounts. If an employee, contractor, or freelancer leaves the team, simply remove them from the group&mdash;no need to worry about changing passwords!
If you're an agency working with multiple clients and accounts, one TeamPassword account is all you need! Just increase your plan accordingly.
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Activity Logging</h3>
Keep track of TeamPassword activity, just like an enterprise password manager does. Monitor logins, password changes, credential sharing, and more to spot suspicious activity.
TeamPassword also lets you set up email notifications&mdash;helpful in monitoring sensitive accounts or specific actions, like sharing or adding new users.
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)</h3>
Enabling 2FA on your TeamPassword account prevents attackers from gaining access, even if they steal your employee's username and password.
TeamPassword uses the Google Authenticator app (iOS &amp; Android), requiring a six-digital randomly generated code as the second authentication step. Without the employee's device, hackers can't complete TeamPassword authentication.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>Start With a Free Trial</h2>
Coming up with unique username ideas isn't enough to protect your company's digital assets from attack. Protect your company's usernames and passwords with <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">TeamPassword</a>.
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> to test our robust and efficient sharing features with your team today!

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