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>
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<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>
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<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.
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<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>
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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.
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<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?

Fancy Bear is a Russian cyber espionage group, but what is Fancy Bear, and what have they done? Let us have a deep dive into Fancy Bear.

Fancy Bear is a Russian cyber espionage group, but what is Fancy Bear, and what have they done? ...

Who is Fancy Bear and how can you protect yourself?

With the fast-growing gig economy and websites like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer, agencies can now offer a wide range of marketing and creative services with just a handful of full-time employees.
While this new age of distributed workforces enables startups to be competitive while empowering remote workers and freelancers, it does expose businesses and their clients to potential data security risks.
These data security risks involve basic <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password management</a> for most companies, but for others, there's the risk of exposing customer data and possibly contradicting data privacy laws.
Here are 10 things to consider to keep data secure when you&rsquo;re a business with a lot of remote workers and freelancers.
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If you are working with freelancers try Teampassword for <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">14 days for free</a>
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<h2>Evaluate Risk &amp; Assign Data Security Protocols</h2>
Businesses working with remote workers and freelancers must evaluate levels of risk and the associated protocols.&nbsp;
For example, it might be ok for teams to log in to social media accounts remotely, but accessing client databases or financial information must only be accessed by vetted full-time employees working on a secure company network.
Once you set up these data protection protocols, you can determine which projects, tasks, and clients are for internal teams and which you can outsource to remote workers and freelancers.
It's important to note that these levels of security are guidelines and not a one-size-fits-all approach. While <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/secure-password-sharing">secure password sharing</a> might be enough for some clients, high-risk multi-national organizations might require that only vetted, full-time employees on a secure company network access its accounts and systems.
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<h2>Limiting Access</h2>
Part of evaluating your data security risks is determining who needs access to tools and apps.&nbsp;
For example, if you use software to manage social media, is it necessary to give freelancers access to social media channels? Does a copywriter need access to your CMS, or can they submit articles via Microsoft Word or Google Docs? Should you give marketers access to analytics software or generate the reports they need and share via Excel or Sheets?
Even if your password management is watertight, companies must prioritize limiting access to tools and applications over convenience.
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<h2>Creating Access Levels</h2>
Another consideration within an organization is creating access levels for apps, tools, and access to data. Companies must treat every element of the organization on a need-to-know basis to minimize leaks and breaches.
With a tool like TeamPassword, these access levels can be associated with our groups and sharing feature, so there is no confusion over who is allowed access to what&mdash;especially when it comes to freelancer security policies.
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<h2>Educating Team Members About Data Security</h2>
Cybersecurity training is an essential part of mitigating potential data security risks. Depending on your security protocols, training might extend to freelancers.
Due to the ever-changing landscape of technology and cybercrimes, companies must keep employees and freelancers up-to-date with the latest scams and attacks. You might even consider a dedicated Slack channel or cybersecurity wiki to keep teams informed of the latest scams and attacks.
Companies should also educate teams about reacting to a breach or attack, such as shutting down servers, going offline, and communication protocols.
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<h2>Common Types of Data Breaches in 2021</h2>
The baseline for any data security training is for employees to understand two of the most common types of data breaches in 2021.&nbsp;
<h3>Malware Email or Messaging Attacks</h3>
With malware email attacks, cybercriminals send seemingly mundane messages or emails containing malicious links or file downloads.&nbsp;
Once the link or download is activated, criminals have complete access to a device, emails, messages, and any saved login credentials. The problem with these sorts of attacks is criminals can monitor a device indefinitely without being detected.
Many businesses will regularly test employees by sending "spoofed" emails and messages to see if anyone takes the bait. Employees who fail these tests must be retrained to ensure they're fully aware of malware scams and tactics.
<h3>Phishing</h3>
Phishing or social-engineering attacks are one of the most common cyber threats to companies and individuals. Cybercriminals will attempt to direct an individual to a site or app they think is legitimate to enter login credentials or personal information.
Using a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager like TeamPassword</a> eliminates the need for an employee to enter login credentials, reducing the risk of employees falling victim to phishing scams. Companies should also limit access to surfing the net and block access to sites without Secure Sockets Layer (SSL/HTTPS).
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<h2>Freelancers and Remote Works on Public Networks</h2>
One of the most significant issues companies face is how teams connect to the Internet. The romanticized notion of teams working from coffee shops poses a severe risk for data security. It's impossible to know who's monitoring a public network or if anyone is looking over a team member's shoulder while they work.
Policies around working on public WiFi come down to educating teams about potential risks. A strict VPN policy is an excellent first step. Still, employees should also be aware of their surroundings, people sitting near them, mirrors, CCTV cameras, and never leaving their computers or devices unattended.
Companies might also want to consider allocating portable WiFi devices to remote team members. While these devices are not entirely secure, it is better to be on a mobile network than public WiFi.
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<h2>Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM)</h2>
Businesses can control the access they give remote teams and freelancers working on their own devices through an effective Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) policy.&nbsp;
EMM enables IT admins to monitor and manage both company and personal devices to corporate data security and protect sensitive data. These security management systems also allow IT departments to monitor a team member's WiFi network, determine its safety, and react to any suspicious activity. IT admins can remotely lock or wipe the device if a team member's device is lost or stolen.
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<h2>Regulations for Freelancer Security</h2>
Businesses must also consider the regulatory requirements of countries and states. In the United States, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is one of the only national data protection policies protecting against the access and sharing of health-related data.
California has one of the strictest data privacy regulations under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The act goes beyond health-related data to protect every consumer across all industries.&nbsp;
Businesses contravening the CCPA face hefty fines and may be subject to class-action lawsuits. The act protects consumer's rights, affording them to:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Know what data organizations collect about them</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Opt-out of data sales to third parties</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Access and download data collected about them</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Transfer their data to a different service</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Delete their data</li>
</ul>
US States implementing similar regulations include:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Vermont</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Alabama</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">South Dakota</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Arizona</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Colorado</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Oregon</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Virginia</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">New Jersey</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Rhode Island</li>
</ul>
With heightened awareness around <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-scariest-data-breaches-of-all-time">data breaches</a> and cybercrime, we will likely see similar laws passed at the federal level soon.
<h3>General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)</h3>
Europe's GDPR is the strictest privacy law globally and will likely become the global standard for other nations to model data protection regulations.
GDPR doesn't just protect EU consumers but anyone trading with EU merchants or even travelers passing through the region. The laws also extend to the hiring of remote workers and freelancers.
Leaking an email database or <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/top-five-mistakes-when-sharing-passwords-with-your-team">negligent password management</a> could see fines of as much as &euro;10 million or 2 percent of a company's annual revenue.
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<h2>Robust Password Management</h2>
If you need to give freelancers access to shared tools or apps, then a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager</a> is essential. In fact, password managers must be used whenever you share login credentials for apps, tools, and accounts, even for internal staff members.
TeamPassword allows companies to <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-safely-share-passwords-with-coworkers">share passwords with coworkers safely</a>. By installing a browser extension, team members never see passwords, mitigating the risk of <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/prevent-password-theft-from-ex-employees">password theft</a> or unauthorized sharing and access.
5 reasons to use TeamPassword when working with remote teams and freelancers:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Secure Password Generator - With a secure password generator, you never have to worry about team members creating weak passwords or sharing credentials across tools or applications. TeamPassword's secure password generator allows you to create passwords up to 32 characters long with uppercase, lowercase, symbols, and numbers.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Groups &amp; Sharing - Instead of sharing a username and password, you can add team members and freelancers to a TeamPassword group with access to a specific tool or app. Teams never see login credentials, and you can remove a team member with a single click.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">2-Step Verification (2FA) - <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-manager-with-2fa">2FA</a> is essential for remote teams and freelancers. With 2FA, you reduce password breaches like credential stuffing, phishing, and brute force attacks, to name a few. 2FA is also effective against prying eyes in public spaces like coffee shops.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Activity and Logging - Effective password management also requires that companies manage activity logs to react immediately to unauthorized access and sharing. Activity logs also help when investigating breaches.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Email Notifications - TeamPassword alerts managers via email to any action or activity&mdash;a vital feature for monitoring data protection and access to sensitive tools and applications.</li>
</ul>
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Secure your data, tools, and apps with advanced secure encryption technology from TeamPassword. Start your <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">free trial</a> and mitigate freelancer security risks and password sharing with <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a>.

Freelancers can now offer creative services with just a handful of employees, but how do you keep your data safe when working with them?

Freelancers can now offer creative services with just a handful of employees, but how do you keep your ...

keeping data secure when working with Freelancers

Keeping Data Secure When Working With Freelancers

Russian intelligence agencies have invested heavily in cyber espionage exploits over the past decade. One of those operations is the US classification, advanced persistent threat APT29&mdash;more commonly known as Cozy Bear.
Cozy Bear is a highly sophisticated Russian cyberespionage group focused on attacking US and NATO government institutions and multinational organizations.
NATO intelligence agencies, including the US, have evidence to believe Cozy Bear is a branch of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB - formally the KGB) and possibly the SVR, another Russian intelligence agency.
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How can you keep yourself safe from cybercriminals? <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> helps small businesses prevent breaches with a secure password management tool to <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-safely-share-passwords-with-coworkers">safely share login credentials with coworkers</a>. Make sure you keep your passwords safe. Try our free trial by clicking here and seeing how it can work for yourself.
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<h2>Who is Cozy Bear?</h2>
Leading Internet security firm Kaspersky Lab found that Cozy Bear's MiniDuke malware dates back to 2008 and that the group has targeted government organizations since around 2010.
It's unclear what "Cozy" refers to, but "Bear" is a codename for Russian hackers at security firm CrowdStrike.
<h3>Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear</h3>
On some occasions, Cozy Bear works with another Russian cyber espionage group, Fancy Bear (suspected as part of Russian military intelligence agency GRU). The latter is more infamous, but Cozy Bear is far more covert&mdash;possibly more dangerous than Fancy Bear.
The difference is that Fancy Bear appears to be a military operation, while Cozy Bear is a Russian central intelligence unit.
Where it's often clear that Fancy Bear is responsible for an attack, security firms and intelligence agencies can only speculate on most of Cozy Bear's most significant cyber operations.
<h3>Cozy Bear Aliases</h3>
Cozy Bear goes by many names given to them from security firms, intelligence agencies, and other organizations:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">&nbsp;APT29 - (Advanced Persistent Threat 29 - US federal government classification) most security firms and intelligence agencies use APT29 when referring to Cozy Bear</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">CozyCar</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">CozyDuke</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Dark Halo</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The Dukes</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Grizzly Steppe - for operations where Cozy Bear works with Fancy Bear</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">NOBELIUM</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Office Monkeys</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">StellarParticle</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">UNC2452</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">YTTRIUM</li>
</ul>
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<h2>What does Cozy Bear do?</h2>
Cozy Bear's primary goal is to spy and gather intelligence on nations and multinational organizations. Cozy Bear dismantles or disrupts networks and infrastructure occasionally, but most of its operations appear to be gathering intelligence for Russia.
APT29's targets are primarily NATO allies; however, the group also spies on Russia's neighbors, including China, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and other Transcaucasian nations.
The sophisticated cyberespionage group often breaches software, networks, and other IT systems where they lie hidden for extended periods spying and gathering intelligence.
Cozy Bear's toolset features an array of malware and trojans to infiltrate its targets, all likely designed by the group.&nbsp;
Cyber security analysts have commentated on how fast and efficient Cozy Bear is at developing and deploying its components&mdash;creating a substantial challenge for counter operations.
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<h2>Famous Cozy Bear Attacks</h2>
Security firms and intelligence agencies suspect Cozy Bear of many large-scale cyber-espionage operations. But, due to the group's stealthy modus operandi, only a few attacks are directly attributed.
In some instances, US intelligence agencies also don't want to point fingers at Cozy Bear or Russia, as they don't want to reveal their "sources" or investigation methods.
<h3>Office Monkeys - 2014</h3>
Office Monkeys is one of Cozy Bear's first significant US operations where the group infiltrated and installed its trojan, CozyDuke, on a Washington D.C. research group's network.
The research group discovered the trojan in March, and shortly after, Cozy Bear began a spear-phishing campaign with an email attachment featuring office monkeys.&nbsp;
Victims who clicked the video inadvertently downloaded malware, giving Cozy Bear access to the device and any linked IT infrastructure&mdash;including many US government networks.
The group went about installing trojans on government networks. Needless to say, they caused countless disruptions in the process. They created a mess that took US authorities months to mop and fix.
At the same time, the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service managed to infiltrate Cozy Bear's operations. The agency discovered APT29 was targeting the US Democratic Party, State Department, and White House.
<h3>The Pentagon - 2015</h3>
In 2015 Cozy Bear successfully breached the Pentagon's unclassified email system resulting in email shutdowns and disrupting Internet access.
Cozy Bear's 2015 Pentagon attack affected around 4,000 military and civilian personnel working for top-ranking US officials.
<h3>Democratic National Committee (DNC) - 2016</h3>
In a parallel hacking effort with Fancy Bear, Cozy Bear infiltrated the DNC in 2016, stealing user credentials and other data.
Fancy Bear's 2016 DNC operation was disruptive and destructive, while Cozy Bear seemed to gather intelligence in the shadows.
Later, investigators determined that Cozy Bear had access to the DNC's network for over a year while Fancy Bear had only gained access a few weeks before being detected.
The DNC operation leads intelligence agencies to conclude that Cozy Bear is a highly sophisticated, covert Russian espionage unit focused on a greater long-term objective.
<h3>Norwegian &amp; Dutch Governments - 2017</h3>
In early 2017, Cozy Bear made multiple spear-phishing attempts to breach several Norwegian government departments and security agencies.&nbsp;
At the same time, the Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear targeted Dutch ministries to access secret government documents. It's unclear how Cozy Bear attempted these attacks, but it forced Holland to hand-count votes for the country's 2017 general elections.
<h3>COVID-19 Vaccine Data - 2020</h3>
In 2020, multiple US security agencies accused Cozy Bear of trying to steal vaccine and treatment data from US, UK, and Canadian organizations&mdash;likely to help Russia advance its vaccine program.
The group attempted to deploy custom malware known as WellMess and WellMail through various spear-phishing attacks.
<h3>SUNBURST Malware Supply Chain Attack - 2020</h3>
The SUNBURST attack was the catalyst for one of <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-biggest-data-breaches-of-2020">the biggest data breaches in 2020</a>, the infamous SolarWinds attack impacting more than 18,000 businesses and governmental organizations.
In early December 2020, security firm FireEye discovered that hackers had stolen its cybersecurity research tools, resulting in one of the biggest supply chain attacks in history!
Some notable victims include:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The Department of Homeland Security</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The Department of Energy</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The National Nuclear Security Administration</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The State Department</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Microsoft</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Cisco</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Deloitte</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Intel</li>
</ul>
The attackers caused havoc at Microsoft, stealing signing certificates allowing them to impersonate users and access accounts.
The Washington Post suggests its sources identify Cozy Bear as the culprits for the SUNBURST attack. Still, security firms and intelligence agencies say there isn't enough evidence to say for sure.
Security analysts suspect the SUNBURST attack involved several collaborative groups, each tasked with a different objective working towards a common goal&mdash;much like a coordinated military operation.
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<h2>How Does Cozy Bear Attack Networks?</h2>
Cozy Bear deploys highly effective spear-phishing operations to breach its targets. These attacks usually require significant research, resources, and preparation to deploy successfully.
Cozy Duke's spear-phishing attacks are so sophisticated that they even manage to fool individuals with regular cyber security training&mdash;like governmental staff and software engineers.
Once Cozy Bear breaches a network, they try to remain undetected for as long as possible, gathering intelligence and stealthily installing custom malware.
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<h2>How Can You Prevent an Attack from Cozy Bear?</h2>
The truth is Cozy Bear would probably hack most small businesses with relative ease. But the good news is it's highly unlikely Cozy Bear would even attempt to hack a small business&mdash;unless they're involved in any government contracts.
But that isn't to say there aren't hackers deploying similar spear-phishing attacks.
The best way to thwart breaches is by installing multiple security layers and, most importantly, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/cybersecurity-for-small-businesses">educating employees about cybersecurity</a>.
To breach a device or network, criminals must first install malware or steal an individual's login credentials. Hence the reason attackers deploy phishing tactics first.
Most cybercrime is a result of human error. Companies must plan for this by limiting access to systems and data and implementing a robust <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password management</a> policy.
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<h2>Password Management for Small Businesses</h2>
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> is an accredited secure provider utilizing state-of-the-art encryption technology for its <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager</a>.
When you save new passwords, the data is hashed, salted, and encrypted locally on your computer before being uploaded to TeamPassword via an encrypted connection. This level of encryption makes it impossible for nefarious actors to intercept your passwords.
<h3>Built for Teams</h3>
You can share passwords securely with TeamPassword, and never have to provide employees or freelancers with raw login credentials.
Instead of sharing passwords for multiple applications, you provide team members with access to TeamPassword. Your team then uses one of TeamPassword's <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/why-you-need-a-free-google-chrome-browser-extension-for-password-management-now">browser extensions</a> (Chrome, Firefox, and Safari) to access your company or client accounts.
Essentially, TeamPassword works like a master key.
<h3>Create Groups &amp; Limit Access</h3>
One way to minimize the impact of a breach is by limiting access to data and accounts. For example, if a freelancer is working on a client's Instagram account, they don't need access to the entire social media portfolio.
With TeamPassword, you can create groups for sharing passwords, limiting access to only those who need it. When a team member no longer needs access, you can remove them with one click.
<h3>Two-Factor Authentication</h3>
What if attackers steal an employee's TeamPassword login credentials?&nbsp;
TeamPassword features <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-manager-with-2fa">two-factor authentication</a> (2FA) to provide your account with an extra layer of security. Without the user's mobile device for authentication, criminals can't get past the 2FA step, thus preventing a full breach.
<h3>Secure Unique Password Generator</h3>
Often cybercriminals don't need to breach a system&mdash;they can simply guess an easy password.
Some companies even reuse passwords for multiple accounts. If attackers manage to steal one password, they'll have access to all the accounts using the same credentials.
TeamPassword features a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">secure unique password generator</a> to ensure your company never uses weak passwords or the same credentials for more than one account.
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APT29—more commonly known as Cozy Bear is a highly sophisticated Russian cyber espionage. Let us delve deep into what or who is Cozy bear?

APT29—more commonly known as Cozy Bear is a highly sophisticated Russian cyber espionage. Let us delve deep into ...

Who is Cozy Bear and how can you protect yourself?

It was a sobering reminder that the Internet is a vulnerable and insecure place when hackers breached T-Mobile, one of the United States' biggest wireless service providers. The attack has affected over 40 million users.
Every business should prioritize data security to protect its customers. Unfortunately, even big companies like T-Mobile can trip up and make mistakes. Here's what went wrong for T-Mobile and how your company can prevent a similar attack.
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<h2>How T-Mobile discovered they had been attacked</h2>
T-Mobile was alerted to the breach when someone found a large packet of personal data for sale on an underground forum on Sunday, August 15, 2021. The mobile giant immediately launched an investigation into how this data ended up online!
The investigation is still in its infancy (as of August 20, 2021), but T-Mobile has released some of its findings, including the progress made and the extent of leaked personal information.
In a statement, T-Mobile assured customers that the access point used to illegally gain access to its servers had been closed. Hardly good news when hackers have already stolen the personal data of millions of T-Mobile customers.
It's like celebrating fixing the vault door of a bank when criminals have already stolen all the money!
What can you do to stop this kind of breach from happening at your company? Prevent data breaches and unauthorized password sharing with TeamPassword. Take advantage of our free <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">14-day free trial</a> and take control of your company's password security today.
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<h2>What is T-Mobile?</h2>
Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, T-Mobile provides wireless voice and data services to more than 104.8 million customers in the United States. Its largest shareholder is German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom (DT).&nbsp;
In April 2020, T-Mobile acquired the Sprint Corporation, making it the second-most powerful mobile operator in the US. The company is also the host network for several virtual network operators.
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<h2>T-Mobile's Troubled History of Data Breaches</h2>
T-Mobile has experienced at least five data breaches in the past four years. The most significant breaches happened in 2018 and 2019.
In 2018, cybercriminals breached T-Mobile's servers and stole customer data, including names, billing zip codes, phone numbers, email addresses, account numbers, account type (prepaid or postpaid), and dates of birth.
Then in 2019, hackers got away with personal information, including cell phone numbers, rate plans, and other data affecting around 1.2 million prepaid T-Mobile customers.
Both times, T-Mobile was swift to assure customers that their systems were secure and this would never happen again! Whoops!
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<h2>T-Mobile's 2021 Mega-Breach</h2>
T-Mobile's 2021 mega-breach makes 2018 and 2019 look like a warm-up to the big game.&nbsp;
While the investigation is still ongoing (and those affected might have increased since the publishing of this article), these are the numbers T-Mobile has released so far:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">7.8 million current T-Mobile postpaid customers affected</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Over 40 million (yes forty) former or prospective customers who had applied for credit with T-Mobile</li>
</ul>
Investigators are still unsure who is behind the T-Mobile data breach. The company is working with law enforcement to identify the "unauthorized individuals" responsible for the attack.
<h3>What Data did Criminals Steal from T-Mobile in 2021?</h3>
According to T-Mobile, "no phone numbers, account numbers, PINs, passwords, or financial information were compromised" for postpaid, former, or prospective customers&mdash;but criminals did steal full names, date of birth, SSN, and driver's license, or other identification.
For T-Mobile's prepaid customers, unfortunately, the data breach was more severe! Hackers managed to steal 850,000 names, phone numbers, and PINs&mdash;sensitive information that could give hackers access to a user's account.
What should you do if you&rsquo;re one of these people? Easy. Change your password. In fact, you should be changing all of your passwords all of the time. Passwords get easier to manage when you use something like <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Teampassword</a> to remember everything.
Resetting passwords is exactly what T-mobile did. In response, T-Mobile reset all prepaid customer PINs and notified the owners. The company has also urged its postpaid customers to reset their PINs to protect their accounts with T-Mobile's Account Takeover Protection capability.
As of August 20, 2021, T-Mobile and investigators have not found evidence that hackers accessed personal financial or payment information, credit card details, account numbers, or passwords.
<h3>Do We Need to Change Privacy Laws?</h3>
T-Mobile's data breach has once again raised questions about privacy laws in the United States. For starters, how much personal information should companies be allowed to keep on record?
Once you have verified someone's identification or SSN, do you need to keep that information on file? And why?
If it's for account verification purposes, why not use something more secure like <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-manager-with-2fa">two-factor authentication</a>?
These continuous corporate data breaches pose a significant risk to consumers, exposing them to identify theft, financial losses, and SIM swap scams.
In T-Mobile's case, 40 million people were affected (more than 10% of the United States), and they're not even customers!
Should a company be allowed to store your data even when you are not actually a customer but you had previously applied?
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<h2>What are the Potential Risks for Those Affected by the T-Mobile Data Breach?</h2>
It's still early days for those affected by T-Mobile's data breach, so we can only speculate what might happen. Here are some real possibilities based on data stolen from similar data breaches.
<h3>SIM-swap fraud</h3>
SIM-swap fraud or SIM hijacking is a growing risk worldwide. Hackers can perform a SIM swap with a customer's phone account data and take over someone's phone number.
Once someone has your phone number, they can steal someone's identity, request money from friends or relatives, and intercept SMS multi-factor authentication. Banks regularly use the latter to authenticate a login or payment!
The danger with SIM swaps is that criminals usually change an account's (social media, Gmail, banking, Apple) recovery phone and email immediately. So even blocking the swapped SIM doesn't resolve the issue.&nbsp;
SIM swaps can be crippling for consumers, and it causes a mess that takes significant time and effort to untangle.
<h3>Phishing attacks</h3>
Phishing is a common modus operandi for hackers&mdash;even the most sophisticated cybercriminals use phishing attacks to breach systems.
Criminals contact customers, often posing as a legitimate company, to get someone to click a link or willingly offer sensitive information.
A spear-phishing attack is similar to regular phishing, but criminals use personal information to make the communication seem legitimate. A recent example is <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-happened-during-the-twitter-spear-phishing-attack">Twitter's 2020 spear-phishing attack</a>.
For T-Mobile's customers, phishing and spear-phishing attacks will be a real threat for months or even years to come. Cybercriminals can contact T-Mobile customers posing as customer support to offer "assistance" for the mobile breach with a customer's information.
They might send a text message with a malicious link to reset their password or call them over the phone to "verify" their account information.
<h3>Malware attacks</h3>
Malware attacks happen when a victim accidentally clicks an email or SMS link thinking it's from a legitimate source (essentially phishing correspondence). Clicking the link downloads a malicious package, and criminals have complete access to the device.
The scary thing about malware is that the user doesn't know someone is accessing their device. Hackers can steal all of the data on your phone and then monitor your device, turn on the camera/microphone, record keystrokes to steal account credentials, or intercept multi-factor authentication.
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<h2>How can Companies Prevent Breaches?</h2>
If there's one thing we've learned in the last 18 months, even organizations with sophisticated security systems fall victim to <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/category/data-breaches">data breaches</a>&mdash;Twitter, CAM4, EasyJet, Zoom, and Nintendo, to name a few.
If these multinational organizations aren't immune, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/cybersecurity-for-small-businesses">how can small businesses prevent cyber attacks</a>?
<h3>Password Security for Small Businesses</h3>
The first step is continuous education. Companies must educate employees about cybercrime and the tactics criminals use. Most breaches happen as a result of human error.
Companies also need to ensure they have multi-layered security tools and systems to prevent cyber attacks. Password management is a particularly vulnerable point for attack.
Using a password manager like <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> is a cost-effective first line of defense for team members to <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-safely-share-passwords-with-coworkers">share passwords safely</a> and prevent hackers from stealing account credentials.
You never share raw login credentials with TeamPassword preventing authorized sharing and access. You can also set up two-factor authentication (2FA) for TeamPassword, so if someone does steal a team member's password, 2FA minimizes the likelihood of a full breach.
Instead of sharing passwords, you can add team members and freelancers to TeamPassword, where they log into your company accounts using our browser extensions&mdash;including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.&nbsp;
You can create groups for specific clients or accounts and add or remove a team member with one click. This sort of password sharing means you never have to worry about changing passwords when an employee or freelancer leaves the team.
And, if you do need to change login credentials, it's as easy as a few clicks with TeamPassword's built-in password generator.
TeamPassword features an activity log, making it possible to investigate breaches or unauthorized sharing. Account managers can also set up email notifications for all TeamPassword actions, like logins, credential sharing, adding new accounts, adding or removing team members to a group, and more.&nbsp;
<h3>How Secure is TeamPassword?</h3>
TeamPassword uses the latest <a href="https://teampassword.com/security">secure encryption technology</a> to ensure your account credentials are always protected. We're a secure hosting provider with multiple encryption technology accreditations.
TeamPasswords's built-in <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">secure password generator</a> ensures every one of your accounts has unique, robust login credentials&mdash;no more weak P@$$w0rd$!
TeamPassword's other security features include two-factor authentication (with backup codes) and activity/audit logging. Our team also conducts frequent vulnerability sweeps to ensure our systems and <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager</a> has no backdoors!

Try TeamPassword with our&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">14-day free trial</a>. Secure your business accounts and share passwords safely with <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> today!

On Sunday, 08/15/2021, T-Mobile suffered a large-scale data breach. What happened? and what could have been done to reduce the breaches?

On Sunday, 08/15/2021, T-Mobile suffered a large-scale data breach. What happened? and what could have been done to ...

T-Mobile data breach 2021: What happened?

2020 produced some of the <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-biggest-data-breaches-of-2020">biggest data breaches</a> in history&mdash;one of those being the CAM4 data leak that exposed seven terabytes of data, including around 11 billion records with emails and hashed <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">passwords</a>.
CAM4 is an adult platform selling sex cam services to clients around the world. Given the sheer size of the leaked database, it's safe to say CAM4 is very popular with a massive userbase and around 2 billion visitors each year.
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<h2>Data Breach vs. Data Leak</h2>
To fully understand the CAM4 fiasco, it's important to differentiate between a data breach and a data leak. In both instances, criminals steal data from an organization, but the circumstances leading to the attack are different.
A data breach is where cyber criminals break into a system or database using nefarious methods, like social engineering and other hacking techniques. Essentially, the criminals actively break into these systems.
Whereas a data leak happens as a result of employee incompetence or negligence. Rather than breaking into a system, criminals happen upon a "backdoor" into a system, like leaving a password exposed or accidentally making a private database public. The latter being the cause of the CAM4 data leak.
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<h2>How did the CAM4 Leak Happen?</h2>
A team of researchers from antivirus software supplier Safety Detectives discovered a CAM4 database in early 2020. The team was performing routine searches for unsecured databases when they stumbled upon CAM4's misconfigured Elasticsearch production database.
Elasticsearch is an enterprise search engine that makes it easy for organizations to search through large databases. The CAM4 Elasticsearch is an internal search engine used by employees to scan user and activity logs.
Someone at CAM4 misconfigured Elasticsearch, putting the database online without any password protection. Anyone with the IP address could have accessed the database.
The CAM4 mishap is not an isolated incident, with many high-profile Elasticsearch leaks happening during 2020 alone! What makes CAM4 unique is the staggering 11 billion records of data.&nbsp;
Before CAM4, the most significant Elasticsearch leak came from Decathlon, who accidentally exposed five billion records.
Security consultant Bob Diachenko says these leaks are relatively common: "It's a really common experience for me to see a lot of exposed ElasticSearch instances... The only surprise that came out of this [CAM4] is the data that is exposed this time."
<h3>A Lucky Turn of Events</h3>
CAM4 is extremely lucky that a security firm found their exposed database rather than cybercriminals. Adult websites and applications handle highly sensitive user data with inappropriate videos or pictures.
Criminals often use data stolen from sites like CAM4 in blackmail and sextortion scams. Cybercriminals are still targeting victims of the Ashley Madison data breach from 2015.
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<h2>What information was Compromised in the CAM4 Data Leak?</h2>
The 11 billion records in the CAM4 data leak included the following user information:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">First and last names</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Email addresses</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password hashes</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Country of origin &amp; sign-up dates</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Gender preference &amp; sexual orientation</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Device information</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Language&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Usernames and chat logs</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Payment logs with card type and currency</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Transcripts of email correspondence</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Correspondence with other users and CAM4 support</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Token information</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">IP addresses</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Fraud &amp; spam logs</li>
</ul>
For a regular website, exposing this sort of data is scary. For highly sensitive data from a site like CAM4, it's terrifying beyond comprehension.&nbsp;
Teams found 11 million records containing email addresses, more than 26 with password hashes, and only 1,000 exposing user's full names with credit card types and payment information.
According to the country of origin logs, US, Brazilian, and Italian users were most affected, but it's difficult to determine the exact country breakdown as there were countless duplicate records.
It's important to note that these records weren't easy to read. Someone would have to spend time digging through the logs to match tokens with user profiles.&nbsp;
"You really have to dig into the logs to find tokens or anything that would connect you to the real person or anything that would reveal his or her identity... It should not have been exposed online, of course, but I would say it's not the scariest thing that I've seen." - Security consultant Bob Diachenko.
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<h2>What was the Fallout from the CAM4 Data Leak?</h2>
Upon discovering the records, Safety Detectives immediately notified Granity Entertainment (CAM4's parent company), who took the database offline within 30 minutes.&nbsp;
According to Safety Detectives, internal access to the records was extremely limited, and there is no evidence to suggest that any CAM4 user data was leaked.
There wasn't much public outcry due to this breach, as adult content users typically like to remain anonymous. However, had criminals acquired this data, Granity Entertainment would have faced massive lawsuits and possible prosecution and fines under <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/gdpr-was-it-really-a-big-deal">Europe's GDPR</a>.
<h3>Potential Risk of Credential Stuffing Attacks</h3>
Aside from blackmail and sextortion scams, cybercriminals could have used the CAM4 user data in a credential stuffing attack.&nbsp;
Credential stuffing attacks occur when criminals use credentials from one breach to hack into another website or application. For convenience, people often use the same email address and password for multiple websites and applications.
The problem with this is that if hackers breach one of your accounts, they can access all the accounts using the same credentials, no matter how strong your password may be!
Cybercriminals unleash bots that crawl popular websites and applications trying your login credentials. If they find a match, then they have complete access to that account. Often these details are sold on the dark web, exposing you to various cybercrimes.
<h3>What Action did CAM4 Take in Response?</h3>
In addition to immediately removing the database from the internet, CAM4 has moved the server to an internal LAN making it difficult to access remotely. The company also removed personally identifiable information to protect its users.
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<h2>How to Protect Yourself Against Data Leaks and Breaches</h2>
If a data breach occurs at a website or application where you have an account, there isn't much you can do to prevent criminals from stealing your data. But, you can take precautions to mitigate the fallout for yourself.
<h3>Never Provide More Data Than Required</h3>
One way to minimize your exposure is by providing only the personal information needed to run the features and services you need from an app or website. For example, if there is no reason to include your home address, don't include that information in your profile.
<h3>Use Virtual Cards for Payments</h3>
Use a separate virtual card for in-app payments. Many banks offer the option to generate virtual debit cards to use for online payments. With a virtual card, you can set payment limits to prevent criminals from emptying your account.&nbsp;
You can easily cancel a virtual card to continue using your account as usual. Canceling a regular debit or credit card will freeze your account until the bank can issue a new one. For some banks, this could take more than a week!
<h3>Use Different Credentials for Each Account</h3>
Always use a different password for every account! Using the same password for multiple accounts exposes you to credential stuffing and other cybersecurity issues.
Passwords should be a minimum of 12 characters with numbers, uppercase, lowercase, and special symbols. Using a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">password generator</a> takes the guesswork out of choosing a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/secure-company-passwords">secure password</a>.
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<h2>Secure Your Accounts with TeamPassword</h2>
A <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager like TeamPassword</a> is the best investment any business can make to mitigate cyber threats. With TeamPassword, you can share login credentials without exposing raw password data.
TeamPassword is an <a href="https://teampassword.com/security">accredited secure hosting provider</a> providing users with a secure platform to host and share login credentials. Your sensitive information is hashed, salted, and encrypted locally on your computer and then transmitted to the server via an encrypted connection.
<h3>Built for Sharing</h3>
Every organization needs a way to share login details with team members, freelancers, and contractors. Many companies create spreadsheets with login credentials or send these via email or chat groups.&nbsp;
Anyone can copy and share these passwords, and it's near impossible to track where the breach originated.
With TeamPassword, you never share actual raw passwords. You can create groups and only share access with those who need it. TeamPassword comes with browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari so your team can install the password manager on any device.
<h3>Create Secure Passwords With a Click</h3>
TeamPassword comes with a built-in password generator so you can create robust passwords with a single click. You can choose a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols between 12 and 32 characters.
TeamPassword generates a new password instantly and updates the login credentials for all team members.
By creating unique passwords with TeamPassword, you never have to worry about falling victim to credential stuffing attacks in the unfortunate event of a data breach or leak.
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In 2020 CAM4 had a data leak that exposed seven terabytes of data. How did that happen? And what information was compromised? | TeamPassword

In 2020 CAM4 had a data leak that exposed seven terabytes of data. How did that happen? And ...

What happened with the CAM4 Data Leak?

The 2020 EasyJet data breach was the second attack on a major European airline in less than two years.&nbsp;
In 2018, British Airways suffered a similar data breach where cybercriminals managed to steal data of 420,000 customers&mdash;380,000 of which contained credit card details.&nbsp;
The EasyJet data breach affected approximately nine million customers, but only 2,208 had credit card information stolen, including the CVV numbers.
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<h2>What was the Fallout from the British Airways Data Breach</h2>
It's important to understand the fallout of the British Airways data breach to predict what could happen to EasyJet in the next 18 months (as of August 2021).
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) fined &pound;27.7 million (reduced from the initial &pound;183 million) for failing to protect its customer's data. Previous to the British Airways incident, the ICO's biggest fine was to Facebook for &pound;500,000 in connection with the infamous <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/facebook-hacks-a-history-of-security-breaches-at-facebook">Cambridge Analytica scandal</a>.
The cost to British Airways' customers was minimal, with only one report of someone trying to use one of the stolen cards to purchase goods by phone at Harrods. Fortunately, the bank rejected the transaction.
<h3>Major Class-Action Lawsuit Against British Airways</h3>
In addition to the ICO fine, law firm PGMBM filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of 16,000 victims for &pound;800 million. The parties eventually reached an undisclosed out-of-court settlement in July 2021.
Class-action lawsuits are rare in the United Kingdom, so this settlement is significant and should serve as a wake-up call to the UK and EU-based companies.
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<h2>What Happened at the EasyJet Data Breach?</h2>
EasyJet remains tight-lipped about what happened in 2020 but said in a statement that this was a "highly sophisticated cyber-attack." The breach affected customers who booked EasyJet flights between October 17, 2019, and March 4, 2020.
EasyJet was alerted to a breach in January 2020 but only went public about the incident in May while conducting investigations. EasyJet announced that the breach compromised nine million customers, including 2,208 credit card details with CVV numbers.
In a statement from EasyJet Chief Executive Officer Johan Lundgren, he said, "There is no evidence that any personal information of any nature has been misused, however, on the recommendation of the ICO, we are communicating with the approximately 9 million customers whose travel details were accessed to advise them of protective steps to minimize any risk of potential phishing..."
It's somewhat irresponsible and presumptive for EasyJet to make such a statement. There is no way to determine where these details have ended up or who is responsible for the attack.
However, EasyJet did warn customers to be vigilant when opening any correspondence from the airline, be it text or email. The stolen information allows criminals to conduct phishing scams and other cybercrimes.
<h3>Credit Card Fraud due to EasyJet Data Breach</h3>
According to the UK cybercrime reporting agency Action Fraud, Johan Lundgren's statement is incorrect. By May 2020, there were 51 reports of credit card fraud resulting from the EasyJet data breach.&nbsp;
The estimated loss to credit card holders stands at &pound;11,752.81, including one customer losing &pound;2,750 shortly after the EasyJet attack.
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<h2>The Fallout from the 2020 EasyJet Data Breach</h2>
EasyJet's fate is still to be determined. The ICO is conducting its investigation into the matter and, judging by what happened to British Airways, EasyJet will likely receive a fine.
GDPR states that companies who fail to store personal details securely could face fines from the ICO of 4% of the airline's 2019 turnover of &pound;6,3 billion.
<h3>EasyJet Class-Action Lawsuit</h3>
To rub salt in the wounds, law firm PGMBM (the same law firm behind the British Airways class-action) plans to file an &pound;18 billion class-action lawsuit against EasyJet.
EasyJet's biggest mistake in this matter was waiting four months to go public with the breach, which could have prevented financial losses.&nbsp;
When filing the suit, PGMBM stated, "The sensitive personal data leaked includes full names, email addresses, and travel data that included departure dates, arrival dates, and booking dates. In particular, the exposure of details of individuals' personal travel patterns may pose security risks to individuals and is a gross invasion of privacy."
Under GDPR regulations, customers have the right to compensation when their information is stolen during a breach. Furthermore, EasyJet waiting four months to tell customers about the breach might appear reckless to the courts.
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<h2>How did Hackers Breach EasyJet's Systems?</h2>
EasyJet has not released any details of how hackers infiltrated their systems. But, in an interview with the BBC, EasyJet stated, "This was a highly sophisticated attacker. It took time to understand the scope of the attack and to identify who had been impacted..."
EasyJet claims it went public to protect the nine million customers who could be in danger of various cyber crimes, especially phishing attacks using spoofed EasyJet communications.
According to EasyJet, hackers were after the airline's intellectual property rather than customer data, alluding to the possibility of government or corporate espionage. If that is the case, the EasyJet breach is significantly more disturbing than your average data breach.
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<h2>Potential Risks to EasyJet Customers</h2>
Even if the EasyJet attack is some form of espionage, there's no stopping the attackers from selling the customer data on the black market. Some of the nine million customers are likely business email addresses, which cybercriminals can use in future corporate attacks.
<h3>Phishing Attacks</h3>
The primary concern for EasyJet customers is phishing attacks. Cybercriminals might attempt to communicate with victims through spoofed EasyJet communications, including email, SMS, or voice calls.
This communication could be as mundane as an email advertising EasyJet's latest travel packages with an offer that's too good to refuse. The links from the email will take the victim to a spoofed EasyJet website with fake flights and travel packages.&nbsp;
If a victim purchases any of these fake flights or packages, the website will capture their credit card details for criminals to use or sell on the dark web.
Criminals may also contact EasyJet customers to offer refunds, requesting credit card information to "verify their payment information to process the refund."
<h3>Malware Attacks</h3>
Criminals might send out similar EasyJet correspondence to install malware or a virus on a victim's device. With the malware installed, criminals can monitor your device, record keystrokes, activate your camera or microphone, and access sensitive information.
You can accidentally install malware without knowing, simply by clicking a link. This link might arrive as a text or email for EasyJet customers, appearing to come from the airline, increasing the likelihood of someone clicking it by mistake.
<h3>Credential Stuffing Attacks</h3>
Criminals often use credentials stolen during a data breach to access websites or applications where users might have an account. Using automation and a process of elimination, cybercriminals send out bots to test a user's email and password against thousands of websites and applications.
A recent example of a credential stuffing attack was <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-happened-during-nintendos-data-breach-in-2021">Nintendo's Data Breach in 2021</a>, where hackers accessed 300,000 Nintendo Switch accounts.
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<h2>How to Prevent a Data Breach at Your Company</h2>
While we don't know the exact reason for the EasyJet data breach, there are several ways hackers can infiltrate an organization. Most breaches involve the theft of employee login credentials which criminals use to access a company's internal systems.
Using a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager</a> like TeamPassword is an effective way to monitor access and prevent unauthorized credential sharing. TeamPassword is an affordable solution that uses state-of-the-art encryption technology for businesses of all sizes to share and manage passwords safely.
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<h2>What is TeamPassword?</h2>
TeamPassword is a password manager for companies to share login credentials with team members. Rather than share raw login credentials, you provide each team member with a TeamPassword account.
Instead of entering a password, team members use TeamPassword to log into an account&mdash;social media accounts, accounting software, development and marketing tools, content management systems, and more.
<h3>Built for Teams</h3>
Our customers love how safe and easy it is to <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-safely-share-passwords-with-coworkers">share passwords</a> with employees, contractors, and freelancers. With TeamPassword, you can create groups to provide access only to those who need it.
For example, if you're managing social media for a client, you can create a group in <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> and add your social media team to that group. You can remove team members with just one click!
<h3>Multiple Browser Extensions</h3>
TeamPassword features browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, so team members will always have account access with their preferred device.
To gain access, a user navigates to the website or application they want to access, clicks the TeamPassword browser extension, and selects the relevant login credentials.
<h3>Secure Password Generator</h3>
TeamPassword's built-in password generator lets you create robust passwords with just one click. To ensure every password is unique and secure, you can generate 12-32 character passwords with uppercase, lowercase, symbols, and numbers.
When you update a password, <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> automatically updates the new credentials for all team members.
<h3>Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)</h3>
In the unlikely event that a team member's password is stolen or they lose their device, 2FA acts as a second line of defense. TeamPassword uses Google Authenticator, which is available for iOS and Android devices.
<h3>Activity Log &amp; Notifications</h3>
An activity log lets managers monitor just about any action in TeamPassword, including logins, sharing, password updates, and more. You can also set up email notifications for sensitive accounts so you can stay on top of unauthorized access and sharing.
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The 2020 EasyJet data breach was the 2nd attack on a major European airline in less than 2 years. What happened and could've it be prevented

The 2020 EasyJet data breach was the 2nd attack on a major European airline in less than 2 ...

What Happened at The EasyJet Data Breach?

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.
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<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!
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<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;
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<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.
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<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>.
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<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.
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<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.
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<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.
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<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>.
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<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.
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<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!

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.

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

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

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

TeamPassword Blog

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