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.

<h2>Secure Passwords Checklist: 10 Things You Need to Do to Keep Passwords Safe</h2>
There's no such thing as being too safe, especially when it comes to your passwords. As your personal data's one and only line of defence, you don't want to be caught cutting corners with your password when cybercriminals and hackers show up looking to crack your codes and steal your information. For this reason, it's absolutely&nbsp;essential to follow this secure passwords checklist to make sure you keep your passwords safe. Read on to see if there's anything you need to change &mdash; odds are, there will be.
Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free TeamPassword trial</a> to take advantage of the TeamPassword password manager today.
<h2>Keep Passwords on a Need-to-Know Basis</h2>
Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the leading causes of cybersecurity breaches is password sharing. It happens quite&nbsp;often, and for relatively innocent reasons: For example, say&nbsp;you tell your Netflix login to someone who then tells it to someone else who then tells it to someone else. Before long, a few dozen people have the same username and password you use for your banking, your social media, and your bills. The only way to prevent this is to simply not <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-most-secure-way-to-share-passwords" target="_blank" rel="noopener">share your passwords</a> with anyone who doesn't need to know them.
<h2>Don't Reuse Old Passwords.</h2>
While it might be tempting to reuse the same password with a different variation each time you're asked to reset it, you should&nbsp;resist this urge and go with a new password each time. If you continue to switch up a letter here or a number there while sticking to the same basic password, it'll be incredibly simple for cybercriminals to crack your logins and have their way with your personal data and vital info.
<h2>Two-Factor Authentication Is a Must</h2>
When given the opportunity to enable two-factor authentication, you should&nbsp;absolutely go for it. Two-factor authentication sends a call, a text, or an email to your personal device when logging in, preventing <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/have-i-been-hacked-how-to-know-for-sure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hackers</a> or cybercriminals from having such easy access to your login. Even if they have your username and password, it's pretty unlikely that they'll be able to&nbsp;see your texts or answer your phone.
<h2>Make Sure Each Website Has Its Own Unique Password</h2>
Plenty of us are guilty of using the same password across all our different accounts. It's easy to remember, and it allows you to log in faster, but it also makes you more vulnerable to widespread hacking if someone ends up getting their hands on your password. If the same virtual key fits in all of your online padlocks, cybercriminals can have an open season on your data and info with ease. Each new website should get its own unique password.
<h2>Change Your Passwords Often</h2>
If it ain't broke, why fix it, right? When it comes to passwords, this is dead wrong. Not every website prompts its users to change their password frequently, so it's easy to forget that this is one of the most essential defence mechanism against getting hacked. Change your passwords often &mdash; once every month&nbsp;or so, if you can bear to. It'll absolutely be worth your while in the long run because it essentially turns you into a virtual moving target.
<h2>Think Phrases Instead of Words</h2>
While the word "password" suggests something short and simple, you should&nbsp;start thinking of phrases instead of words. Passphrases are longer and more complex than passwords, and they make things harder to crack for cybercriminals while staying easy to remember for you. A song lyric, a favourite quote, anything &mdash; the longer and more obscure it is, the safer you'll be.
<h2>Use a Password Manager</h2>
Now that you've made up some complex passphrases that are unique to each website you log in to, you're going to need a safe place to store all of them. Obviously, it's not very safe to just write them down on a piece of paper or a Word document out in the open. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Password managers</a> safely and securely encrypt your various passwords, making them virtually impenetrable to hackers and cybercriminals.
Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free TeamPassword trial</a> to take advantage of the TeamPassword password manager today.
<h2>Log Out, Then Close the Window</h2>
It's really tempting to leave all our favourite tabs up on our laptops or our phones so that we can have easy access to all our websites and things. Unfortunately, if your device falls into the wrong hands, you've essentially made it easier than ever for your passwords to be <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-scariest-data-breaches-of-all-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">breached</a> &mdash; especially if you're still logged in across all your tabs. The best thing you can do is to log out and close out of your tab when you're done with it. (And you can always bookmark the site instead of leaving it open.)
<h2>Beware of Public Networks</h2>
Free Wi-Fi has been a staple of coffee shops, restaurants, stores, and countless other public places for years now. As such, it was only a matter of time before hackers found a way to take advantage of this. Public networks are much less secure than home internet connections, and you're a lot more vulnerable to having your passwords stolen when logging into your various accounts on these public Wi-Fi hotspots. If you must connect to a public network, use a VPN (virtual private network) to secure yourself.
<h2>Take Caution When Choosing Reset Options</h2>
When you choose your security questions when creating a new username and password, you should&nbsp;always be sure not to choose answers that could be easily discovered on the internet: Things like your pet's name that you posted on social media, the name of the street you used to live on, or even your mother's maiden name. When you go with these sorts of questions, you make it easier for someone to come along and reset your password without your knowledge, effectively locking you out of your own account with relative ease.
<h2>The Bottom Line: Password Safety Is Essential</h2>
At the end of the day,&nbsp;password safety is just as essential as locking your front door or your car &mdash; if not more. By following this secure passwords checklist and using <a href="https://teampassword.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeamPassword</a>'s password manager to store all your login info, you'll be able to better ensure your online safety across the board. Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free trial</a> today.

When it comes to online security, you can never be too safe, especially with passwords. These 10 tips will help you develop secure passwords

When it comes to online security, you can never be too safe, especially with passwords. These 10 tips ...

10 Things You Need to Do to Keep Passwords Safe

Password theft remains a constant concern among organizations in the digital world. External malicious actors have stolen passwords through<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/the-scariest-data-breaches-of-all-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> sophisticated cyber attacks</a> that involve social engineering and phishing tactics. However, at times,&nbsp;the threat of cyber theft may stem from within an organization - dissatisfied former employees with malicious intentions.&nbsp;
The consequences of data breaches from ex-employees can be devastating to the organization. Some examples include the loss of corporate secrets, service disruptions, and compromised customer data. To avoid insider threats, organizations should implement reliable password management software and safety procedures to safeguard their networks.&nbsp;
TeamPassword&rsquo;s advanced password management features, such as multi-factor authentication, and random password generation, can help teams ward off an internal password theft attack.<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Sign up for a trial</a> to protect your precious company assets.&nbsp;

<h2>1) Systematic Password Handovers&nbsp;</h2>
The first and most direct step involves obtaining all account passwords from employees before they leave the company. Additionally, organizations should change the passwords or reset them before entrusting accounts to the next position holder. By doing so, organizations can reduce the risks of former employees remotely accessing workplace accounts.&nbsp;
Additionally, employers should revoke all access privileges from ex-employees immediately. For greater assurance, organizations should implement a real-time monitoring system that tracks the permissions granted to each user within each component of the organizational network.&nbsp;
An advanced monitor system enables administrators to maintain surveillance over user interactions and identify unusual behaviour, suggesting a sign of a data breach. These include a spike in user activity, large file transfers, and the access of rarely accessed documents.&nbsp;

<h2>2) Consider Professional Shredding Services</h2>
In some cases, organizations may consider hiring the services of a professional digital shredder. Like conventional office shredders on paper documents, professional digital shredders render digital information unreadable and prevent the risks of unauthorized access. The method works best for obsolete documents that may contain highly confidential information - such as workplace passwords.&nbsp;

<h2>3) Password Protection Training&nbsp;</h2>
Regular password protection training can help current and future employees safeguard their credentials, especially in unprotected online conversations with former colleagues. Employees will also learn the importance of setting up complex passwords and <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/top-five-mistakes-when-sharing-passwords-with-your-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">avoiding easily hacked combinations</a> (i.e., repeated letters or birthdates).&nbsp;
Through specialized training, employees will also learn how to spot the signs of password theft and avoid sharing confidential information in personal communication apps and other high-risk peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing applications.&nbsp;

<h2>4) Deploy Encryption</h2>
Encryption provides confidential information with an additional layer of protection. By encrypting communication channels and account logins, organizations prevent former employees from accessing and using unauthorized information without the required key.&nbsp;
TeamPassword&rsquo;s password manager offers built-in encryption that protects valuable credentials from unauthorized parties. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Begin with a trial </a>to start benefitting from improved password protection.&nbsp;

<h2>5) Remove Unused Accounts</h2>
Resourceful ex-employees may resort to locating and accessing idle/inactive organizational accounts as a backdoor into the network. As such, employers should perform regular audits to detect and deactivate unused accounts that may potentially serve as a medium for stealing passwords. 
Typically, organizations should consider enforcing&nbsp;a security protocol that eliminates accounts that have been inactive for more than three months.&nbsp;

<h2>6) Enforce Principle of Least Privilege&nbsp;</h2>
The principle of least privilege (POLP) is an information security policy that restricts employee accounts to the minimum permissions required to perform their routine tasks and roles.&nbsp;
While POLP does not prevent data theft, it reduces the impact of password theft and compromised accounts. Organizations should consider enforcing&nbsp;POLP in addition to password protection initiatives to optimize their network security.&nbsp;

<h2>7) Implement Anti-theft Surveillance&nbsp;</h2>
Organizations should apply constant surveillance at workstations to prevent opportunistic physical access and theft of hard drives, laptops, and other portable devices. BYOD practices may lead to increased vulnerabilities, with employees storing passwords on personal devices.&nbsp;
Therefore, employees should provide constant reminders on the importance of password protection beyond the workplace. Alternatively, employers may consider adopting employee policies that ban the storage of corporate passwords in personal devices (because of limited surveillance and higher risks of a compromise).&nbsp;

<h2>8) Adopt Strict Data Policies</h2>
A clear and systematic series of employee policies will help deter password theft in the long term. For example, companies may exclude employees from administrator roles/groups containing a wide range of permissions that have devastating consequences if compromised. Data classification and retention policies identify all data generated within an organizational system and how long it stays.&nbsp;
Well-defined data policies enable more reliable tracking and management of data end-points and user access to minimize the risks of password theft.&nbsp;

<h2>9) Apply a Trusted Password Manager&nbsp;</h2>
TeamPassword&rsquo;s reliable password manager application enables teams to conveniently store and access their respective passwords while keeping them encrypted and secure. The advanced program works from desktops, laptops, and other mobile devices. The software syncs in real-time, providing unmatched accountability by logging the activities of each user.&nbsp;
Teams may look forward to <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/the-most-secure-way-to-share-passwords" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sharing their passwords with peace of mind</a> with TeamPassword&rsquo;s intuitive solution. With a few simple clicks, organizations can provide users with access or remove them from a group. Whether it is a collaboration within the departments and internal teams or with external coordinators, TeamPassword makes password management safe and effortless.&nbsp;
With TeamPassword, you can reduce the risks of internal threats and.<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Start a free trial today</a> to optimize your organization&rsquo;s password management practices.&nbsp;

Password theft may occur at times from ex-employees with bad intentions. Companies can prevent threats by adopting these safety measures.

Password theft may occur at times from ex-employees with bad intentions. Companies can prevent threats by adopting these ...

Prevent Password Theft From Ex-Employees

Keeping up with your passwords can be difficult, especially when you have different passwords for multiple platforms. If you&rsquo;re currently using Zoho to manage your passwords, here&rsquo;s an alternative you may appreciate.&nbsp;You can try a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free trial here</a>.
<h2>Why Do You Need a Zoho Alternative?&nbsp;</h2>
When it comes to password management, you need a platform that gives you options. Although Zoho is easy to use and offers a free plan, there are numerous drawbacks to consider. You deserve a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-often-should-you-change-your-password-the-importance-of-password-safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">password</a> management platform your business can use.
<h2>What Are the Cons of Zoho?&nbsp;</h2>
<h3>Free Plan&nbsp;</h3>
While Zoho offers a free plan, this plan is limited and only suitable for small businesses. This free plan is subpar in comparison to other free trial options, such as&nbsp;TeamPassword. If you want to experience everything Zoho&nbsp;offers, you&rsquo;ll need to switch to a paid plan. So much for being &ldquo;free.&rdquo;&nbsp;
<h3>Problems with Usability&nbsp;</h3>
Zoho uses AJAX software, which confuses many of its users. When using Zoho, the app doesn&rsquo;t act or respond in many traditional password management platforms. When you click the &ldquo;back&rdquo; button, you&rsquo;re not redirected to the previous page, creating chaos for many Zoho users.&nbsp;
<h3>Importing Contacts&nbsp;</h3>
If you&rsquo;re interested in using social media to import your contacts, you&rsquo;re out of luck. The only way you can import your contract&rsquo;s information is by building your client details using Zoho&rsquo;s built-in mail feature.&nbsp;
<h3>Lack of Custom Fields&nbsp;</h3>
If you require more than 150 custom fields per module, Zoho won&rsquo;t be much help. You&rsquo;ll need to increase the limit, which can be a frustrating hassle.&nbsp;
<h3>Issues with Campaign Management&nbsp;</h3>
Managing your campaign is not as easy as you may have been hoping. The campaign management tools provided by Zoho are complicated to use and slow, making them ineffective. You&rsquo;ll experience issues importing leads from your social media platforms, hindering your campaign efforts.&nbsp;
<h3>Product Portfolio&nbsp;</h3>
Although Zoho offers a diverse product portfolio, you won&rsquo;t find the variety of product integration features that are present with other password management platforms, such as&nbsp;TeamPassword.&nbsp;
<h3>Customer Support&nbsp;</h3>
Response time from customer support is essential, especially when you have an urgent issue. Zoho&rsquo;s customer support response time is slow, especially when you&rsquo;re seeking help with the desktop application.&nbsp;
<h3>Only Suitable for Specific Businesses&nbsp;</h3>
Zoho is geared&nbsp;toward small and medium-sized businesses. If you operate and maintain a large company, you likely have complex business processes, which Zoho isn&rsquo;t capable of handling. You&rsquo;ll have to find an alternative to Zoho.&nbsp;
<h3>Competition&nbsp;</h3>
The Zoho CRM software has a lot of competition, which means other password management platforms are potentially better.&nbsp;
<h2>Why Team Password?&nbsp;</h2>
You have a plethora of password management platforms, so what makes&nbsp;TeamPassword&nbsp;great?&nbsp;TeamPassword&nbsp;is your simple solution for secure team password management. Give your team peace of mind with collaborating.&nbsp;There's also a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeamPassword free trial</a>; you&nbsp;can sign up to check out the different features and benefits.
<h2>What Are the Benefits and Features of&nbsp;TeamPassword?&nbsp;</h2>
There are a variety of benefits and features that TeamPassword provides.
<h3>Accessibility&nbsp;</h3>
TeamPassword&nbsp;gives you password management access everywhere, including:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Your desktop&nbsp;</li>
<li>The web&nbsp;</li>
<li>Mobile devices&nbsp;</li>
<li>Your laptop&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
In addition to these features, access the click and go feature using the&nbsp;<a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/teampassword/cikdbigchmgednjbjppflefljobhnhca?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeamPassword&nbsp;extension</a> that&rsquo;s available or Chrome, Safari, and Firefox&nbsp;browsers.&nbsp;
<h3>Sharing&nbsp;</h3>
The passwords your team needs to access sensitive data and other information are in one place. You can easily and quickly share passwords and login information with team members, external collaborators, and everyone else!&nbsp;
<h3>Multiple Team Support&nbsp;</h3>
Whether you need to manage multiple teams or have many clients,&nbsp;TeamPassword&nbsp;allows you to use your account to access&nbsp;all of&nbsp;your passwords in one location. Storing your passwords in one location makes&nbsp;you&nbsp;a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/why-you-need-a-password-manager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">password management</a> pro.&nbsp;
<h3>Extensive Security&nbsp;</h3>
Suppose you need to generate a new password for a shared or private login; no worries!&nbsp;TeamPassword&nbsp;has a built-in password generator that creates strong, random, and secure passwords in seconds. In addition to creating strong and secure passwords,&nbsp;TeamPassword&nbsp;features two-step verification that provides an additional layer of security. Two-step verification requires you to use a Google Authenticator code in addition to providing your password. If you get locked out of your account, you can generate <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/is-the-future-passwords-or-passwordless-authentication" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unique backup codes</a> to regain access to your account.&nbsp;
<h3>Logging&nbsp;</h3>
Keep an eye on your team&rsquo;s activity using&nbsp;TeamPassword&rsquo;s&nbsp;activity and logging feature. You don&rsquo;t have to worry about sending multiple chats and emails asking about login activity. With this activity and login feature, you can see the logins your team uses, which logins are inactive, and when shared logins are updating.&nbsp;
<h3>Email Notifications&nbsp;</h3>
Never miss team activity by using email notifications. Receive instant emails when a login is detected, a group is added to the team, and when a team member joins, is invited, or removed.&nbsp;
<h3>Secure Encryption Technology</h3>
TeamPassword&rsquo;s&nbsp;security features give you peace of mind. When you share logins with&nbsp;TeamPassword, your sensitive data is hashed, salted, and encrypted on your computer using an&nbsp;encrypted&nbsp;connection.&nbsp;
Here at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeamPassword</a>, we understand your need for secure passwords, security, and accessibility. Our platform is easy to use and provides the most secure way to store and share your login and password information. Experience peace of mind with a&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeamPassword free trial</a>&nbsp;today!&nbsp;

Zoho is a good password manager, but are there better offerings out there? Learn about TeamPassword and its features compared to Zoho.

Zoho is a good password manager, but are there better offerings out there? Learn about TeamPassword and its ...

Zoho Alternatives

If you&rsquo;re like most Americans, you spend a huge part of your life online. You probably use your phone or your laptop to socialize, shop, and even make medical appointments. That means website and databases are storing a lot of your personal information, so it's important for you to protect yourself from data breaches that could leave you exposed to hackers.
What&rsquo;s a data breach? It&rsquo;s the name for a massive online theft of personal information. Hackers can target corporations or even branches of the government, breaking in and stealing all the information stored on their sites. Major data breaches can affect millions or even billions of people. 
Curious about what a big data breach looks like? This article describes some of the biggest data breaches in recent history. You&rsquo;ll also learn how to protect yourself the next time there&rsquo;s a breach.
With 2-step authentication, random password generation, and other security features, TeamPassword is the No.1 password management solution for teams that want to prevent a data breach. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Register for a free trial</a> today. 
<h2>The Facebook Breach</h2>
In 2019, about 540 million Facebook users had their personal information suddenly exposed. This time, it didn&rsquo;t even happen because of hackers. Instead, it turned out that Facebook was simply failing to protect many of its databases in any significant way. Passwords or any form of encryption did not protect the databases, meaning that just about anyone could Google around and find other people&rsquo;s data.
Since Facebook stores a vast amount of private data, this should set off alarm bells for many people. If hackers steal your Facebook password, they will immediately start testing to see whether you use that same password for other sites. 
One way around that problem is to use <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeamPassword</a> to generate new passwords for every site you visit. This way, you&rsquo;ll never have to worry about hackers accessing your private financial and medical data just because they broke into your social media page.
Read more: <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/how-often-should-you-change-your-password-the-importance-of-password-safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How Often Should You Change Your Password? The Importance of Password Safety.</a>
<h2>The eBay Breach</h2>
In May 2014, eBay announced it had been the victim of a major cyberattack. The online auction house had 145 million users, and all of their data became exposed during the attack. That meant users' names, addresses, dates of birth, and passwords were all visible to the hackers who broke into eBay. 
The customers&rsquo; financial information was not exposed, since it was stored separately. However, this kind of&nbsp;data breach was (and is) massively dangerous. That&rsquo;s because many people re-use the same password from one website to another. 
In other words, there was a good chance that eBay customers were using the same passwords for their eBay accounts as for, say, their online bank accounts. If a hacker stole their eBay passwords, that hacker might get access to their other accounts.
<h2>The Capital One Breach</h2>
In 2019, a hacker gained access to private data belonging to about 100 million Capital One customers. That data included the customers&rsquo; accounts and their credit card applications. The company said that customers&rsquo; credit card numbers were not exposed, and neither were their bank account numbers.
This wasn&rsquo;t the first time that hackers targeted Capital One. In July 2013, cybercriminals attacked the financial corporation, exposing personal information belonging to about 106 million people. Here, customers&rsquo; credit card information was exposed. So were their social security numbers and their bank account numbers.
<h2>The Equifax Breach</h2>
In June 2017, Equifax announced that there had been a major data breach, exposing an estimated 147.9 million of the credit bureau&rsquo;s customers. This time, hackers gained access to customers&rsquo; dates of birth, social security numbers, and addresses. In some cases, the cybercriminals also gained access to customers&rsquo; credit history information.
Not only was private information stolen, but the hackers got enough data to make an educated guess about the Equifax customers&rsquo; other passwords. After all, many people use their dates of birth, or even part of their social security numbers, to create passwords. By getting access to that information, the cybercriminals may have gained access to valuable other passwords.
<h2>The Heartland Payment Systems Breach</h2>
In March 2008, hackers broke into the Heartland Payment systems database, exposing information from 134 million people. Eventually, authorities caught the team behind the cyberattack. But customers&rsquo; credit card information, along with other personal data, had already been exposed.
When hackers steal data, one of their first moves is to try to&nbsp;discover customers&rsquo; passwords to other lucrative sites&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;like their bank accounts. If you&rsquo;ve been using the same password for all your sign-ins, know that a data breach could seriously expose you. However, if you&rsquo;ve been using <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeamPassword</a> to generate random, hacker-defying passwords, you should&nbsp;be safe!
Read more: <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/the-biggest-data-breaches-of-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Biggest Data Breaches of 2020</a>
<h2>The Adobe Breach</h2>
In 2013, Adobe reported that records belonging to about 153 million people had been exposed in a cyberattack. It&rsquo;s worth noting that Adobe tried hard to downplay the attack. The company first claimed that only 3 million of its customers were impacted. Later, they admitted that the number was at least 150 million.
Why does that matter? Customers may not have even been aware that their data was compromised when Adobe first announced the breach. Unless they were paying close attention, customers may not have known to take action until well after the attack took place.
<h2>The LinkedIn Breach</h2>
There have been at least two major breaches at LinkedIn in the past decade. The first happened in 2012, and the second happened in 2016.
Why is the social networking site such a popular target for hackers? In part, it may be that it&rsquo;s such a data-rich website. LinkedIn users store all kinds of personal data on the site, from their dates of birth and address to their employment history and lists of contacts.
Besides that, hackers target LinkedIn for the passwords. Cybercriminals appear to have targeted LinkedIn for lists of emails and passwords belonging to millions of users.
<h2>The&nbsp;MyFitnessPal Breach</h2>
In February 2018, data belonging to 150 million people became exposed when MyFitnessPal was the victim of a major cyberattack. Hackers stole customers&rsquo; usernames, email address, and passwords in the breach and&nbsp;put them up for sale.
Why did cybercriminals want those passwords? Undoubtedly, so they could try to use them to break into people&rsquo;s other accounts. Customers who re-use passwords from one account to the next can easily become victims and have their medical or financial data stolen as soon as one of their passwords is exposed. That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s always a good idea to take precautions.
<h2>The Yahoo Breach</h2>
Back in 2014, hackers forced their way into the Yahoo network and stole information belonging to an estimated 500 million users. The cybercriminals stole names, <a href="https://respona.com/blog/how-to-find-someones-email-address/" rel="follow">email addresses</a>, and dates of birth.
What&rsquo;s so frightening about this attack? Besides the massive scale, it&rsquo;s the fact that the attack went unreported for years. Yahoo did not announce the data breach until 2016&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;two years after the attack. Yahoo has, similarly, waited for years before announcing a data breach from 2013 that also exposed the data of hundreds of millions of users.
<h2>The Cam4 Breach</h2>
In March 2020, adult video streaming site Cam4 revealed that&nbsp;cybercriminals&nbsp;had attacked its server. The massive data breach left more than 10 million personal records exposed.
Because of the nature of&nbsp;Cam4&rsquo;s business, the data stolen was particularly&nbsp;sensitive. Customers stored information on the site that included customers' actual names, email addresses, sexual orientation, and records of their chats on the site.
Some people expressed concerns that Cam4 customers could become exposed to blackmail because of the information hackers had accessed.
<h2>The Danger of Password Theft</h2>
Data breaches are dangerous and damaging. They can cost businesses millions of dollars, and they can leave customers vulnerable to having their private information exposed online.
One way that breaches are so damaging involves password theft. Once hackers steal your password from one site, they will input it into all of your other accounts, hoping&nbsp;you use the same password on other sites. 
If they find out you use the same password, they can get into your bank account and transfer your funds to their own account. They can steal your credit cards or even your social security number and sell it on the dark web. Or, they can access private information from other sites and use it to blackmail you. There&rsquo;s no limit to what cybercriminals can do once they access your data.
Read more: <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/why-you-need-a-free-google-chrome-browser-extension-for-password-management-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Why You Need a Free Google Chrome Browser Extension for Password Management Now</a>
<h2>Protecting Yourself and Your Passwords</h2>
All too often, people reuse passwords because they can&rsquo;t keep track of the passwords they use for all the websites they visit. After all, every time you shop for clothes, you need one password&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;then you might order groceries, and use a different password&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;and then you might make an appointment with your doctor, and need still another password.
It gets difficult to remember all these passwords. It&rsquo;s natural to want to simplify things by using one password for all your websites. But that can leave you exposed to a very serious attack whenever hackers gain access to any of the sites you visit.
<h2>How TeamPassword Helps</h2>
TeamPassword is the all-in-one password management solution for teams like yours. With features like 2-step verification, easy password sharing, and a secure unique password generator, you can protect yourself from data breaches like the ones on this list. 
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sign up today to get a free trial</a> and find out how TeamPassword keeps you safe even with a data breach.

Learn what the scariest data breaches of all time are and how can you protect your data from hackers with help from TeamPassword.

Learn what the scariest data breaches of all time are and how can you protect your data from ...

The Scariest Data Breaches of All Time

The year&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-biggest-data-breaches-of-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biggest data breaches</a>&nbsp;don&rsquo;t always involve credit card and Social Security numbers. Often, cybercriminals use data breaches to access fairly mundane information, such as email addresses and usernames.
This might not seem like a big deal&mdash;after all, a lot of people have your email address. However, each piece of data takes hackers one step closer to accessing your accounts. If they can manage to&nbsp;crack your secure passwords, they can steal financial information, company secrets, and other data that you want to be kept private.
Hackers might not even need to use software to crack your password and enter your account. All too often, people share passwords in unsafe ways. That makes it even easier for cybercriminals to steal your data.
Protect your accounts by&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">starting a free trial with TeamPassword</a>.
<h2>Why You Need a Safe Way to Share Passwords</h2>
Conventional wisdom says that you should update passwords&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-often-should-you-change-your-password-the-importance-of-password-safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once per business quarter</a>. In reality, you should&nbsp;change them much more frequently. Hackers use sophisticated software that can test thousands of passwords an hour. The better their technology gets, the more often you need to update your passwords.
Generating passwords every few weeks will keep your accounts more secure. The downside, of course, is that you need to share passwords every time you change them. Otherwise, your team members will lose access to applications and accounts that they need to be productive.
Your business can&rsquo;t function when employees and managers lose access to shared accounts. That means you need a secure way to share passwords while reducing the risk of someone stealing your information.
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Start a free trial with TeamPassword</a>,&nbsp;so you don&rsquo;t need to worry about common mistakes that threaten your security.
<h2>Avoid These Common Mistakes When Sharing Passwords</h2>
People tend to&nbsp;make a lot of mistakes when they create and share passwords. Make sure your employees know to avoid these pitfalls.
<h3>Choosing Passwords That Colleagues Can Remember Easily</h3>
Secure passwords are hard to remember because they include a lot of random characters. The human brain does a great job at recognizing patterns. When it comes to random information, it struggles to remember even the first few characters.
This encourages most people to choose passwords that they and their colleagues can remember easily. It&rsquo;s so much easier for every on the team to remember &ldquo;thisisournewpassword1!&rdquo; than &ldquo;,k(,DyX2E_*&amp;53Tt&rdquo;.
When people don&rsquo;t choose secure passwords, they make a hacker&rsquo;s job much easier.
<h3>Sharing Passwords Through Chat or Spreadsheets</h3>
Sharing passwords through chat and spreadsheets makes sense from the perspective of convenience:
<ul>
<li>A group chat seems like the easiest way to get new passwords to everyone who needs them.</li>
<li>Spreadsheets create a central place to store the passwords for all accounts.</li>
</ul>
The benefits reveal the security problems. When you distribute passwords through group chat, you run the risk of including people who don&rsquo;t have authorization to use the account. Also, a hacker who breaks into your chat will see the messages that contain all of your passwords.
Spreadsheets offer a treasure trove of information for cybercriminals. Anyone who breaks into your network&mdash;or simply stumbles upon a shared Google Spreadsheet&mdash;has all of your passwords in one convenient location.
<h2>Use a Password Manager With a Sharing Tool</h2>
As more people receive Covid-19 vaccines, workplaces are reopening. Unfortunately, just like the shift to remote work created security concerns, returning to the office&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/why-password-management-matters-more-when-returning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raises potential problems</a>.
As you update your accounts and passwords, you need to share the information with team members. A password manager offers the most secure way to distribute the new passwords to everyone.
A password manager stores all of a person&rsquo;s account passwords in a central location. It doesn&rsquo;t have the security problems of a spreadsheet, though, because it requires two-step verification. Before someone can access the new passwords, they need to log in to the password manager accounts with a password and a time-sensitive authentication code.
That extra step makes it much more challenging for hackers to steal your information. When you make yourself a difficult target, they move on to other companies with lighter security.
<h2>Share Passwords Safely With TeamPassword</h2>
TeamPassword has all of the features you need to generate passwords, log activity when employees and managers access accounts and share passwords securely with specific coworkers.
Get started with <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a free trial</a>&nbsp;that lets you experience the security of TeamPassword so that you can make an informed decision.

Your team members need to share passwords with each other. Make sure they use the most secure ways to share to prevent unauthorized access.

Your team members need to share passwords with each other. Make sure they use the most secure ways ...

The Most Secure Way to Share Passwords

Learn what to do if you forgot your Facebook password and how to use TeamPassword to make sure you never forget a password again.

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What To Do If You Forgot Your Old Facebook Login

What To Do If You Forgot Your Old Facebook Login | TeamPassword

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

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

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

Top 5 Dangerous Ways to Store Your Passwords

Password encryption is essential to store user credentials stored in a database securely. Without password encryption, anyone accessing a user database on a company's servers (including hackers) could easily view any stored passwords.
Even a strong 32-character password created using a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">secure password generator</a> is useless without password-encryption! If someone can read your password on a server, they can use it simply by copy/pasting it&mdash;no matter how long or complicated the password might be!
Encryption scrambles your password before saving it on the server. So, if someone hacks the server, instead of finding password123, they find a random series of letters and numbers.
In this article, we're going to explore the world of password encryption, why <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/tips-and-tricks-to-create-a-strong-password">strong passwords matter</a>, and how you can practice better password management!
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> is the password management solution for small businesses! Create, store, and share login credentials safely with employees, contractors, and clients. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today!
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;[Table of Contents]
<ul>
<li><a href="#understandingpasswordencryption" rel="follow">Understanding Password Encryption</a></li>
<li><a href="#howdoespasswordencryptionwork" rel="follow">How Does Password Encryption Work?</a></li>
<li><a href="#5commonpasswordencryptionmethods" rel="follow">5 Common Password Encryption Methods</a></li>
<li><a href="#whystrongpasswordsmatter" rel="follow">Why Strong Passwords Matter</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="understandingpasswordencryption">Understanding Password Encryption</h2>
To explain password encryption effectively, we must first grasp the language. Several terms might be unfamiliar, so here is a quick intro to password encryption terminology.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Key: Used to lock and unlock passwords using a random string of bits. You get private and public keys that crypt and decrypt data differently, but we won't get too deep in the weeds with keys!</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Bits: A logical state with one of two possible values, including 1/0, true/false, yes/no, or on/off as typical examples.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Block (block cipher): A deterministic algorithm operating on fixed-length groups of bits, called blocks.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hash function: The algorithm that uses the key to create password encryption and decryption. A hash function is essentially a piece of code that runs every time someone saves a password or logs into an application.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hash: A random series of numbers and letters representing your password. The hash function uses your hash instead of the raw password for authentication.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Salt: Additional letters and numbers appended to the hash</li>
</ul>
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2 id="howdoespasswordencryptionwork">How Does Password Encryption Work?</h2>
When you save a new password, a hash function creates a hash version and saves that on the server.&nbsp;
Every time you log in using your password, the hash function recreates the hash to see if it matches what's stored. If the hashes match, the algorithm passes the authentication and logs you in.&nbsp;
For example:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Original password: Pa$$w0rd123</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hashed password: 6AF1CE202340​FE71BDB914AD5357​E33A6982A63B</li>
</ul>
While this might seem secure, simple hashed passwords aren't hack-proof.
The hash function only creates a unique hash for each password, not each user. So, if multiple users have the password, Pa$$w0rd123, the hash will be exactly the same.
To overcome this encryption vulnerability, engineers salt passwords so each hash is unique, even if the passwords are identical.
<h3>How Salt Works</h3>
A salt appends a unique value of 8 bytes (16 characters) to the password before the hash function creates a hash. This way, even identical passwords are unique before the hash function.
For example:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Two identical passwords: Pa$$w0rd123</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Salt value one: E1F53135E559C253</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Salt value two: 84B03D034B409D4E</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password one before hash: Pa$$w0rd123E1F53135E559C253</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password two before hash: Pa$$w0rd12384B03D034B409D4E</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password one hashed value (SHA256): 72AE25495A7981​C40622D49F9A52E4F15​65C90F048F59027BD9​C8C8900D5C3D8</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password two hashed value (SHA256): B4B6603ABC670​967E99C7E7F1389E40​CD16E78AD38EB1468E​C2AA1E62B8BED3A</li>
</ul>
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2 id="5commonpasswordencryptionmethods">5 Common Password Encryption Methods</h2>
<h3>1. Data Encryption Standard (DES)</h3>
While applications no longer use Data Encryption Standard (DES), it's important to mention this password encryption method because of its history and influence on more secure modern standards.
IBM developed DES as a 56-bit encryption technology in the early 1970s. The NSA adopted and improved DES before it was approved worldwide as the encryption standard.
However, since the late 70s, hackers have been able to break DES encrypted passwords. In 1999, ethical hackers managed to break a DES key in under 24 hours.&nbsp;
To make DES more secure, engineers created Triple DES and later Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which we still use today.
<h3>2. Triple DES</h3>
Triple DES uses three 56-bit keys (blocks) to create 168-bit encryption (some security experts argue that Triple DES is only 112 bits strong). Although Triple-DES is slowly being phased out, many financial institutions still use it to encrypt ATM PINs.
<h3>3. Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)</h3>
AES is the new encryption standard&mdash;trusted by the United States Government and many other prominent organizations globally. At 128 bits, AES is sufficiently secure, but most organizations prefer heavy-duty 256-bit encryption.
At <a href="https://teampassword.com/security">TeamPassword</a>, we use 256-bit encryption to store passwords, ensuring the highest levels of security for our clients. We're also a <a href="https://teampassword.com/security">secure hosting provider</a> holding multiple security accreditations.
Hackers can only break an AES encrypted password through a brute-force attack&mdash;trying password combinations to find the right one.
To counter brute-force attacks, applications will lock an account after a certain number of attempts or use tools like Google's reCAPTURE.
<h3>4. Blowfish</h3>
American cryptographer, Bruce Schneier, designed Blowfish in 1993 as an antidote to the weak DES encryption. Blowfish uses a 64-bit block and variable key length of 32 to 448 bits.
Although Blowfish is more robust than its DES predecessor, the 64-bit block is still vulnerable to attacks, most commonly birthday attacks&mdash;a cryptographic attack that exploits the mathematics behind the algorithm.
To solve Blowfish vulnerabilities, engineers created Twofish in 1998 (128-bit blocks with 256-bit keys) and Threefish in 2008 (256, 516, 1024-bit blocks with 256, 516, 1024-bit keys).
<h3>5. Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA)</h3>
RSA is one of the oldest and widely used to transfer data securely. The encryption works with two keys, two large prime numbers, and an additional auxiliary value.
Due to the complicated encrypting and decrypting process, there is no known method for breaking RSA encryption.&nbsp;
Although widely used for transferring data, RSA is slow and not suitable for password encryption.
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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 ...

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