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

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

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

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

As a sales engineer, I speak to several customers and potential customers each month. I love being able to speak to current customers and future customers about our products to see how they can incorporate our services in with their company. Many of these individuals are small- to medium-sized businesses that are not &ldquo;technical.&rdquo; I throw technical in quotes since there is a vast crazy tech world out there and that term can be very vague.
Most of our customers and prospects do not have time to worry about data security and rightfully so. That is not what they excel at. Many of these companies are best at what they do and would rather focus on that. The reality, though, is that data security needs to be a priority as our society steers towards the world of the internet.
We love having conversations on how we can help or even just guide companies toward better practices. With the products and services that we provide, one of our customers brought a concern forth that made me realize how important password management is. They wanted to migrate from their current infrastructure over to one of the two online productivity suites (Microsoft Office 365 or Google G Suite). We discussed the transition process as well as a timeline of events. Whichever of the two our customers choose, I always advise that a best practice would be to enable 2-factor authentication when setting up user access.
With that enabled, you limit the risk of having your account being breached and are notified if something tries to get in. Although both of these products are built to be online suites, they both have the options to connect your drive (OneDrive or Google Drive) to your desktop. Although it is easy to access it online, some are not always connected to the internet and this feature allows users to still access their documents in the event that does happen. Both also offer an offline feature as well, but when the drives are connected to the computer, it seems less of a hassle. Then enters the question, &ldquo;What if my computer is stolen?&rdquo;
First, we always recommend having a backup of your data, whether it be in the cloud or on your desktop. But, the question here was, &ldquo;Does that thief have access to all the files connected to the computer if I have the drive for desktop?&rdquo; The answer is maybe. If they can guess the password to the computer, then all that data along with everything else on the computer is available to them. If a good, strong password is in place, then it will be harder to get into the computer to obtain that same information. There are remote wipe features that you can use with these online suite of services, but what if the computer was missing for hours or even days before you&rsquo;re able to do the wipe? Is your data safe?
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/9yCVCJdfR8eelSBhn2tD" alt="Secure Password" />
This led to me asking myself if my passwords were any good. Several experts suggest that you should have a different password for every site you visit. If you&rsquo;re like me, that can be daunting just to think about. Using a password manager, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/">TeamPassword</a>, is a great start so that you don&rsquo;t have to remember several different ones. You may want to cancel sites or services that you no longer need and change your passwords frequently. Although it is better to change them every 3 months or so, you do not want to do this if it will put you more at risk. An example of this is keeping the same password but having a small variation or having a sticky note stuck on your screen with the list of all your passwords.
If it is too much of a hassle, start by just changing your high-risk account passwords regularly to start getting accustomed to the process, then move to other accounts later on.

Most small businesses don't excel at data security, but it needs to be a priority given modern cyber threats.

Most of our customers and prospects do not have time to worry about data security and rightfully so. ...

Cloud Application Security: Password Security for G Suite & Office 365

Most of our customers and prospects do not have time to worry about data security and rightfully so. That is not what they excel at. Many of these companies are best at what they do and would rather focus on that. The reality, though, is that data security needs to be a priority as our society steers towards the world of the internet.

In our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2016/12/21/importance-of-good-password-management/">last blog post</a>, we wrote about the importance of having strong passwords to make it more difficult for cyber thieves to access your personal information. Today, I will focus on why you should use a &ldquo;Password Management Software&rdquo; tool such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lastpass.com/">LastPass</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dashlane.com/">Dashlane</a>&nbsp;just to name a few.
It is often said that we should have&nbsp;different&nbsp;passwords for each website or account that we use. If that is the case, how many of us really take the time to have multiple passwords (each with different password requirements)? The challenge of trying to memorize those passwords can be daunting especially if it is recommended to change your passwords every 30 - 180 days. Unfortunately, even changing passwords does not completely mitigate hackers from stealing your login information. In fact, how many of us reuse the same password for multiple websites and a leak in one site could give access to more than one account?
Long story short, wouldn&rsquo;t it be great not to have to worry about memorizing &ldquo;passwords&rdquo; for all of your frequently used accounts? You can simplify and protect your passwords by installing a Password Management Software that manages your passwords with a Primary Account that encrypts your database of your usernames and passwords.&nbsp;You only need to remember the ONE master password!
<h4 id="key-benefits-of-using-a-password-management-tool">Key benefits of using a password management tool:</h4>
<ol>
<li>Store unlimited number of passwords (Encrypted)</li>
<li>No need to remember &ldquo;all&rdquo; your usernames and passwords</li>
<li>Auto-login (Some of the password management tools also allow you to sync your passwords across all of your devices or even share a log-in)</li>
<li>A few of the tools are free</li>
<li>User friendly</li>
</ol>
As you install and utilize a password management tool, keep in mind some best practices like not sending &ldquo;cleartext&rdquo; to an authentication site, do not store in &ldquo;cleartext&rdquo; in case password file is compromised and lock accounts after pre-determined fails to prevent brute force attacks on accounts.
Hope these tips simplify your digital life and help you maintain a secure password management posture!
In fact, how many of us reuse the same password for multiple websites and a leak in one site could give access to more than one account?
Long story short, wouldn&rsquo;t it be great not to have to worry about memorizing &ldquo;passwords&rdquo; for all of your frequently used accounts? You can simplify and protect your passwords by installing a Password Management Software that manages your passwords with a Primary Account that encrypts your database of your usernames and passwords.&nbsp;You only need to remember the ONE master password!
<h4 id="key-benefits-of-using-a-password-management-tool">Key benefits of using a password management tool:</h4>
<ol>
<li>Store unlimited number of passwords (Encrypted)</li>
<li>No need to remember &ldquo;all&rdquo; your usernames and passwords</li>
<li>Auto-login (Some of the password management tools also allow you to sync your passwords across all of your devices or even share a log-in)</li>
<li>A few of the tools are free</li>
<li>User friendly</li>
</ol>
As you install and utilize a password management tool, keep in mind some best practices like not sending &ldquo;cleartext&rdquo; to an authentication site, do not store in &ldquo;cleartext&rdquo; in case password file is compromised and lock accounts after pre-determined fails to prevent brute force attacks on accounts.
Hope these tips simplify your digital life and help you maintain a secure password management posture!

Learn about the key benefits to using a password management tool.

It is often said that we should have different passwords for each website or account that we use. If that ...

Simplifying Password Management to Keep Your Data Secure

It is often said that we should have different passwords for each website or account that we use. If that is the case, how many of us really take the time to have multiple passwords (each with different password requirements)? The challenge of trying to memorize those passwords can be daunting especially if it is recommended to change your passwords every 30 - 180 days. Unfortunately, even changing passwords does not completely mitigate hackers from stealing your login information. In fact, how many of us reuse the same password for multiple websites and a leak in one site could give access to more than one account?

Did you know that the average person spends up to 11 hours a day online?
We are either online checking our email accounts, banking, shopping or on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. When it comes to protecting these accounts, most people do not have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2016/10/07/top-3-security-tips-for-national-cyber-security-awareness-month/">strong passwords</a>&nbsp;which can leave an opportunity for cyber thieves to hack your accounts and access your personal information.
This year, Mark Zuckerberg (CEO Facebook) told an audience that the average person spends 50 minutes per day on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger platforms.&nbsp;Did you know that Facebook accounts are hacked 600,000 times daily during user&rsquo;s log-in?&nbsp;In fact, Facebook records 1 billion logins each day and .06% of those logins are compromised. This was first reported by a UK-based computer security firm, Sophos. That being said, how many of us have the same password for Facebook and all of our other accounts such as financial services, email account, etc?
The above stats show that we need to have strong passwords to prevent or at least make it more difficult for cyber thieves to access your personal information. Today, cyber thieves use software programs that can generate password combinations of personal information, addresses, middle names and phone numbers. These programs are capable of thousands of login attempts per hour to gain access to your personal information and data. Yes, these thieves are using more advanced technology to steal your information or they can simply guess.
Always protect your personal information and data by creating a solid layer of defense by having strong passwords(change every 90 days) and utilize a password management tool such as LastPass or 1Password. If available, you can also use two-factor authentication. Below are some interesting stats and tips when creating a strong password.
<h2>Top 5 common passwords to avoid:</h2>
<ol>
<li>Numeric passwords such as 12345678.</li>
<li>Numeric passwords with numeric repeated digits such as 1111, 00000 or 202020.</li>
<li>Using the word password or variations such as&nbsp;p@ssword&nbsp;or passw0rd.</li>
<li>Using the word, Qwerty. It&rsquo;s the first keys from the left on the top row of your keyboard.</li>
<li>Sports names such as football, baseball, yankees, spurs and anything related to sports</li>
</ol>
<h2>How to create strong passwords?</h2>
<ol>
<li>Use 12 characters or more.</li>
<li>Include a combination of numbers, symbols, capital letters and lower-case letters.</li>
<li>Avoid dictionary words or combination of dictionary words. Example, &ldquo;house&rdquo; or &ldquo;red house.&rdquo;</li>
<li>Don&rsquo;t rely on obvious substitutions such as &ldquo;H0use.&rdquo; This isn&rsquo;t strong because you&rsquo;ve simply replaced with the o with a 0.</li>
</ol>
<h2>Some interesting stats:</h2>
<ul>
<li>Ninety percent of passwords generated by users are vulnerable to hacking.</li>
<li>One Billion Yahoo email accounts was compromised(hacked) in August of 2013. This does not include the breach that occurred and affected 500 million users in 2014.</li>
<li>Five Million Gmail passwords were hacked and released online in 2014.</li>
<li>Hackers stole 77 million Sony Playstation Network passwords in 2011.</li>
<li>The 2016 Identity Fraud Study released by Javelin Strategy &amp; Research, found that $15 billion were stolen from 13.1 million U.S. consumers in 2015 compared to $16 billion and 12.7 million victims a year earlier. In the past six years, cyber thieves have stolen $112 billion.</li>
</ul>
<h4 id="please-keep-your-data-safe-by-creating-strong-passwords">Please keep your data safe by creating STRONG passwords!</h4>

The average person spends up to 11 hours a day online, but a lack of strong passwords endangers accounts and personal information.

Did you know that the average person spends up to 11 hours a day online? We are either ...

Importance of Good Password Management

Did you know that the average person spends up to 11 hours a day online? We are either online checking our email accounts, banking, shopping or on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. But when it comes to protecting these accounts, most people do not have strong passwords.

<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/cBz9w4TsQ1eHzE8ace74" />
Chris Mechanic is co-founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.webmechanix.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">WebMechanix</a>, a digital marketing firm in Baltimore. Specializing in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising, and Marketing Automation, Chris Mechanic has learned a thing or two about good productivity. How did you manage your passwords before TeamPassword? It was somewhat ugly and somewhat insecure. We managed passwords largely via spreadsheets that lived in Google Drive. It was a pretty substantial struggle to make sure everything was in there, and then there was also the security risk and difficulty granting permissions. We basically had two different spreadsheets: one for mission-critical stuff that only executives had access to (e.g. FTP/hosting/CRM/CMS) and one for non-mission critical stuff that pretty much everyone had access to. We had like thirty clients at that time, so having a different spreadsheet for each client was cumbersome. How do you structure your TeamPassword account? We structure it in a similar way, largely--we've got a group in TeamPassword called "Sensitive Stuff." That's where we keep FTP creds, hosting information, and other sensitive stuff. We have one group called "Client Tools" for tools that we use across many clients, like MOZ. Then we also have a group for "Client-Specific Tools." Then another CRM group, which is more sensitive, so fewer people have access to it. We have a few other groups that are broken out by categories and functions and we're careful about the titles we use for passwords. For instance, a lot of our clients use Salesforce so we learned quickly to assign each client a 3-5 character code (for example, Pepsi would be PEP) and now we can easily see which Salesforce password to use. What's your favorite part of using TeamPassword? Well, it's beautiful because you don't need to access a spreadsheet prior to logging in. TeamPassword eliminates those small chunks of time wasted trying to remember a password- and that time can really add up. <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/VXgpCNiRJO7zrc20BxWb" width="454" height="385" />
What do you geek out about most at work? I geek out about everything digital marketing. SEO, PPC, analytics, and conversion. I'm also into "CEO stuff" like management philosophies, operational efficiency, and leadership. What is your best productivity tip? To eliminate distractions by doing things in chunks. I like to work in chunks of time. You should also have a plan before you start working. What advice would you give yourself ten years ago? 10 years ago I would have given myself the advice to invent TeamPassword. Just kidding. I would have given myself the advice to quit my job and start my company earlier.

Chris Mechanic is co-founder and CEO of WebMechanix, a digital marketing firm in Baltimore. Specializing in Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Chris Mechanic is co-founder and CEO of WebMechanix, a digital marketing firm in Baltimore. Specializing in Search Engine ...

From Ugly to Beautiful: WebMechanix's Switch to TeamPassword

Chris Mechanic is co-founder and CEO of WebMechanix, a digital marketing firm in Baltimore. Specializing in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising, and Marketing Automation, Chris Mechanic has learned a thing or two about good productivity. How did you manage your passwords before TeamPassword? It was somewhat ugly and ...

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.

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

Learn what to do if you forgot your Facebook password and how to use TeamPassword to make sure ...

What To Do If You Forgot Your Old Facebook Login

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

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>
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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 ...

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