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

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

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

What is password encryption and how much is enough?

What is password encryption and how does it work?

A secure password is the lynchpin to keeping your business safe. However, there&rsquo;s often a trade-off between convenience and cybersecurity when storing your passwords. This can lead people to cut corners when storing passwords. Conversely, the most secure password solutions are sometimes undermined when team members share their passwords in an unsecured way.&nbsp;
Here are the best ways to store passwords online and offline.
<h3>Table of Contents</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="#lookfor" rel="follow">What should you look for in a password storage solution?</a></li>
<li><a href="#offline" rel="follow">How to store a password offline</a></li>
<li><a href="#online" rel="follow">How to store a password online</a></li>
</ul>

<h2 id="lookfor">What should you look for in a password storage solution?</h2>
If you ask someone what they are looking for in the ideal password storage solution, then they&rsquo;ll probably give you a security-based answer. That&rsquo;s absolutely important. However, there&rsquo;s a second feature that also needs to be found: convenience.

That&rsquo;s because a difficult-to-use <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-password-vaulting" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">password vault</a> can end up being a cybersecurity threat as well.&nbsp;
<h3>Secure password storage</h3>
There&rsquo;s no question that security is the most important feature of a good way to store passwords. TeamPassword, for example, takes security very seriously. <a href="https://teampassword.com/security" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Its hosting providers have attained SOC 1 and 2, ISO 27001, and many other security designations to keep our customers&rsquo; accounts safe.</a>

Generally speaking, secure password storage at a minimum requires a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/master-password-what-is-it-and-do-i-need-one" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">master password</a> to access the other passwords being stored. Online, this means a password manager. Offline, it&rsquo;s a safe or digital password storage device.
<h3>Convenient password storage</h3>
Nobody wants to <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-find-a-lost-password-from-ages-ago" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">forget a password</a> and then lose access to their account. It&rsquo;s one of the most aggravating experiences in the modern business world, even when it doesn&rsquo;t cost you money. This can lead people to reuse passwords, which is a big cybersecurity risk. That&rsquo;s because one website being hacked could lead to all of your accounts being compromised.&nbsp;

That&rsquo;s just the start of the cybersecurity risks that can be caused by an inconvenient way to store passwords. Another is that if your password storage system does not allow a secure way to share passwords with your team, then team members might use unsecure methods, such as Slack messages, SMS, or email.

Then, there are the practical issues that arise from inconvenience. For example, if you use <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-are-icloud-keychains-and-why-are-they-better-than-passwords" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">iCloud Keychains</a> or your browser&rsquo;s built-in password manager, then you end up with partial lists on each device that are not connected. You may have experienced the need to open your laptop to check your Chrome password manager when trying to log into an account on your iPhone.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/ywjzVjZRCyEbbBRq3vG3" alt="undefined">
<h2 id="offline">How to store a password offline</h2>
Many people choose to write their passwords down on paper. They probably know that you shouldn&rsquo;t reuse passwords, but remembering 100 passwords (<a href="https://tech.co/password-managers/how-many-passwords-average-person" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">the average number of accounts used by a person today</a>) is impossible so they write them down. This isn&rsquo;t the worst idea, but there are risks.&nbsp;

Essentially, your passwords become only as safe as that piece of paper. While pen and paper is the obvious method, there are other ways to store passwords offline.

Here are the best and worst ways to store a password offline.
<h3>The worst way to store a password offline</h3>
The absolute worst way to store a password offline is using a sticky note attached to your monitor. It&rsquo;s even worse if you work in an office. Don&rsquo;t do this!&nbsp;

Sometimes called a <a href="https://blog.usecure.io/what-is-a-clean-desk-policy-and-should-my-company-have-it" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">clean desk policy</a>, employees should be trained to remove all business-sensitive information from their desk whenever they leave, including when using the washroom or grabbing a coffee from the kitchen. Removing passwords, notebooks, USB sticks, etc. and returning to the desktop password screen make your business more secure.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>The best ways to store a password offline</h3>
There are two ways to securely store passwords offline. The first, a low-tech solution, is to use a safe. Since passwords written on paper are only as secure as the paper itself, placing these backups in your safe is a practical way of adding security to your offline password storage process.

The second, a high-tech solution, is using an <a href="https://password-managers.bestreviews.net/best-offline-password-storage-devices/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">offline password storage device</a>. These physical devices come in several varieties, some of which interface with your computer and others are completely separate.

One example is a USB stick that has a thumbprint reader. You can store hundreds of passwords on the device, and they will not display on your desktop until you unlock the device using your thumbprint. Another example looks like a label maker or calculator. You unlock the device using a master password and then can view or add new sets of credentials (username and password). These devices cannot interface with any other device or connect to the Internet. That means that, practically, they cannot be hacked.

You&rsquo;ll note that using a safe or offline password storage device is inconvenient. Offline password storage is really about having a backup password list in case you forget a critical password or your online password storage system fails. Ideally, you never have to use them, but they are there in case you lose access to an account.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/SWOA6lsUQzi5vh5rNA9N" alt="undefined">
<h2 id="online">How to store a password online</h2>
When looking to store a password online, you should always look for encryption. <a href="https://cloud.google.com/learn/what-is-encryption" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Encryption</a> is a way to protect data so that, even if it falls into the wrong hands, it cannot be read.

Here are the best and worst ways to store a password online.
<h3>The worst ways to store a password online</h3>
We&rsquo;ve discussed <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/top-5-dangerous-ways-to-store-your-passwords" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">dangerous ways to store a password online</a> previously. The reason all of these methods are bad ways to store a password online is that they are not encrypted. If someone gains access to the document, then they have access to the password as well. Here are two especially bad places to store passwords.&nbsp;
<h4>Don&rsquo;t store passwords in email or instant messages</h4>
If someone can open your messages or emails, then they have access to your passwords. What&rsquo;s worse, email addresses are often how <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-manager-with-2fa" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">two-factor authentication</a> confirms your identity or lost passwords are retrieved. That makes email an especially risky place to store passwords.
<h4>Don&rsquo;t store passwords in notes or online documents.</h4>
<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-risks-of-storing-your-passwords-in-google-sheets" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Google Sheets</a> is a tempting place to store all of your passwords. It&rsquo;s easy to organize a table of login links, usernames, passwords, the cost of the service, and when you signed up in a sheet. You can share access to the file with people on your team, so it is convenient. It also requires being shared to edit or view the document, which gives it the veneer of security.&nbsp;

However, if someone manages to gain access to your email account, just like storing passwords directly in your email account, there is no encryption. A hacker could immediately see all of your account credentials and exploit them.&nbsp;

Notes, whether on your desktop, laptop, or mobile device, are similarly unsecure. They also make it hard to share credentials with the rest of your team, which encourages employees to share passwords with others using unsafe methods such as Slack, SMS, or email.
<h3>The best way to store a password online</h3>
Password managers are the only way to securely store passwords online. These include the built-in password managers on your mobile phone or browser as well as third-party password managers such as TeamPassword.&nbsp;

What really makes dedicated password managers even more valuable is that they work across all of your devices, so you can find all of your passwords in one place. Furthermore, TeamPassword gives you the ability to <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-safely-share-passwords-with-coworkers" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">safely share passwords</a> with coworkers.

Since the Chrome password manager or iCloud Keychain doesn&rsquo;t have a way to share passwords safely, you lose a lot of the total security value. Since coworkers may share passwords using text or email without a better option available, the login information is still exposed.
<h2>TeamPassword is the best way to store a password online</h2>
You should look for convenience and security when choosing the best way to store passwords online. That&rsquo;s because convenient features make it less likely that someone on your team will circumvent the security measures by sharing passwords via email or SMS.&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>256-bit AES encryption</li>
<li>Browser extension</li>
<li>Password generator built into the app (<a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">also available for free</a>)</li>
<li>Unlimited groups and sharing</li>
</ul>
TeamPassword makes it safe and easy to store and share passwords online. You can take advantage of our best-in-class security measures to protect all of your login credentials. Individually control which team members have access to which accounts, making secure collaboration possible.
 <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today to see why TeamPassword is the best way to store passwords online.

Here are the best ways to store a password online or offline, to both protect your accounts and make collaboration easy.

Here are the best ways to store a password online or offline, to both protect your accounts and ...

The Best Ways to Store Passwords Online and Offline (2024)

Criminals use extortion emails to blackmail people. These criminals usually claim to have sensitive information or content that they threaten to forward to friends and family unless you pay.&nbsp;
The email will tell you that the sender has tracking software on your device and will make a vague statement about knowing you've visited porn sites. They also claim to have used your device's camera to capture you pleasuring yourself.
Extortion emails typically contain some personal data, like a password, stolen from a data breach. Even if the password is an old one, it can be shocking to learn that a stranger knows something private. Perhaps, what they are telling you is true!
From corporate data breaches to ransomware attacks and even personal extortion email scams&mdash;cybercriminals continuously find ways to steal data and money.
The <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/t-mobile-data-breach-2021-what-happened" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">2021 T-Mobile data breach</a> affected over 40 million users, less than a quarter of which were actual T-Mobile customers!
The most damaging case in recent memory is the LastPass breach, which&nbsp;<a href="https://krebsonsecurity.com/2023/09/experts-fear-crooks-are-cracking-keys-stolen-in-lastpass-breach/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">seems to get worse every day</a>. Even if it's not a password manager that gets attacked, most of these breaches lead to attackers stealing customers' personal data.&nbsp;The data stolen from breaches can be used to craft convincing extortion emails.&nbsp;
In this article, we will take a closer look at extortion emails and what you can do if they ever find your inbox!

<h3>What is Sextortion?</h3>
Sextortion is a type of extortion where criminals claim to have explicit content of you&mdash;usually nude, masturbating, or other sexually explicit content.
Sometimes users don't have explicit content, but information linking the victim to adult content like a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-happened-with-the-cam4-data-leak" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">cam site</a> or dating website for married individuals&mdash;as was the case with Ashley Madison.
In the infamous Ashley Madison data breach, criminals only had account information linking the user to the website. This information could potentially ruin the victim's relationships or even bring public shame.
More than five years after the Ashley Madison data breach, criminals still contact users with sextortion demands.
With sextortion, the criminals usually have actual evidence of your actions&mdash;which they're happy to share with you via a short clip or screenshot.&nbsp;
Whereas extortion emails typically use minor details (like an old password) to bluff you into believing that the sender has more incriminating content or information about you.
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<h2>What Are Some Examples of Extortion Emails?</h2>
Most English extortion emails are poorly written with many spelling and grammar errors. The emails are usually somewhat lengthy with lots of threats, and the sender tries to portray themselves as authoritative.
The email usually reveals something vague you're "guilty" of but could apply to many people, almost like a star sign.
It's important to note that if someone has incriminating evidence against you, they'll expose it because it'll ultimately increase the chances you'll pay!
Here is an extortion email example Malwarebytes Labs received from a victim:
"Hey, you don't know me. Yet I know just about everything about you...Well, the previous time you went to the adult porn sites, my malware was triggered in your computer, which ended up logging a eye-catching footage of your self-pleasure play by activating your webcam. (you got an unquestionably weird preference btw lmao)."
If you reply asking for proof, the sender threatens to send the video to 10 random people in your contacts list. The email shares a Bitcoin address where you should send $2,000 in Bitcoin.
In this particular email, the sender gives the recipient 24 hours to act. For anxious individuals, this sort of pressure could easily elicit a response.
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<h3>Why Do Extortion Emails Work?</h3>
Priya Sopori, a partner at law firm Greenberg Gluster, says,&nbsp;
"They play on our basest levels of psychology. You will read personalization into any generic statement. And if you believe that there are hackers out there that know every aspect of your life, and maybe they even know your life better than you do, you might actually pay even if you've done nothing at all."
By the email's mocking tone, cybercriminals know precisely what buttons to push and how to make you feel ashamed, even for something you haven't done.
The humiliation that your friends and family might see you in the same light puts immense pressure on the victim to take action&mdash;paying the ransom to avoid embarrassment!
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<h3>Who Uses Extortion Emails?</h3>
Hackers usually sell databases from data breaches on underground forums to the highest bidder, so it's difficult to say where your details end up.
Most of these databases end up with low-level cybercriminals who run similar rackets&mdash;like the IRS scams where fraudsters threaten to arrest you if you don't pay unpaid taxes immediately.
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<h2>What to do With Extortion Emails</h2>
No matter how convincing an extortion email might be, never engage or respond with the sender. Any exchange could lead to the attacker learning more information about you.&nbsp;
You should also NEVER click any links or open attachments.
Most countries have cybercrime agencies. In the United States, the FBI has a division for handling cybercrimes. Report the extortion email immediately, even if criminals say there will be "repercussions" if you report them.
The authorities will usually have an email address where you can forward the extortion email. Once sent to the police, delete the email.
<h3>Change Your Passwords</h3>
Next, change the password for the account(s) where you use that password. Use a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">secure password generator</a> and use a different password for every account!
You must never reuse the same password for multiple accounts. If attackers steal your password from a data breach, they can easily access the other accounts you use through what's called credential stuffing.
<h3>Should You Pay the Ransom?</h3>
Paying an extortion email ransom will not resolve the matter. If anything, it'll make your life worse in the long run.&nbsp;
Criminals will invariably approach you again for money, or worse, sell your details as an "easy target" to other criminals.
If you know the attackers have incriminating details or content against you, consult your local authorities on how to proceed with the matter. Do not attempt to reply or negotiate on your own!
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<h2>How to Deal With Extortion Emails at Your Company?</h2>
Although less common, extortion emails also target businesses. The sender might run a similar scam, exposing a company password as "proof" that the criminals have more incriminating information.
Most companies have pretty robust spam filtering, so these emails never reach the intended inbox. But companies must react appropriately.
As with extortion emails targeting individuals, companies must never engage with the sender! Report the email to authorities and delete it immediately. Add that email address to your blocked senders.
<h3>Change Passwords Immediately</h3>
Even if the password the sender revealed is old, change your passwords immediately, especially if you have used that password for multiple accounts&mdash;poor habit companies should stop immediately.
Using a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager</a> like TeamPassword will prevent companies from using the same credentials more than once. TeamPassword's built-in password generator allows you to create strong passwords from 12-32 characters using uppercase, lowercase, symbols, and numbers.
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2>Secure Company Passwords with TeamPassword</h2>
Protecting your company's digital assets starts with <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">secure password management</a>. Companies need to <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-safely-share-passwords-with-coworkers" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">share passwords with coworkers</a> while maintaining high levels of security.&nbsp;
Here's how TeamPassword can help!
<h3>One Password Manager for Every Account!</h3>
Instead of sharing raw login credentials, each team member (including clients, freelancers, and contractors) gets a TeamPassword account.
Team members then use one of TeamPassword's browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox, and Safari) to log into social media accounts, productivity apps, marketing tools, and other web applications. Similar to how Google Chrome remembers your passwords.
So why not just use Google Chrome?
<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/should-i-use-my-browsers-built-in-password-manager" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Passwords saved in your browser</a> can be helpful for individual use but pose many security vulnerabilities and don't work well for sharing passwords securely.
<h3>Groups and Sharing</h3>
TeamPassword is built for sharing. You create groups for your various accounts, clients, or however you wish to distribute access.
Instead of sharing raw credentials, you add relevant coworkers to a group. This feature allows you to limit access to those who need it and prevents team members from sharing passwords, preventing unauthorized logins.
When a team member no longer needs access, simply remove them with one click. No need to change passwords every time someone leaves a project!
<h3>Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)</h3>
2FA is your second line of defense for <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">secure password management</a>. Even if attackers steal a team member's credentials, 2FA prevents them from accessing your TeamPassword account.
<h3>Activity &amp; Notifications</h3>
TeamPassword's activity log lets you monitor or review team member's logins, including credential sharing, setting up new accounts, changing passwords, and more.
You can also get instant email notifications for all TeamPassword actions, allowing you to track sensitive accounts or data.
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2>Get Your Free TeamPassword Account Today!</h2>
Don't let your company fall victim to extortion emails, credential stuffing, and other password vulnerabilities. Let <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> take care of security while you focus on growing a successful business!
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> to test TeamPassword with your team members today.

Cybercrime is rising. Cybercriminals are using Extortion emails to perpetrate crimes. So what can you do if you receive one of these emails?

Cybercrime is rising. Cybercriminals are using Extortion emails to perpetrate crimes. So what can you do if you ...

Extortion Emails | What Are They and What You Need to Know

What are Extortion Emails?

Two-factor authentication (2FA) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) are both ways to improve the security of accounts by requiring more than one way to prove you have permission to access the account. While 2FA requires exactly two forms of authentication, MFA requires at least two forms of authentication. When choosing 2FA vs MFA, the common view is that more is always better (in this case, more secure).&nbsp;

However, since some forms of authentication are inherently stronger than others, it&rsquo;s often the case that the right form of 2FA provides more security with less aggravation than the wrong method of MFA.&nbsp;

Here&rsquo;s everything you need to know to choose MFA vs 2FA.

TeamPassword makes it easy to access accounts through the latest MFA technology. Don&rsquo;t believe us? Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">14-day free trial today</a> and try for yourself.
[Table of Contents]
<ul>
<li><a href="#whatis" rel="follow">What is authentication?</a></li>
<li><a href="#typesof" rel="follow">Types of secondary authentication factors</a></li>
<li><a href="#difference" rel="follow">Difference between 2FA and MFA</a></li>
<li><a href="#isbetter" rel="follow">Is MFA better than 2FA?</a></li>
<li><a href="#improves" rel="follow">2FA or MFA improves security</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="whatis">What is authentication?</h2>

Authentication is the way a user proves their identity. There are many ways to prove one&rsquo;s identity, the most common being to type in a username and password.&nbsp;

Authentication can be broken down into three categories based on the number of ways a person must prove their identity:

<ul>
<li>
Single-factor authentication (SFA)
</li>
<li>
Two-factor authentication (2FA)
</li>
<li>
Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
</li>
</ul>
<h3>What is single-factor authentication?&nbsp;</h3>

Single-factor authentication (SFA) requires a user to validate their claimed identity in a single way, usually a username and password. This is the least secure form of authentication and comes with all the <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-password-security-teampassword" rel="follow">issues associated with passwords</a>.

More recently, many mobile devices use <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-biometric-identification">biometrics</a> as a single-factor authentication.
<h3>What is two-factor authentication?</h3>

Two-factor authentication (2FA) requires a user to validate their claimed identity in exactly two ways. The first method is often a username and password, while the second form is more varied. The most common secondary factors are SMS, email, and authenticator app one-time password (OTP) codes.

2FA is far more secure than SFA because <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/have-i-been-pwnd-what-to-do-when-it-happens">passwords can be pwned</a> (that is, leaked online for hackers to exploit).
<h3>What is multi-factor authentication?</h3>

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires a user to validate their claimed identity in at least two ways. This is different from 2FA, in which exactly two methods are required to prove a user&rsquo;s claimed identity.

While MFA requires at least two forms of identity validation, in reality it often defaults to two methods. In that sense, more often than not, MFA is simply 2FA.&nbsp;

Furthermore, while some cybersecurity experts will claim that having more factors of authentication is always better, the reality is that some are inherently more secure, making further factors redundant and tedious.&nbsp;

However, when different types of authentication factors are chosen, then MFA requiring three or more factors will create a more secure login than 2FA.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/TYQ8O2K7TfubSvds1I30" alt="undefined">
<h2 id="typesof">Types of secondary authentication factors&nbsp;</h2>

To understand the different types of secondary authentication factors, simply remember the word PICK:

<ul>
<li>
Possession factors
</li>
<li>
Inherence factors
</li>
<li>
Context factors
</li>
<li>
Knowledge factors
</li>
</ul>

<h3>Possession factors</h3>

Possession authentication factors are things the user has. The most common possession factors are different types of one-time passwords (OTP), for example codes being sent to an authentication app, email address, or SMS.&nbsp;

Other forms of possession factors include special hardware. For example, you may need a security key, smart card, or cryptographic thumb drive.&nbsp;

Types of possession factors:

<ul>
<li>
Email codes
</li>
<li>
SMS codes
</li>
<li>
Authentication app codes
</li>
<li>
Phone calls to your listed phone number
</li>
<li>
Smart card
</li>
<li>
Security key
</li>
<li>
Cryptographic thumb drive
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Inherence factors</h3>

Inherence authentication factors are things the user is. The most common forms are biometrics data. Face ID and fingerprints are the least exotic inherence factors, but newer forms include iris scans, voice commands, or even gait recognition.&nbsp;

Types of inherence factors:

<ul>
<li>
Fingerprints
</li>
<li>
Facial recognition
</li>
<li>
Iris scan
</li>
<li>
Voice command
</li>
<li>
Gait recognition
</li>
</ul>

<h3>Context factors</h3>

Context authentication factors are based on where the user is. The most common context factors are geographic, for example requiring a user to be in a particular country, logged into a particular network, or using a secure company VPN, to be able to access their accounts.

Furthermore, some accounts may only be accessible at certain times, for example Monday to Friday during work hours.&nbsp;

Types of context factors:

<ul>
<li>
Originating country
</li>
<li>
Network connection
</li>
<li>
VPN connection
</li>
<li>
Time of day
</li>
<li>
Day of week
</li>
</ul>

<h3>Knowledge factors</h3>

Knowledge authentication factors are based on what the user knows. Besides usernames and passwords, separate PIN codes are a common form of knowledge factor. However, the most common form of knowledge factor is personal questions:

<ul>
<li>
What was the name of your first school?
</li>
<li>
What street did you grow up on?
</li>
<li>
What was the name of your first boss?
</li>
<li>
What was the name of your first pet?
</li>
</ul>

<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/your-passwords-are-only-as-secure-as-your-teams">Social engineering attacks</a> have made many knowledge factors obsolete and unsafe. Therefore, knowledge factors are mostly unused today, at least by high-security businesses.

Types of knowledge factors:

<ul>
<li>
Username and password
</li>
<li>
PIN codes
</li>
<li>
Personal questions
</li>
</ul>

<h2 id="difference">Difference between 2FA and MFA</h2>

Two-factor authentication requires exactly two forms of identity validation, whereas multi-factor authentication requires at least two forms of validation. In this sense, all 2FA is MFA but not all MFA is 2FA.&nbsp;

<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/DmBsCrqDTr2ShbqBusdP" alt="undefined" width="550" height="550">

Many people might be wondering if MFA really is different from 2FA in practice. In fact, it is incredibly rare for a login to require more than two forms of authentication. That&rsquo;s because the added value of a third form of authentication is often marginal, while the added time and aggravation are strongly felt.

However, the value is really only marginal when the tertiary authentication is from the same category as the secondary one, or it is a less secure form of authentication.&nbsp;
<h2 id="isbetter">Is MFA better than 2FA?</h2>

In most cases, MFA defaults to 2FA. In many others, MFA doesn&rsquo;t contribute an appreciable amount of added security, but it still exerts a cost on users in the form of time wasting and frustration. However, there are situations in which the third (or fourth, fifth, &hellip;) authentication step does add another layer of security and is justified by the requirements of the business.

Let&rsquo;s look at three scenarios to see how MFA can be beneficial or redundant.&nbsp;
<h3>Scenario 1: Two inherence forms of secondary authentication</h3>

In this scenario, proving your identity requires three steps:

<ol>
<li>
Username and password
</li>
<li>
Fingerprint
</li>
<li>
Facial recognition
</li>
</ol>

In this case, we can say that Steps 2 and 3 are redundant. Both are hard to fake, meaning that a hacker couldn&rsquo;t exploit them without abducting the user, in which case they&rsquo;d have access to both the user&rsquo;s finger and face. In this case, MFA provides little added value over 2FA.
<h3>Scenario 2: One strong and one weak form of secondary authentication</h3>

In this scenario, proving your identity requires three steps:

<ol>
<li>
Username and password
</li>
<li>
Facial recognition
</li>
<li>
Security question
</li>
</ol>

In this case, security questions are often easily searchable information. If the data cannot be found on the user&rsquo;s social media, it can often be deduced by calling a relative or friend. The added security gained from requiring a user to answer security questions is so low that this becomes a frustrating and unnecessary third step.

<h3>Scenario 3: Two strong and varied forms of secondary authentication</h3>

In this scenario, proving your identity requires three steps:

<ol>
<li>
Must be connected to the company&rsquo;s network
</li>
<li>
Username and password
</li>
<li>
One-time password (OTP) through an authenticator app
</li>
</ol>

In this case, the company has used two non-redundant and very strong forms of authentication (context and possession) to ensure only authorized users may gain access to their information. While this could be overkill for some businesses, for others, especially those with a history of <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/colonial-pipeline-ransomware-attack-dont-reuse-passwords">ransomware</a> attacks, this added level of security is justified.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/E7ZbhNQz67yuh8ZLegPA" alt="undefined">
<h2 id="improves">2FA or MFA improves security</h2>

There are many issues with passwords:

<ul>
<li>
Hard to remember
</li>
<li>
Easily hacked by computers
</li>
<li>
Reused by users
</li>
<li>
Not changed often enough
</li>
</ul>

This makes them a weak form of authentication. Cybersecurity professionals use 2FA and MFA to make up for the shortcomings of passwords by adding another step to the identity validation process.&nbsp;

A password manager goes one step further. Instead of requiring you to spend time authenticating multiple accounts, TeamPassword keeps all of your passwords secure behind a strong MFA wall.&nbsp;

We create, store, and share your account passwords securely so you don&rsquo;t need to remember hundreds of passwords, or fall into the trap of using the same password for hundreds of accounts.

TeamPassword uses the most secure forms of MFA to protect your important accounts. Don&rsquo;t believe us? <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today and try for yourself.

Comparing 2FA vs MFA can be confusing. The fact is 99% of the time they are functionally the same, but there are minor differences.

Comparing 2FA vs MFA can be confusing. The fact is 99% of the time they are functionally the ...

2FA vs MFA: Are they the same?

The average person has about 200 accounts. Most of them have an associated iPhone app. For this reason, nearly everyone is already using a password manager for iPhone.&nbsp;

However, they haven&rsquo;t taken the time to make the best decision. In fact, many have some passwords in their iCloud Keychain and others in their Chrome Password Manager. Still others are stuck on their laptop and can&rsquo;t be accessed on the go.&nbsp;
To make the decision easier, we break it down into which iPhone password manager is best for you with five simple questions.&nbsp;

TeamPassword is the easiest way to manage passwords on your iPhone. Don&rsquo;t believe us? Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">14-day free trial today</a> and try for yourself.
<h2>Questions to ask when deciding which password manager you should use for iPhone</h2>

Before we can choose the best password manager for you to use on your iphone, you need to answer the following questions:
[Table of Contents]
<ol>
<li>
<a href="#morethanone" rel="follow">Do you use more than one device (phone, laptop, etc.)</a>?
</li>
<li>
<a href="#stillonapple" rel="follow">Are you all in on Apple?</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#useChrome" rel="follow">Do you use Chrome on your iPhone?</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#useforbusiness" rel="follow">Do you use your iPhone for business?&nbsp;</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#needtoshare" rel="follow">Do you need to share accounts?</a>
</li>
</ol>

Let&rsquo;s take a look at how these questions influence your answer.
<ol>
<li>
<h3 role="presentation" id="morethanone">Do you use more than one device (phone, laptop, etc.)?</h3>
</li>
</ol>

For most people, this is an obvious &ldquo;yes&rdquo; answer. However, it&rsquo;s worth bearing in mind that many built in iphone password manager options are tied to your phone or browser. In that case, you may end up with a separate password list on your laptop.

If you answer yes, then all three options below might work for you.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/wCoLLlQkQ6qB7yCXOAAQ" alt="undefined">
<ol start="2">
<li>
<h3 role="presentation" id="stillonapple">Are you all in on Apple?</h3>
</li>
</ol>

Many people swear by Apple (myself included) and don&rsquo;t switch between Mac and PC. Others like the iPhone but still use a PC for gaming or work.&nbsp;

When choosing a password manager for iPhone, keep this in mind. Some of the Apple options are ecosystem-specific and will not give you access to your passwords when you are using a PC or Android device.&nbsp;

If you are all in on Apple, then TeamPassword or iCloud Keychain could work for you.
<ol start="3">
<li>
<h3 role="presentation" id="useChrome">Do you use Chrome on your iPhone?</h3>
</li>
</ol>

Safari has come a long way as a browser. A few years ago, its sole job for most people was to download Firefox or Chrome. Now, many people use it exclusively on their iPhone and even laptop.&nbsp;

However, if you are still using <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-clear-autofill-on-chrome-protect-your-internet-security-by-clearing-chromes-saved-information">Chrome</a>, then this is another point to consider. Since both Chrome and Safari have their own password managers, you may end up with separate password lists. The same is true if you use Safari for browsing but have the Google app for quick searches and tasks.&nbsp;

If you use Chrome exclusively on your iPhone and laptop, then TeamPassword or Google Password Manager might be good options for you.
<ol start="4">
<li>
<h3 role="presentation" id="useforbusiness">Do you use your iPhone for business?&nbsp;</h3>
</li>
</ol>

The demands on cybersecurity for business are greater. Your company may require you to use the password manager of their choice&mdash;one built for business. It may also put further requirements on the available features you need in your iPhone password manager.

If your iPhone is sometimes used for business, then you might get extra value out of the features only available in TeamPassword.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/bvO6waXpTEa9InGtbBZp" alt="undefined">
<ol start="5">
<li>
<h3 role="presentation" id="needtoshare">Do you need to share accounts?</h3>
</li>
</ol>

Finally, do you share accounts? This is usually a business-related question, where, for example, a team of marketers might share a single seat on their chosen MarTech platforms to save money. However, even<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/sharing-passwords-with-family"> individuals might share accounts with friends and family</a> (like Netflix!) or groups of freelancers may go in together on some expensive software.&nbsp;

This is an important point to consider because there are safer and more dangerous ways to share passwords. In fact, the <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-safely-share-passwords-with-coworkers">most secure way to share accounts</a> is through your password manager, as then you don&rsquo;t need to share the actual password and just give access to other people as required.&nbsp;

Only TeamPassword provides the ability to safely share accounts without opening yourself up to the cybersecurity risks of sending passwords over email or text message.&nbsp;
<h2>3 best password managers for iPhone</h2>

<ol>
<li>
TeamPassword
</li>
<li>
iCloud Keychain
</li>
<li>
Google Password Manager
</li>
</ol>

<h3>TeamPassword</h3>

TeamPassword is designed for the needs of businesses. With that in mind, you can <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/best-password-managers-for-teams">share accounts securely with teammates</a> by giving them access to the account without actually sharing the password. That reduces the risk of your password being discovered by someone reading your text messages or email. Even if the accounts are for personal use (like Netflix!), this helps you keep control of who is using your account and for how long.

<a href="https://teampassword.com/features">TeamPassword offers loads of features that mean your iPhone password manager can grow with your needs</a>:

<ol>
<li>
Extensions for every browser
</li>
<li>
Strong, random password generator
</li>
<li>
Ability to share passwords across groups and subgroups
</li>
<li>
App-based multi-factor authentication
</li>
<li>
Activity logs
</li>
<li>
Email alerts
</li>
<li>
Free trial
</li>
<li>
Simple interface
</li>
</ol>

By working across browsers, apps, and devices, TeamPassword makes sure you only have one list of passwords that is accessible everywhere. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds another layer of security between hackers and your accounts.&nbsp;

Want to see why TeamPassword is the perfect password manager for iPhone? <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today and try for yourself.
<h3>iCloud Keychain</h3>

<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-are-icloud-keychains-and-why-are-they-better-than-passwords">iCloud Keychain</a> is the built-in password manager for iPhone. In addition to passwords, iCloud Keychain can save your personal details such as name, address, email address, and credit cards. This makes it a convenient tool to use for filling out forms.&nbsp;

In fact, even if you choose to disable the <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-disable-safari-password-manager">Safari password manager</a> and opt for the more feature-rich TeamPassword, you&rsquo;ll likely keep using iCloud Keychain for the other stored information.&nbsp;

iCloud Keychain uses facial recognition to unlock your password list. This form of <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-biometric-identification">biometrics</a> is fairly secure for individuals. However, it isn&rsquo;t perfect. For example, during the pandemic, many people found that they couldn&rsquo;t login with biometrics when they had a mask on. If you are wearing a hoodie or winter attire, this can also be an issue.&nbsp;

Some people train their facial recognition while wearing hoodies or scarves to prevent this, but that can lead to security issues, where the face ID system uses fewer depth points to recognize the person. That being said, Apple and <a href="https://www.techrepublic.com/article/apples-face-id-everything-iphone-x-users-need-to-know/">third-party testers</a> are fairly confident that the newest iPhone models cannot be fooled by a picture.&nbsp;

Overall, iCloud Keychain is a convenient built-in password manager. If you only use Apple hardware (iPhone, iPad, iMac, etc.) and the Safari browser, then this is a good option for your iPhone password manager so long as you don&rsquo;t need to share accounts.
<h3>Google Password Manager</h3>

First, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/are-chrome-passwords-safe">Google Password Manager is safe</a>, so long as you keep your Google account safe. That means creating a strong password and enabling multi-factor authentication.&nbsp;

Google Password Manager is specific to Google apps, so if you use Chrome instead of Safari on your iPhone, this is a solid password manager option. If you use a PC at home for gaming, then it&rsquo;s a safe bet that you&rsquo;ll be able to access your passwords from your other devices as well.&nbsp;

However, you may wish to <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-disable-google-chrome-password-manager">disable Google Password Manager</a> if you use your iPhone for business purposes. That&rsquo;s because it doesn&rsquo;t have account sharing capabilities, or any of the other features found in full password management solutions.&nbsp;
<h2>TeamPassword is the best password manager for iPhones</h2>

iPhones have a built in password manager option (iCloud Keychain). Google Password Manager is available in Google apps such as Chrome. These are both reasonable options for some people.&nbsp;

Specifically, if you only use Safari or Chrome and you don&rsquo;t need advanced features including sharing accounts with teammates or family, then iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager are secure and simple.&nbsp;

However, for those switching between their iPhone and laptop, business and private use, Chrome and Safari, there&rsquo;s a better option.&nbsp;

Only TeamPassword makes it easy to access your password from any device on any browser. In addition, TeamPassword has account sharing capabilities so you can give teammates access to shared accounts securely.&nbsp;

In addition, TeamPassword offers auditing functions that allow you to keep track of who is accessing accounts, creating accounts, and changing passwords so you are never locked out of software.&nbsp;

TeamPassword is the best password manager for iPhone. Don&rsquo;t believe us? <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today and try for yourself.

Are you looking to improve your mobile cybersecurity practices or make life a little easier? Here are the best password managers for iPhone.

Are you looking to improve your mobile cybersecurity practices or make life a little easier? Here are the ...

3 Best Password Managers for iPhone (2023)

There&rsquo;s a lot of conflicting advice about how to manage passwords:&nbsp;

<ul>
<li>
Do you need a password or a passphrase?&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Are complex or long passwords better?&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Do you really need to change your passwords every three months?&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Is two-factor authentication always better?&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>

Here&rsquo;s concise advice on exactly how to manage your passwords safely and securely.

TeamPassword is the easiest way to manage passwords. Don&rsquo;t believe us? <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today and try for yourself.

<h2>7 steps to safely manage passwords</h2>

Password management isn&rsquo;t difficult conceptually. It&rsquo;s really a series of intuitive steps that help keep all of your accounts safe. However, some of the individual steps are tedious, and doing better at one sometimes leads to doing worse at another. For example, stronger passwords are harder to remember, leading some people to write them down on sticky notes or using other unsafe password storage systems.&nbsp;

Here are seven steps to better password management:

<ol>
<li>
<a href="#stop" rel="follow">Stop reusing passwords</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#check" rel="follow">Check if you&rsquo;ve been pwned</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#change" rel="follow">Change your passwords regularly</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#make" rel="follow">Make your passwords hard to crack</a>
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
Consider passphrases
</li>
<li style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
Employ a password generator
</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#turn" rel="follow">Turn on multi-factor authentication</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#store" rel="follow">Store and share your passwords securely</a>
</li>
<li>
<a href="#use" rel="follow">Use a password manager</a>
</li>
</ol>

Note that, while the first six steps are critical to securely managing your passwords, they can all be accomplished automatically once you follow through on Step 7.
<h3 role="presentation" id="stop">1. Stop reusing passwords</h3>

There&rsquo;s no bigger cybersecurity mistake than reusing passwords. Unfortunately, despite warnings for more than two decades, people still reuse passwords.&nbsp;

It&rsquo;s totally understandable, too.&nbsp;

The average person has 200 accounts. The average password is 12+ characters long and usually gibberish. Trying to remember even one of those passwords is difficult, but 200 is impossible.

Still, there is no single better cybersecurity tip you can walk away with from this discussion on how to manage passwords than to stop reusing passwords. Step 2 explains why this is the case.
<h3 role="presentation" id="check">2. Check if you&rsquo;ve been pwned</h3>

<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/have-i-been-pwnd-what-to-do-when-it-happens">Have you been pwned?</a> Pwned is the industry term for your password being leaked online, and there&rsquo;s a friendly tool that matches your email address to all of the leaked password lists found on the dark web.&nbsp;

These passwords need to be changed immediately! If you reuse the same password on other accounts (like your bank website or email), then those accounts have been compromised as well. That&rsquo;s why you never reuse passwords.

The last thing you want is for your leaked Neopets password to give hackers access to your bank account.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/f2TdrDWTIyNvVHn1r5sI" alt="undefined" width="975" height="512">
<h3 role="presentation" id="change">3. Change your passwords regularly</h3>

At this point, you&rsquo;ve basically gone from your company&rsquo;s cybersecurity weak point to at least neutral. Steps 3 and 4 are really about bringing our password management up to best practices.&nbsp;

First, you should be updating your passwords regularly. That&rsquo;s because even the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2023/03/03/why-you-should-stop-using-lastpass-after-new-hack-method-update/?sh=75fdd4c428fc">most secure websites do get hacked</a>. Sometimes those password lists don&rsquo;t get released for months because it takes hackers that long to decrypt the password information and export it to a plaintext file.&nbsp;

By updating your passwords every three months, there&rsquo;s a good chance that by the time your hacked account is uploaded to the dark web you&rsquo;ve already changed your password and can safely ignore the security breach.&nbsp;
<h3 role="presentation" id="make">4. Make your passwords hard to crack</h3>

Passwords are usually cracked by two methods, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-a-brute-force-attack-and-are-you-at-risk">brute force</a> or dictionary attacks. Brute force attacks start at 11111111, then 11111112, and so on until the password is discovered. Basically, it tries every possible password in sequential order.

Dictionary attacks use a list of commonly used passwords such as &ldquo;password&rdquo; or &ldquo;qwerty&rdquo;, as well as the derivatives such as &ldquo;passw0rd&rdquo; or &ldquo;QwErTy&rdquo;. They can also include customized lists that come from <a href="https://www.enisa.europa.eu/topics/incident-response/glossary/what-is-social-engineering">social engineering</a>, for example your pet&rsquo;s name, the street you grew up on, or your birthday.&nbsp;

Most cyberattacks start with the standard dictionary attack, move on to social engineering lists, and finish with a brute force attack.&nbsp;

The single best way to prevent these attacks is to use a random, strong password that is at least 12 characters long, but the longer, the better. Here are two ways that can help you make your passwords hard to crack.
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
<h4 role="presentation">Consider passphrases</h4>
</li>
</ol>

<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-a-passphrase">Passphrases</a> are passwords that come from putting three or four medium to long words together and then mixing in capitalization and special characters, for example &ldquo;D0g-Baseball-Co1n-Sh3lf!&rdquo;. Passphrases help manage passwords by making long, secure passwords easier to remember.&nbsp;

<ol start="2">
<li style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;">
<h4 role="presentation">Employ a password generator</h4>
</li>
</ol>

If you can&rsquo;t come up with 200+ random passwords on your own, then use a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/strong-password-generator">password generator</a>. This helps guarantee you won&rsquo;t fall into lazy patterns of reusing passwords or making them easy to remember.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/JedfgOqS4CFNXBUr9W9U" alt="undefined" width="975" height="512">
<h3 role="presentation" id="turn">5. Turn on multi-factor authentication</h3>

Multi-factor authentication (<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/maximize-security-with-2fa">MFA</a>) forces individuals to prove their identity in more than one way, first with a password and then some sort of secondary confirmation. The most common MFA systems are SMS message, email, authentication app, and phone call.&nbsp;

Of these methods, authentication apps are the most secure as a separate system only used for authentication. Since phone numbers and email addresses can be compromised, they are not recommended when the option to use an authentication app is available.

However, even though SMS and email are not preferred MFA systems, they are still better than no second authentication requirement!&nbsp;
<h3 role="presentation" id="store">6. Store and share your passwords securely</h3>

<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-best-ways-to-store-passwords-2023">Store your passwords somewhere safe.</a> The best place to store written backups is in a safe (and definitely not on a sticky note on your computer monitor). The best way to manage passwords online is using a password manager (and definitely not an unsecure Google Sheets list).&nbsp;

When it comes to sharing passwords, remember that emails can be compromised, as can text messages, Facebook chats, etc. If your password manager doesn&rsquo;t have a password sharing function and you really need to share accounts, consider making a phone call and then change the password when your friend/colleague/family member is done using your account.

<h3 role="presentation" id="use">7. Use a password manager</h3>

The first six steps are how to manage passwords securely. If you want to know how to manage passwords securely and easily, then here it is: use a password manager. Password managers have built in password generators to help you pick strong, random passwords. They store those passwords for you. Password managers also make it easier to change passwords when needed.&nbsp;

If you plan to share accounts, then you need a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/best-password-managers-for-teams">password manager designed for teams</a>. That way accounts can be shared securely, so one team member doesn&rsquo;t unintentionally leak your account credentials by sharing them via email or leaving them on a sticky note on their laptop.
 
<h2>How to manage passwords FAQ</h2>

Here are some frequently asked questions about how to manage passwords online.
<h3>Why do you need a strong password?</h3>

Your accounts are only as secure as the passwords chosen. They need to be long and complex to protect your data.
<h3>How do you create a strong password?</h3>

The easiest way to create strong, random passwords is to use a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">free password generator</a>.
<h3>How often should you change your passwords?</h3>

Recommendations vary, but changing your passwords every three months is generally considered acceptable.&nbsp;
<h3>Should you use passwords or passphrases?</h3>

Passphrases make it easy to remember longer, and therefore more secure, passwords. If you need to remember your password, passphrases are probably easier.&nbsp;
<h3>Do you need a password manager?</h3>

Password managers are the most secure way to store passwords. They also make it easier to use a new strong, random password for every account by remembering all of them for you.
<h3>Should you use your browser password manager or a separate one?&nbsp;</h3>

Browser password managers have two main deficiencies. First, they make it hard to use the same password list across all of your devices. Second, they don&rsquo;t have password sharing features.&nbsp;

For many individual users, these features aren&rsquo;t necessary. However, for companies where multiple employees share key accounts, separate password managers like TeamPassword bring time-saving features and improved cybersecurity.
<h2>TeamPassword is the best way to manage your passwords</h2>

Managing passwords is usually a six-step process. You use unique passwords for every account, make sure you haven&rsquo;t been pwned, update the passwords regularly, make sure those passwords are hard to crack, turn on multi-factor authentication, and store and share passwords securely.&nbsp;

That&rsquo;s a lot of work. It also goes against human nature. Difficult to crack passwords are hard to remember, so you need to write them all down&mdash;but writing them down violates another step.&nbsp;

Here&rsquo;s the one-step method to better manage your passwords: use a password manager. TeamPassword generates strong, unique passwords for each account, stores them securely, updates the passwords when necessary, and makes it possible to share them with teammates securely.

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

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

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

10 extremely successful freelancers and what they do

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

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

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

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

TeamPassword Blog

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