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.
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> and let TeamPassword secure your company's digital assets.

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

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

What is password encryption and how much is enough?

What is password encryption and how does it work?

There are an increasing number of stories focused on the danger for small businesses of not being secure online. The influx of malware and ransomware and the fact that 70% of all cyber attacks are against small businesses rightfully have a lot of small business owners concerned. But, the reason for these risks are surprisingly simple in most cases. The vast majority of hacks are because of human error or small security holes that can be easily patched - primary among them, password management. To address this issue and ensure your business is prepared against common hacks and social engineering that target user passwords, here are some of the most common problems faced and how to address them:
<h2>Employees Using Their Own Devices</h2>
More than 70% of employees access company data from a personal smart phone or tablet at some point. These devices are not always secured the same as your company computers and there's no way to manage their use of passwords or to ensure they avoid open public networks. A strong BYOD policy can ensure employees are more rigorous in protecting company data, and that they use the password manager or system that you put in place to protect against data loss. With employees increasingly working from home or remotely, small businesses should consider what sensitive information is needed for employees to do their jobs, and whether that could end up on a personal device. In cases where this is necessary, providing Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and a password manager that supports secure sharing is essential. Also, consider doing regular training to ensure employees understand the potential risks and threaten from connecting on unsecure networks (see below).
<h2>Shared or Default Passwords</h2>
Default passwords setup during development or when a new account is created are often not changed, and worse, they can be shared easily between users. In small organizations and startups especially, this is a common problem as software seats may be limited or resources may be shared from a single account. All users should use unique passwords that meet strict guidelines and that they are updated regularly. Default passwords should require update immediately upon account creation, and you should utilize a password manager for all account sharing, and cloud storage for file access sharing. It is far better to use a <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/password-generator" rel="follow">password generator</a> to set a long, unique password. These generators are built into most password managers, and those passwords can be safely shared with multiple teammates.
<h2>Passwords Aren't Secure to Start</h2>
One of the most common problems with passwords is if they are easy to remember, they are also easy to guess! Many people erroneously think that a short password with lots of different character types is secure, when in reality the only way to ensure a truly secure password is to make it at least 12 characters long and somewhat arbitrary. Length is better than complexity in almost every situation with passwords, and keeping them long and complex is the way to go. Random password generators can ensure you have this for all passwords, but without a password manager to organize them, they become impossible to remember and quickly revert for many employees to something simple. In cases where a password must be memorized (like the master password for your password generator), consider using a passphrase (like TeamPassword-is-a-Blue-Padlock) or a mix of different things (like color+animal+place to get Blue-Flamingo-from-Timbuktu). These are surprisingly easy to remember, and if they are over 12 characters and use unusual or&nbsp; non-dictionary words they are very hard to crack.
<h2>Untrained Employees Posing a Risk</h2>
The single most common access point for hackers is your staff. Social engineering through unsolicited attachments, spoofed phone calls, or even looking over the shoulder of someone in a coffee shop leads to more hacks and data loss than malicious data breaches. Train your employees to spot phishing emails and protect with common sense procedures and best practices that you can followup on. With the right combination of password management, training, and procedures for your business, you can greatly reduce the risk of a hack and data loss for your business. The reason so many hackers target small businesses is that they are easy targets without the protocols of enterprise level organizations. Remove the low hanging fruit, and you can keep your company much safer from cyber risk.
<h2>Try TeamPassword</h2>
Using a secure password manager that supports sharing helps address these problems. TeamPassword's intuitive interface makes it the simplest and most secure way to store and share passwords with your team. Find out today by starting <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bcms#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">our free 14-day trial.</a>

To ensure your business is prepared against hacks that target user passwords, here are some common problems faced and how to address them.

There are an increasing number of stories focused on the danger for small businesses of not being secure ...

Most Common Password Problems Faced by Small Organizations

There are an increasing number of stories focused on the danger for small businesses of not being secure online. To address this issue and ensure your business is prepared against common hacks and social engineering that target user passwords, here are some of the most common problems faced and how to address them.

One of the top tips for password creation is to make a complex password with a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols that would be difficult to guess. However, the most secure password doesn't stand a chance if anyone on your team falls prey to something called <a href="https://www.csoonline.com/article/2124681/what-is-social-engineering.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social engineering</a>. There are several social engineering tactics that fool employees into giving out sensitive company information, including passwords to your business's most important assets.
<h2>What is Social Engineering, Exactly?</h2>
With this tactic, fraudsters use psychology against their targets to gain access to information or physical spaces. In opposition to hacking, it uses actual interaction rather than technical skill to get access to the desired information. One might simply call it manipulation or trickery. Scammers usually use either a threat or some kind of reward to trick people into giving them what they want.
<h2>Types of Social Engineering</h2>
<h3>Phishing</h3>
<a href="https://www.csoonline.com/article/2117843/what-is-phishing-how-this-cyber-attack-works-and-how-to-prevent-it.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The phishing scheme</a> has been around since the beginning of the internet. Phishers send out e-mails that appear to be from a legitimate institution, like your bank or even your employer. They try to appear trustworthy - using the same branding.&amp; graphics as the business they are trying to copy. They use this trust to try to get you to give them information like passwords or essential data. Sometimes, phishing attempts try to get users to click a link or download a file that will then install a virus. However, many times they just try to get the user to tell them the information.
The word phishing sounds just like fishing, because that's basically what it is. Hackers put out thousands of lines and see who bites.
<h3>Spear Phishing</h3>
<a href="https://www.csoonline.com/article/3334617/what-is-spear-phishing-why-targeted-email-attacks-are-so-difficult-to-stop.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spear phishing</a> is basically the same as phishing. However, in regular phishing, hackers send out thousands of untargeted e-mails. Even if just a few people bite, they may still get a big payout. With spear phishing, hackers heavily research one targeted victim, usually an executive or someone with a high profile.
<h3>Vishing</h3>
<a href="https://www.csoonline.com/article/3411439/smishing-and-vishing-how-these-cyber-attacks-work-and-how-to-prevent-them.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vishing</a> brings together the words "voice" and "phishing." It is a phishing attempt that happens via a phone call. One common example these days is a call from the "IRS" stating that you're in big trouble in the taxes department. Then they ask for your social security number. However, there are many different types of vishing calls one may receive.
<h3>Smishing</h3>
Put together "SMS" and "phishing" and you've got smishing. It is a phishing attempt performed via text message. Scammers use similar tactics as they do in e-mail and voice attempts. They may send a link to the victim's phone to receive a prize, or track a fake package. When the user clicks on the link, they may be brought to a page that asks them to put in sensitive information or simply a payment method that will then be charged.
<h3>In Person Attempts</h3>
Most of these types of attacks are performed online these days. However, they can also be done in person. It may be as simple as someone holding a heavy package asking you to hold the door for them to gain access to a restricted space. Most people have been taught to be nice and hold doors for people holding heavy objects, and these social engineers exploit that quality. In-person social engineers may also try to impersonate someone trustworthy, going as far as getting the right uniform or badge, and doing a lot of research to sound like they are who they say they are.
<h2>How to Help Employees Avoid Social Engineering</h2>
This all sounds scary, right? Con artists are very skilled at gaining access to information, and there are so many attempts performed daily. Luckily, there are ways to reduce the likelihood of a social engineering attack exposing your passwords and company data.
<h3>In-Person Training</h3>
You can bring a trainer into the office for a day of education. This type of class will teach your teams what to look for to verify that messages, calls, and e-mails are from who they say they are. They will also teach employees what type of information they should never give out. Social engineering training may also give your colleagues an idea of what an in-person attempt might look like.
<h3>Online Classes</h3>
Online training reaches the same goal as in-person, except employees can do it on their own time. It doesn't take away a whole day from the business, and workers can break it up into smaller chunks to absorb the information in a way that best suits their learning style.
<h3>Testing</h3>
After training, an important component of social engineering training is testing. You can hire a specialist to send out e-mails, messages, or phone calls to employees to see if they have absorbed the lessons. Once the testing is complete, the specialist will go over the results with you and your team, and see where the weak points are, to help avoid the same mistakes in the future when a real attempt occurs.
<h2>Why It's Worth It?</h2>
This type of hack has led to some expensive mistakes. In 2016, Hillary Clinton's e-mail account famously got exposed through a <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-phishing-email-that-hacked-the-account-of-john-podesta/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spear phishing scheme performed on John Podesta</a>, the campaign's chairman. More recently, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/twitter-breach-exposes-one-tech-s-biggest-threats-its-own-n1234076" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter had a huge breach</a> in which someone took over several high profile accounts, including those belonging to Elon Musk &amp; Joe Biden, to send messages to get people to send them Bitcoin. It was revealed that this breach happened because access to Twitter's "God mode" was gained through social engineering.
The average cost of a successful phishing attack on a <a href="https://smallbiztrends.com/2019/07/phishing-statistics.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">small business is over $50,000</a>. Nearly 1% of all e-mails sent are phishing attempts. As these attempts get more sophisticated, more and more of them break past spam filters, exposing your employees to scammers no matter how secure they make their passwords. Using a secure password manager like Team Password is just one way to reduce risk of a breach. Make sure to also inform your teams about social engineering so your information stays safer.
<h2>Are You Protecting your Passwords and your Team?</h2>
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<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/">TeamPassword</a>&nbsp;is here to protect and defend you from these types of cyber attacks. Our simple, secure password manager, designed from the ground up with security and best in-class encryption in mind can protect your company from data breaches and your passwords from hackers. For training and other cybersecurity needs, check out our partner <a href="https://strontium.io/" rel="follow">Strontium.io</a>.
Get TeamPassword today!&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bcms#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">Try our free 14-day trial.</a>
</div>
</article>
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Learn how hackers use social engineering rather than technical skill to get access to critical information.

One of the top tips for password creation is to make a complex password with a combination of ...

Your Passwords Are Only As Secure As Your Teams

One of the top tips for password creation is to make a complex password with a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols that would be difficult to guess. However, the most secure password doesn't stand a chance if anyone on your team falls prey to something called social engineering . ..

The state of password security is best illustrated by looking at the rise in credential stuffing attacks. By combining login software with proxy servers, hackers bombard targets with username and password combinations harvested from previous data breaches. The attacks are usually successful because people tend to re-use weak passwords between online services.
While most of these attacks focus on ecommerce and gaming websites, a similar technique known as password spraying is commonly used against smaller businesses. Hackers compile a list of usernames for a target system and test each one against a set of common passwords. Employees with weak passwords end up becoming a gateway for hackers to breach a network.
Let's take a look at how password managers can mitigate these risks and how to choose the right option for your business.
Weak passwords are at the center of many data breaches and the solution is simple &mdash; a password manager.
<h2 id="why-use-a-password-manager">Why Use a Password Manager?</h2>
Most employees are aware of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2019/03/11/how-to-manage-your-small-business-passwords/">password security best practices</a>, but most employees don't follow the rules. Of course, the problem is that creating a unique password for each service and remembering them is challenging &mdash; especially when the passwords need to be changed on a regular basis! But, it only takes one weak link to compromise an entire network.
Password managers are essentially a password book that's locked with a master key that only the employee knows. Instead of remembering 147 different passwords (the average number for a small business team), they only have to remember a single password. The password manager handles the rest by recalling passwords and even auto-filling them in browsers.
In addition to managing passwords, password managers can easily generate random 20-character passwords on demand. Even with a fast hashing algorithm like MD5, a genuine 20-character password would take an enormous amount of time to crack using brute force methods. Passwords can even be customized to meet unique password requirements for various web services.
Password managers aren't perfect. In fact, a recent audit found that several password managers exposed some passwords in a computer's memory when the apps were in "locked" mode, which could enable a hacker to access them. Despite these vulnerabilities, experts and ethical hackers agree that using a password manager is always a better bet.
<h2 id="comparing-password-managers">Comparing Password Managers</h2>
There are many different commercial and open source password managers out there. In addition, some operating systems have started to build password managers of their own. MacOS' password manager uses the laptop's password, fingerprint or facial recognition authentication methods to unlock web passwords that can be used with Safari's built-in support.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/pxarcM7iTHKVhO2WsEUq" alt="" width="610" height="227" />
<hr />
<a href="https://mailchi.mp/jungledisk.com/whats-the-best-small-business-password-manager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Download our free Small Business Password Security Checklist to determine how secure your passwords are and come up with a strategy to improve them.</a>
<hr />
The most popular commercial password managers include:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.dashlane.com/">DashLane</a>&nbsp;is one of the most popular password managers thanks to its support for Linux, ChromeOS and Microsoft Edge browsers, as well as its ability to bulk-change passwords.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.lastpass.com/">LastPass</a>&nbsp;is well-known for its feature-rich free version and extensive two-factor authentication options, while supporting a wide range of popular platforms.</li>
<li><a href="https://keepersecurity.com/">Keeper</a>&nbsp;has some of the best security when it comes to password generation and encrypted storage, as well as browser extensions and a web interface.</li>
<li><a href="https://1password.com/">1Password</a>&nbsp;provides some of the best categorization options to keep passwords organized, as well as strong form-filling capabilities that support many browsers.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.enpass.io/">Enpass</a>&nbsp;is a popular option for people looking for a free desktop option that keeps data off-line.</li>
</ul>
In addition to these paid options, there are many open source password managers available.&nbsp;<a href="https://keepass.info/">KeePass</a>&nbsp;is one of the most popular options that's licensed under the GPL. While it's not quite as user friendly as commercial password managers, it offers strong security that's backed by its open source nature that enables anyone to view the source code.
<h2 id="personal-vs-business-password-managers">Personal vs. Business Password Managers</h2>
Password managers are a great way to manage each employee's passwords, but they fall short when it comes to sharing passwords between employees. While it's possible to simply share a password and have each employee save it, the process breaks down when the password is changed and that change needs to persist across all of the employees that use it.
<hr />
<a href="https://mailchi.mp/jungledisk.com/whats-the-best-small-business-password-manager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Don't forget to download our free Small Business Password Security Checklist to determine how secure your passwords are and come up with a strategy to improve them.</a>
<hr />
Many companies use password-protected spreadsheets to share passwords, or even worse,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2018/10/12/risks-storing-passwords-in-google-sheets/">Google Sheets</a>&nbsp;that are protected only by an obscure URL. If an attacker gains access, these spreadsheets can quickly turn into a massive data breach impacting every online service on the list. Therefore, these solutions should be avoided at all costs.
Jungle Disk's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/password-manager/">TeamPassword</a>&nbsp;enables team members to create, access and share passwords in a secure way with many of the same features as individual password managers.

<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/6EawHE1GTHGW1etJDoCG" alt="teampassword-groups.png" />
Some of the key features include:
<ul>
<li>Group management tools enable you to share logins and passwords with a subset of team members, external collaborators or the entire team. By using "least privilege", you can minimize the odds of a data breach.</li>
<li>Logging and reporting let you see which logins are being used, which ones aren't, and when your shared logins are being updated to quickly spot any abnormalities. You can also receive email notifications for any important actions.</li>
<li>Two-step authentication using Google Authenticator adds another layer of security. You can also generate backup codes to ensure that you're never locked out. And of course, all passwords are fully secured in a PCI/DSS compliant way.</li>
<li>A password generator enables you to quickly create secure, randomized passwords on the fly, while a browser plugin makes it easy to use the passwords with minimal effort.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/password-manager/">Sign up for a free 14-day trial</a>&nbsp;(no credit card required) to see how TeamPassword can improve your team's credential management and minimize the odds of a data breach.
<h2 id="the-bottom-line">The Bottom Line</h2>
The dramatic rise in credential stuffing and password spraying attacks is a sign that password security is woefully inadequate. For every high-publicized data breach, there are countless other quiet data breaches impacting small businesses &mdash; and many businesses don't survive them. Password management is critical to maintaining cybersecurity.
Jungle Disk provides a comprehensive cybersecurity suite that's specifically designed for small businesses. For an affordable per employee per month price, you can access active network protection, encrypted cloud backup, password management and other critical cybersecurity infrastructure to keep your business safe without breaking the bank.
<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/get-started/">Sign up today</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/request-demo/">request a free demo</a>&nbsp;to learn more!

Most employees are aware of password security best practices, but it only takes one weak link to compromise an entire network.

The state of password security is best illustrated by looking at the rise in credential stuffing attacks. By ...

What’s the Best Small Business Password Manager?

The state of password security is best illustrated by looking at the rise in credential stuffing attacks. By combining login software with proxy servers, hackers bombard targets with username and password combinations harvested from previous data breaches. The attacks are usually successful because people tend to re-use weak passwords between online services.

Imagine that you receive an email from your work email provider requesting that you log in to review recent activity. You click on the button in the email and try to login to your account. The first login attempt oddly fails, but the second attempt works just fine and you&rsquo;re into your account.
You must have mistyped your password the first time, right?
The reality is that you may have just had your password stolen. The attacker sent an authentic-looking phishing email and the website that you initially reached as a fake. After you submitted your password, the attackers simply redirected you to the actual website to try again without knowing any better.
With these credentials in hand, the attacker can easily read through all of your work emails, reset passwords for other accounts, and wreak havoc on an enterprise network.
In this post, we will take a look at how to avoid these kinds of risks using a password manager and other best practices.
<h2 id="why-passwords-are-important">Why passwords are important</h2>
Passwords are still the default authentication mechanism for the web. Biometrics (e.g. fingerprints and facial recognition) have replaced some passwords and two-factor authentication has enhanced security, but almost every web application and most devices still require a password.
More than 80 percent of data breaches were caused by weak or stolen passwords, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ictsecuritymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017-Data-Breach-Investigations-Report.pdf">Verizon</a>. With a valid password in hand, attackers can leverage the user&rsquo;s account to gain access to their other accounts or even protected network resources. Passwords are often the weakest link in enterprise security.
Despite the importance of passwords, most people fail to develop secure passwords or even use different passwords for different accounts. Nearly one-fifth of Internet users create the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/763091/us-use-of-same-online-passwords/">same password</a>&nbsp;for most of their accounts, while the average password was&nbsp;<a href="https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/beyond-password-length-complexity/">less than 10 characters</a>&nbsp;long.
<h2 id="what-makes-a-password-secure">What makes a password secure?</h2>
The difference between a weak password and a strong password comes down to the number and predictability of characters.
<hr />
<a href="https://mailchi.mp/jungledisk.com/guide-to-training-employees-on-cybersecurity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Download our free guide to training employees on cybersecurity best practices, including password management.</a>
<hr />
The amount of time that it takes to break a password with a brute force attack depends exclusively on the number of possible combinations (e.g. password length). The password &ldquo;my awesome car is on fire&rdquo; is exponentially more difficult to crack than the password &ldquo;@y23k3!34&rdquo; for a computer.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/FLmMkxpaTfyxH4DwMq7u" alt="xckd-comic.png" />
Source: XKCD
Of course, some attackers attempt to guess passwords rather than crack them with software. They might look for public information, such as a pet&rsquo;s name, and guess the password. You shouldn&rsquo;t use passwords that contain pet&rsquo;s names, sports teams or predictable sequences for these reasons.
The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.passwordrandom.com/most-popular-passwords">most common passwords</a>&nbsp;tend to violate both of these rules &mdash; they are short and easy to guess. For example, some of the top 100 passwords include &ldquo;password&rdquo;, &ldquo;123456&rdquo;, &ldquo;qwerty&rdquo;, &ldquo;letmein&rdquo;, &ldquo;baseball&rdquo;, &ldquo;mustang&rdquo;, &ldquo;abc123&rdquo; and &ldquo;trustno1.&rdquo;
The most secure passwords are both lengthy and random &mdash; and that often means a password manager is necessary.
<h2 id="how-to-manage-your-passwords">How to manage your passwords</h2>
The problem with long random passwords is that they are difficult to remember. Even worse, the average person has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/survey-says-people-have-way-too-many-passwords-to-remember">nearly 30</a>&nbsp;discrete online logins. That&rsquo;s a lot of passwords to remember &mdash; especially if you don&rsquo;t use the same password multiple times!
Apple recognized these issues and built a password manager into its Keychain for iOS and MacOS devices, as well as an auto-suggest feature for passwords into Safari. Google Chrome introduced a similar password suggestion feature, and there are ways to store credentials securely in Windows.
The problem is that these passwords only exist in personal accounts. Many companies need to share passwords with multiple users and devices. Some password managers solve these issues by sharing passwords, but it&rsquo;s important to evaluate their features and security before choosing one.
Independent Security Evaluators (ISE)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/critical-vulnerabilities-uncovered-in-popular-password-managers/">recently published</a>&nbsp;a scathing password manager assessment that found major vulnerabilities. In one case, the master password used to access a password manager was stored in PC RAM in plaintext, making it easily accessible to attackers!
<h2 id="how-teampassword-can-help">How TeamPassword can help</h2>
Most password managers are built for individuals. In some cases, password managers have expanded to target businesses, but few began with an initial focus on businesses. This means that they lack many of the features that businesses need on a day-to-day basis, such as the ability to manage access.
<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/password-manager/">TeamPassword</a>&nbsp;was developed from the ground up with a focus on small business password management. Over the past several years, we&rsquo;ve talked with business customers to find out exactly what they need and built a solution that&rsquo;s ideal for them &mdash; all with AES 256-bit encryption.
Some core features include:
<ul>
<li>
Secure password generator:&nbsp;The built-in strong password generator creates secure, randomized passwords on-the-fly for private or shared logins.
</li>
<li>
Two-factor authentication:&nbsp;Google Authenticator provides a second layer of security to access stored passwords, while backup codes ensure you&rsquo;ll never get locked out.
</li>
<li>
Group management:&nbsp;Groups lets you quickly share logins and passwords with subsets of team members, external collaborators, or the entire team.
</li>
<li>
Browser extensions:&nbsp;Chrome, Firefox, and Safari extensions make it easy to access passwords in a quick and convenient way without having to retype them.
</li>
<li>
Account logging:&nbsp;TeamPassword&rsquo;s activity logs enable administrators to see who&rsquo;s using what passwords and when shared passwords are updated.
</li>
</ul>
If you&rsquo;re interested in trying TeamPassword,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/password-manager/">sign up</a>&nbsp;here!
<h2 id="how-to-train-employees">How to train employees</h2>
Password managers are just one step of ensuring password security. After all, they don&rsquo;t prevent a compromised password from being used to access protected resources. It&rsquo;s equally important to implement the right best practices and ensure that employees are properly trained.
<hr />
<a href="https://mailchi.mp/jungledisk.com/guide-to-training-employees-on-cybersecurity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Don&rsquo;t forget to download our free guide to training employees on cybersecurity best practices, including password management.</a>
<hr />
Some best practices include:
<ul>
<li>
Train new users:&nbsp;Employees should be trained on how to properly use password managers. With TeamPassword, we automate a lot of the onboarding by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2018/08/24/teampassword-onboarding-new-employees/">walking them through</a>&nbsp;each step of the process.
</li>
<li>
Expire passwords:&nbsp;Passwords should be periodically changed in case they were unknowingly compromised. With TeamPassword, the process is a breeze since the new password can be updated organization-wide with a few clicks.
</li>
<li>
Other measures:&nbsp;All employee devices should have the proper antivirus and anti-malware installed to avoid attackers from gaining access to their computer, and therefore, the password manager.
</li>
</ul>
Employees should also be trained on how to spot and avoid viruses, malware and phishing attempts.
<h2 id="the-bottom-line">The Bottom Line</h2>
Passwords are a critical part of any company&rsquo;s cybersecurity plan. With more than 80 percent of data breaches arising from password issues, companies should invest in a password manager that both ensures that passwords are protected and makes it easy for employees to use them.
In addition, it&rsquo;s important to set up the proper protocols and training procedures to avoid common password attack vectors, such as phishing emails or malware.
If you&rsquo;re interested in trying TeamPassword with a 14-day free trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/">sign up</a>&nbsp;here!

Imagine that you receive an email from your work email provider requesting that you log in to review recent activity. You click on the butto

Imagine that you receive an email from your work email provider requesting that you log in to review ...

How to Manage Your Small Business’ Passwords

Imagine that you receive an email from your work email provider requesting that you log in to review recent activity. You click on the button in the email and try to login to your account. The first login attempt oddly fails, but the second attempt works just fine and you’re ...

Companies use a shared password manager like TeamPassword every day for mission-critical logins: Those essential tools and apps that keep the business functioning at its highest potential. But they&rsquo;re also sharing logins that make the office run smoother, improve employee morale and make it easier for their teams to collaborate and spend time (and eat) together&mdash; proving that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/password-manager/">team password management</a>&nbsp;isn&rsquo;t just for the boring stuff anymore!
At Jungle Disk, our teams are currently sharing hundreds of logins and adding more every day. Here are some of the interesting logins that our teams shares,&nbsp;&lsquo;cuz all work and no play make techies a very dull group&hellip;
<ul>
<li>Fiddyment Farms (for all things pistachio)</li>
<li>B&amp;H Photo Video</li>
<li>Boingo</li>
<li>MLB.com</li>
<li>Amazon.com</li>
<li>CapitalBikeShare</li>
<li>CrateAndBarrel</li>
<li>Tiff&rsquo;s Treats</li>
<li>REI</li>
<li>Wayfair.com</li>
<li>eBay</li>
<li>1800Flowers</li>
<li>Barkbox</li>
</ul>
The average TeamPassword client manages 147 logins, but we also have agency teams that share over 1,500 logins using TeamPassword! Here are some fun logins that we see clients sharing. What &ldquo;unusual&rdquo; logins does your team share?
Food:&nbsp;A hungry team is a cranky team and coordinating in-office lunches can be a real drag for the person having to go around jotting down orders. We often see companies sharing logins to make the lunch hour rush a bit less stressful.
<ul>
<li>BlueApron</li>
<li>Chick-fil-a</li>
<li>Chipotle</li>
<li>Hello Fresh</li>
<li>AmazonFresh</li>
<li>Snack Box Subscriptions</li>
<li>Office Caterers</li>
<li>Jimmy John&rsquo;s</li>
</ul>
Sports and Fun:&nbsp;Teams that play together stay together. Companies that invest time in extracurricular activities rank higher in employee satisfaction. And a happy employee means a more productive employee. Encourage team building with non-work related logins.
<ul>
<li>Fantasy football league</li>
<li>Office pools</li>
<li>Baby and Wedding gift registries</li>
<li>WIFI credentials for connecting to drones and cameras</li>
<li>News and Reading: A well-informed employee makes better decisions. Keep employees up to date on world news, literature, and cultural happenings.</li>
<li>Economist.com</li>
<li>The New Yorker</li>
</ul>
Travel:&nbsp;Traveling for work doesn&rsquo;t have to be a burden. With all of the travel apps and services available today, booking your next work trip can be easy (and dare we say, exciting?!) Add logins that help streamline the travel process&mdash;and never miss out on those travel points.
<ul>
<li>AirBnB</li>
<li>Kayak</li>
<li>Expedia</li>
<li>Flightnetwork.com</li>
<li>AAA</li>
<li>Hostelworld</li>
<li>AirAsia</li>
<li>Lufthansa</li>
<li>Corporate apartments</li>
</ul>
Swag Vendors:&nbsp;Planning a company party? Coordinating a conference? These types of logins make it easy to store creative materials, like company logos, for when you need to print t-shirts or signage on the fly.
<ul>
<li>Vistaprint</li>
<li>Sticker Mule</li>
<li>Shutterfly</li>
<li>Office supplies: Never run out of printer ink before your presentation again!</li>
<li>Amazon</li>
<li>OfficeDepot</li>
<li>Staples</li>
<li>Adobe</li>
</ul>
Every business has a unique approach to using TeamPassword because the needs of every business are unique. Personalize your TeamPassword account to maximize organization and capitalize on efficiency.
Follow us on social media&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/JungleDisk">@JungleDisk</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/teampassword">@TeamPassword</a>&nbsp;for more password management and small business cybersecurity tips!

Teams are sharing logins that make the office run smoother, improve employee morale & make it easier to collaborate and spend time together.

Companies use a shared password manager like TeamPassword every day for mission-critical logins: Those essential tools and apps ...

Unusual Logins: How Sharing Passwords Improves Team Spirit

Companies use a shared password manager like TeamPassword every day for mission-critical logins: Those essential tools and apps that keep the business functioning at its highest potential. But they’re also sharing logins that make the office run smoother, improve employee morale and make it easier for their teams to collaborate ...

A secure password management system is crucial for agencies who manage numerous clients.
<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/the-groups-feature-how-it-works-why-you-need-it" rel="follow">TeamPassword&rsquo;s Groups Feature</a>&nbsp;helps agencies keep track of and share internal passwords and the dozens (or hundreds) of account passwords they manage for their clients.
<blockquote>&ldquo;The groups are the killer feature for us. Being able to have a collection of passwords for a single client and allow our contractors access to only those passwords (and the ability to kick 'em out if needed), is worth its weight in gold.&rdquo; - Travis G, Partner, <a href="https://louderthanten.com/" rel="follow">Louder Than Ten</a></blockquote>
Most companies are broken into several departments. For example, a Web Development team, Marketing team, PR team, Sales team, and Finance department. Each of these departments, or &ldquo;groups,&rdquo; is made up of several employees who all need access to job-specific sites and apps.
Grouping allows an administrator to set up a &ldquo;group&rdquo; for staff who work on specific clients or projects. While those in the finance department are the only ones with access to the payroll systems, the sales and marketing teams get exclusive access to their clients&rsquo; logins, and everyone in the company can access the lunch ordering system, travel and expense system, and the fantasy football league.
<ul>
<li>Create a separate group for each client to keep their logins in one convenient place.</li>
<li>Grant team members access only to the client accounts they&rsquo;re working on, and any internal systems they&rsquo;ll need.</li>
<li>Give and remove access at any time&mdash; perfect for short-term hires, contractors, or interns.</li>
</ul>

<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/DMLHbioGTryrpChTuHKX" alt="undefined" />
Once added to a Group, team members can add and edit any logins shared with them in that group, eliminating the need for administrative oversight.
If you&rsquo;re interested in trying TeamPassword with a 14-day free trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">sign up</a>&nbsp;here!

A secure password management system is crucial for agencies who manage numerous clients. Teams will find the Groups Feature useful.

A secure password management system is crucial for agencies who manage numerous clients. TeamPassword’s Groups Feature helps agencies ...

Maximize Collaboration with TeamPassword

A secure password management system is crucial for agencies who manage numerous clients. TeamPassword’s Groups Feature helps agencies keep track of and share internal passwords and the dozens (or hundreds) of account passwords they manage for their clients. “The groups are the killer feature for us. Being able to have ...

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

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

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

Have I Been Hacked? How to Know for Sure.

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

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

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

10 extremely successful freelancers and what they do

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

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

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

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

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