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

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

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

Have I Been Hacked? How to Know for Sure.

<h2 id="are-your-employees-helping-to-keep-company-data-protected-and-secure">Are your employees helping to keep company data protected and secure?</h2>
Unfortunately,&nbsp;data breach fatigue&nbsp;has become so common in the past 15 years, that most consumers and employees do not even react to news of a data breach. This means that employees often aren&rsquo;t doing what they could to keep the privacy of their business intact.
With over 80 percent of data breaches arising from password issues, investing in a password manager, like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/features">TeamPassword</a>, can ensure that passwords are protected.
<h2 id="7-signs-you-need-a-password-manager">7 Signs You Need a Password Manager</h2>

If you&rsquo;re trying to figure out whether a password manager is worth the investment (hint: it is!), here are seven signs you definitely do.
<h3 id="1-you-have-poor-password-hygiene">1. You have&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/stop-cybercriminals-in-their-tracks-with-these-5-password-hygiene-tips" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">poor password hygiene</a></h3>
Do you use the same password for every single log-in? Does your password contain personally identifiable information such as your birthday or child&rsquo;s name? Are you frequently told that your password strength is very weak or even so-so?
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/KJGCFoxS3GH2oFFda9dg" alt="" width="563" height="624" />
If you answered yes to any of these questions, your password hygiene could definitely use some freshening up! Most password managers have password generators that will create random, secure and unique passwords for you. With a good password generator, you can say goodbye to weak passwords forever.
<h3 id="2-you-experience-password-fatigue">2. You experience password fatigue</h3>
The average email address has nearly 130 online accounts assigned to it. No one can possibly remember that many passwords and most people are too tired to even attempt it. This cognitive overload is what leads to poor password hygiene in the first place!
If only there was a single location for all of your passwords &mdash; like&nbsp;a password manager.
<h3 id="3-you-waste-time-everyday-actually-typing-out-your-password">3. You waste time everyday actually typing out your password</h3>
In our&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/ponemons-state-of-password-security-recap" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">recap of Ponemon&rsquo;s State of Password Security</a>, we underscored one of their key findings: managing passwords (as employees) is costly. The average respondent spends about 12 minutes per week entering and/or resetting passwords. For organizations with 15,000 employees, this translates to an average cost of $5.2 million per year in lost productivity and still produces significant sums that most&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/cybersecurity-for-small-businesses" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">small businesses</a>&nbsp;can&rsquo;t afford.
Password managers make accessing passwords exceptionally easy using browser extensions other mechanisms that allow you to automatically fill login credentials in just a few clicks.
<h3 id="4-you-are-tired-of-seeing-the-incorrect-invalid-password-notice">4. You are tired of seeing the incorrect/invalid password notice</h3>
No one likes red text or hazard signs. They often signal danger and/or that you&rsquo;ve done something wrong &mdash; two things we would prefer to avoid in life. The pains of forgetting a password,&nbsp;or even worse,&nbsp;resetting your password&nbsp;yet again,&nbsp;is also something we try to avoid.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/7JvxDHxYRRM4gv1UMehU" alt="" width="686" height="371" />
Avoid these frustrating notices by keeping all your secure information in one place.
<h3 id="5-you-have-to-ask-a-coworker-for-a-password">5. You have to ask a coworker for a password</h3>
Are you Slacking a coworker to ask for login credentials and pinning it to the conversation for future reference? Or are you emailing somebody to ask for a shared password? Maybe you&rsquo;re the one being asked and you have to change your passwords every time after you lend them out.
This not only costs you time during your work day, it also slows down your co-worker&rsquo;s productivity. More importantly, this type of sharing (especially over email) puts your business in an extremely vulnerable position when distributing information as sensitive as passwords.
<h3 id="6-there-s-a-shared-company-document-spreadsheet-with-shared-passwords">6. There&rsquo;s a shared company document/spreadsheet with shared passwords</h3>
While this&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-risks-of-storing-your-passwords-in-google-sheets" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">scrappy method</a>&nbsp;may have been the most efficient way to centralize your team&rsquo;s passwords in the past, it can leave your company vulnerable. If the shared settings are accidentally misconfigured or someone&rsquo;s individual account is hacked, all of your passwords are in one visible and easily downloadable place for the attacker. Keep in mind that not every employee needs access to the same passwords. These types of files don&rsquo;t lend themselves very well to that level of customization.
That&rsquo;s why it&rsquo;s important to make sure that your password management solution utilizes&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-manager-with-2fa#:~:text=The%20Concept%20Behind%202FA" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">two-factor authentication</a>&nbsp;and advanced grouping and sharing capabilities.
<h3 id="7-you-save-passwords-in-your-browser">7. You save passwords in your browser</h3>
Everyone is responsible for managing their own saved passwords and can save time logging into their most frequented sites. Another resourceful workaround that seems like a low-cost solution for small teams, right? Unfortunately, no.
<ul>
<li>This only works if you only work on one device. Logging onto a phone or tablet or your personal laptop? You&rsquo;ll be back at sign 4.</li>
<li>If your computer is stolen, the thief will be able to login to any site where you have saved passwords turned on.</li>
<li>Leaving employees to their own devices when it comes to password management often replicates signs 1-6.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="next-steps">Next steps</h2>
Did any of these signs sound familiar? Perhaps even painfully familiar? Dealing with any of these password headaches can be a cost to your company&rsquo;s budget, productivity, and most importantly, security.
<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/">TeamPassword</a>&nbsp;is here to support and relieve you from these types of concerns. A simple, secure password manager, designed from the ground up with ease-of-use and collaboration in mind can protect your company from data breaches and your employees from password fatigue.
Get TeamPassword today!&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Try our free 14-day trial.</a>

Are your employees helping to keep company data protected and secure? Learn the seven reasons you should be using a password manager.

Are your employees helping to keep company data protected and secure? Unfortunately, data breach fatigue has become so ...

Seven Signs You Need a Password Manager

Are your employees helping to keep company data protected and secure? Unfortunately, data breach fatigue has become so common in the past 15 years, that most consumers and employees do not even react to news of a data breach. This means that employees often aren’t doing what they could to keep the privacy of their business intact. With over 80 percent of data breaches arising from password issues, investing in a password manager, like TeamPassword, can ensure that passwords are protected.

Password fatigue is real. Setting up a system to manage your passwords is an investment of time up front - there&rsquo;s no getting around that. But it&rsquo;s easier than you think, and it&rsquo;ll save you more time and stress down the road than you can imagine.&nbsp;
First, check your browser to see if you&rsquo;ve haphazardly saved hundreds of passwords there. Here are instructions for <a href="https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/import-bookmarks-and-passwords-ibrw1015/mac#:~:text=Export%20a%20passwords%20file" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Safari</a> and <a href="https://www.groovypost.com/howto/export-passwords-from-microsoft-edge/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Edge</a>. We&rsquo;ll look at how to do this in Chrome right now.&nbsp;
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">In Chrome, click the three dots in the top right</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Click Settings</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Select the Autofill tab</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Click Password Manager</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Click the three dots to the right of &ldquo;Add&rdquo; to export your passwords</li>
</ol>
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/yXwhank6SwWHjbep0HWP" alt="undefined" width="550" height="388" />
Here, you can see your passwords and ask Chrome check if any are compromised. <a href="https://haveibeenpwned.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Haveibeenpwned.com</a> is a great resource to check if your email has been part of a breach (you can also select the "Passwords" tab at the top to check those).
When I did this, I found multiple accounts I&rsquo;d forgotten about that were using the same passwords as my integral accounts. Time to make some changes!
Use this CSV to <a href="https://help.teampassword.com/en/articles/3974921-importing-using-a-csv" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">import your account data</a> into your password manager. You may need to create and/or edit the headings of your CSV to tell the password manager how to organize your data.&nbsp;
Once your login credentials are uploaded, put on some good music and set about the tedious process of updating all your accounts. Password managers have built-in <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">password generators</a> to make the process faster.
Since you have a password manager, take advantage of the encrypted Notes field to store any information you&rsquo;d like.&nbsp;
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
Having strong passwords is essential for keeping your accounts and identity secure. Investing in a password management tool, such as TeamPassword, is a great option for businesses. Password management tools make it easy to practice good password habits.
Often, customers call in because they have forgotten their account password or the person in charge of the account has left. With a password management tool, you can forget about sticky notes and spreadsheets containing passwords. You can create random passwords to keep your data secure, and easily share passwords across devices without worrying about the danger of data in transit.
Your business and personal data are important, so don't rely on a sticky note to protect your accounts. Invest in a password manager to keep track of your passwords and make your life easier.

Don't rely on a sticky note to protect your data. Invest in a password manager to keep track of your passwords and make your life easier.

Don't rely on a sticky note to protect your data. Invest in a password manager to keep track ...

Keeping Track of Your Passwords

One of the long-term effects of the recent pandemic is <a href="https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/article/coronavirus-impact-online-retail/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank" style="color: #40d8e3;">online holiday shopping</a> which increases the likelihood of a cyberattack. With the holiday season quickly approaching, staying safe when shopping online is essential. <a href="https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/02/16/fraud-activity-level/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank" style="color: #40d8e3;">Reports</a> show that online scamming is at an all-time high and there are no signs of a decline.
Let&rsquo;s imagine a few scenarios.
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">You get an email from Target saying they are offering gift cards and all you have to do is submit your card information, and boom, a free Target gift card.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">You receive a text alerting you about Dillard&rsquo;s online sale that is only available via their link so you can knock out some early Christmas shopping.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">You get a pop-up ad from that one website you use to watch free movies offering free Visa cards.&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
You might think, &ldquo;Wow, this is too good to be true!&rdquo; And that&rsquo;s our first rule of thumb: if an offer is too good to be true, it&rsquo;s probably a scam.&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s look at how scammers use the enthusiasm and good feelings of the holidays to deceive online shoppers.
<h2>Don&rsquo;t Open Unfamiliar Links</h2>
Phishing is a prevalent social engineering technique used by many malicious actors where they send fraudulent messages to trick victims into sending sensitive information like passwords or credit card information. These messages often come in the form of text messages or emails.&nbsp;
Here are a few ways to check if you are a victim of a phishing attack:
<h3>Check the sender&nbsp;</h3>
Circling back to the scenario used in the beginning, if you get an email from a company like Target, you should first check the email's sender. Being a Target shopper, I get tons of emails about sales and deals. I can tell you, Target&rsquo;s official email is targetnews@em.target.com.
Malicious actors create emails similar to official business emails to make it seem legitimate. For example, they might use target@targetnews.com or marketing@targett.com.
Look for spelling or grammatical errors. If you&rsquo;re still not sure whether it&rsquo;s real, do a quick search for it on the web, check the company&rsquo;s website, or reach out the company directly to verify its authenticity.
You can also verify company phone numbers, which aren&rsquo;t as easy to identify as emails. Simply type the number into Google to see whether the number is connected to the company.
<h3>Check the Link</h3>
Most scam sites have spelling errors, and many are ridiculously long. Those are easy giveaways.
<h3>Does the Link Text Match the Site?</h3>
Some cybercriminals may show a different website than what the link will take you to. Hover over the link or copy and paste it into a browser instead of clicking the link. That way, you can see and review the actual link before being brought to it.&nbsp;
<h3>Is the Site Encrypted?</h3>
It&rsquo;s also wise to note if the site is encrypted. To tell whether the site is encrypted or not, look at the search bar where the URL is written.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/RmzRIkTfSCij3bw8khS1" alt="undefined" width="726" height="72" />
Do you notice how the site has the padlock and an &ldquo;HTTPS&rdquo; address? That tells you that the site is encrypted. This means that any data you transmit to the site, be it your login information or credit card number, is protected from third parties. It will stay between you and the operators of the website.&nbsp;
If you encounter a website that isn&rsquo;t encrypted, the connection is not secure, which means the information you transmit could be intercepted by a third party. Find another site to shop from.
Unfortunately, this doesn&rsquo;t guarantee that every site with a padlock and HTTPS address is safe. As <a href="https://www.kaspersky.com/blog/https-does-not-mean-safe/20725/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Kasperksy</a> makes note, &ldquo;... the green lock and the issued certificate say nothing about the site itself. A phishing page can just as readily get a certificate and encrypt all traffic that flows between you and it.&rdquo;
So, while it&rsquo;s important to only shop on encrypted sites, you cannot rely solely on the encryption indicators as a signal of what is safe and what isn&rsquo;t.&nbsp;
<h2>An Example of How to Dissect a Phishing Text</h2>
Let&rsquo;s dissect this text I received and the steps I used to conclude it was fake:
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/PPY8DpLvTo2HZkgRt7x8" alt="undefined" width="418" height="318" />
First: I Googled the number, and no information regarding a company came up. That troubled me.
Second: I noticed that the link looked suspicious.&nbsp;
When receiving a text or email with a link, whether it be a &ldquo;package not delivered&rdquo; or a &ldquo;black Friday sale&rdquo; link, if the URL looks suspicious, it probably is. The URL in the text message above shows no indication of what company I could be receiving a package from.&nbsp;
Third: The text has awful grammar. Think about it, businesses invest heavily in marketing. Are they likely to overlook glaring grammatical errors? Probably not.
Four: Contextualize the message you are receiving. I wasn&rsquo;t expecting a package, so the message was out of place.&nbsp;
Five: Off to the junk folder it went!
<h2>Don&rsquo;t Purchase from Suspicious Sites</h2>
What if you find yourself on a website you&rsquo;ve never heard of before? Maybe they&rsquo;re offering the best deal, or you believe you're supporting a local business. Hold on! You&rsquo;ll want to check a few things before trusting them with your address and credit card.&nbsp;
<h3>Check the Reviews</h3>
Checking reviews is a crucial part of identifying scam websites. Many scam websites will have fake reviews. Often, there will be multiple reviews posted simultaneously with the same keywords.&nbsp;
On the contrary, a legitimate company will have a variety of reviews. <a href="https://www.fakespot.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank" style="color: #40d8e3;">FakeSpot</a> is a great tool that uses AI to calculate whether or not a product has fake or legit reviews.&nbsp;
Another trick is to search Reddit for the website to see if anyone has reported a bad experience. Treat these with a grain of salt, however, as a malicious website creator could use various accounts to respond to a Reddit question, making their website seem legit.
<h3>Check Copyright Information&nbsp;</h3>
A legitimate site will have updated copyright and contact information. This is crucial because if the company has no contact details, what do you do if you have an issue with the product? <a href="https://smallbusiness.chron.com/copyright-laws-important-52601.html" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Copyright</a> helps identify the owner of a company or product. Most websites host their copyright information at the bottom of the home page.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/FzgrVkM2TaWNqLylyUTk" width="539" height="47" />
<h2>Use A Password Manager</h2>
If you have online accounts that require logins, you should use a password manager.&nbsp;
A password manager prevents your accounts from getting hacked by safely securing your logins. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/features" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank" style="color: #40d8e3;">TeamPassword</a> is an easy-to-use password manager for teams. Every user on the account has the option to keep private records, like their personal Amazon account information. Team admins can also create groups to share logins with multiple users, making access to team accounts a breeze.
I've accumulated hundreds of accounts over the years. A password manager allows me to have unique, strong passwords for each account while eliminating the impossible task of remembering those unique passwords that may only get used once or twice a year.
<h2>Creating Unique Strong Passwords</h2>
Creating a strong password is simple, especially with a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">password generator</a>. But remembering those passwords is another thing. While using the same password for multiple accounts is tempting, it&rsquo;s important not to. If a malicious actor were to get access to one account, gaining access to the rest would be much easier.&nbsp;
If password generators aren&rsquo;t your thing, try using a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-build-a-passphrase" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank" style="color: #40d8e3;">passphrase</a> instead. Simply put, a passphrase is similar to a password but uses more characters from memorable items for increased security. Here are a few examples of what passphrases can look like.&nbsp;
It could be random: A11ig@torsWithRed$weaters
Or it could be of one of your interests: R3*dingCl*ssicLit3r*ture_
They pretty much look like censored curse words. But, since I built these phrases myself, I'll be able to remember them quickly. And just like that, I now have two 25-character passwords!
<h1>In Conclusion</h1>
The bottom line is that scammers aren&rsquo;t going anywhere. It&rsquo;s up to us to follow protocols that will keep us safe online. Take the time to check that those good deals are legit, use a password manager, and only click on links from expected, verified emails and messages.
If we can all follow these simple cybersecurity practices, we can all shop with a little more peace of mind come Cyber Monday.&nbsp;

Follow these simple cybersecurity tips to shop with a little more peace of mind this Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Follow these simple cybersecurity tips to shop with a little more peace of mind this Black Friday and ...

How to Avoid Black Friday and Cyber Monday Scams

The importance of mobile devices has grown significantly as the number of <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/617136/digital-population-worldwide/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">internet users</a> increases. Not only are they supremely convenient for communication and entertainment on the go, but many of the programs and websites we use at the office now exist in mobile applications - meaning we never leave our work behind.&nbsp;
Uninterrupted connectivity means uninterrupted risk of our data being stolen. Mobile devices, like any device connected to the internet and capable of data transfer, have vulnerabilities. And though mobile operating systems are often tightly secured and able to stop users from accidentally installing a virus, we should be just as educated and deliberate when using them.&nbsp;
Read on to learn five ways you may be unwittingly exposing your data.
<h2>1. Outdated Security Software</h2>
The two ubiquitous mobile operating systems, Android and iOS (and its cousin iPadOS), come with stringent security installed. On Android, Play Protect regularly scans your entire device for malicious apps, not just apps downloaded from the Play store.&nbsp;
iPhones employ a system whereby no app knows what any other app is doing, unless of course you give it that permission - such as allowing Instagram to look at your photos. Safari, the built-in browser on iPhones, typically does a good job of warning you when accessing a suspicious site. iPhones do not allow you to install third party security software unless they&rsquo;ve been jailbroken (more on that below). The built-in security features on iPhones are typically enough, provided you keep your device up-to-date.&nbsp;
On that note: do stay on top of your software updates. Operating systems are regularly patched as new vulnerabilities are found - which is often.
For iOS devices, go to Settings &gt; General &gt; Software Update.
If you have an Android, your first step should be to ensure that Play Protect is working and scanning your device regularly.&nbsp;
Open the Play Store app &gt; tap your profile icon &gt; tap Play Protect. It will tell you the last time your device was scanned and if any threats were found.&nbsp;
And of course, check for software patches.&nbsp;Settings &gt; System &gt; System update&nbsp;(path may be different depending on the device).
<a href="https://developers.google.com/android/play-protect" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/D46UsujTQz6NOJLUJCIY" alt="undefined" width="289" height="488" /></a>
If you use your Android device for banking, work, and research rabbit holes, you may want to invest in additional security.
When downloading any app it&rsquo;s a good idea to <a href="https://joyofandroid.com/category/apps/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">check reviews first</a>. Android apps have gotten better in recent years but bad ones still slip through. With so many different Android devices, it's not always easy to know how an app will perform. Reviews can help you pick the right app without trying a bunch of duds.
The next time you're looking for a new app, check the reviews to get a better idea of what you're getting yourself into. If you're concerned about your mobile device being hacked, install security software and keep it up to date. You should also choose strong passwords and avoid using the same password on multiple devices or websites.
<h2>2. Weak Passwords</h2>
A weak password is like a skeleton key that cybercriminals can easily guess. If your passwords are simple and reused across accounts you&rsquo;re opening yourself to a comprehensive breach.
A good starting point for your passwords is to make them 12+ characters with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. How do you remember unique, complex passwords for all your accounts? You don&rsquo;t. Let a <a href="https://teampassword.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">password manager</a> do that for you. Password managers have mobile apps, so there&rsquo;s no excuse not to use one.&nbsp;
A password manager also removes the frustration of mistyping your passwords on touch keyboards.
Don&rsquo;t just rely on your passwords. We strongly recommend enabling MFA (multi-factor authentication) on all applications that allow it. This means that in addition to your password you'll need a second factor, such as a security code from an Authenticator app, to access your account.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/0DIRx1gaS8CNBbyupiQW" alt="undefined" width="716" height="477" />
<h2>3. Sharing passwords via text, email, Slack etc</h2>
Text, emails, Slack messages, and other messaging apps are not appropriately encrypted for password sharing. Not only are the apps themselves comparatively easy to hack (or social engineer your way) into and intercept data from, but it&rsquo;s simply too easy to misplace your phone. Once someone gets past your lock screen, how hard is it for them to get into your email, text messages, or workspace?&nbsp;
Passwords should live in a password manager with industry-standard encryption. If you need to share passwords with teammates or family, use a vault that allows easy sharing without the passwords needing to leave an encrypted environment.&nbsp;
<h2>4. Unverified Links</h2>
You may unwittingly compromise your passwords or install viruses when opening links on your mobile device. These can come from malicious websites, email attachments, or an unverified text message claiming your credit card has been compromised and that you need to &ldquo;Click Here!&rdquo; to freeze it (always call your bank directly).&nbsp;
Some websites may not be <a href="https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ssl/why-is-http-not-secure/#:~:text=HTTPS%20is%20HTTP%20with%20encryption,far%20more%20secure%20than%20HTTP." rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">properly secured with HTTPS</a>. Modern browsers should warn you when entering an unsecured HTTP environment. If you enter sensitive information on such websites, it may be visible to cybercriminals.&nbsp;
Please handle any suspicious content on a computer with good antivirus installed. If you must examine a link while using a mobile email app, long-press on the link or button to reveal the URL. If it&rsquo;s not completely showing, copy the URL and paste it into your notes app.&nbsp;
For attachments and the like, only download them if you know you can trust the source.&nbsp;
<h2>5. Jailbreaking or Rooting Your Phone</h2>
Jailbreaking or rooting - technically two different processes -&nbsp; are typically done in order to install software or otherwise customize your phone in a way that the manufacturer does not allow by default. Jailbreaking is the term used when done to an iPhone, and is viewed by Apple as a violation of its end-user license agreement. Rooting - the process of becoming a superuser on Android - is allowed by a number of Android phone manufacturers.&nbsp;
In either scenario you are gaining power over your device that the manufacturer did not originally intend. With this increased control comes a proportional increase in risk. It becomes much easier to download malware, and if a criminal gets ahold of your privilege-escalated device, they can find ways to bypass your passwords to scour your storage for whatever information is held there. They can also control camera and mic permissions, enabling all sorts of nefarious activities.&nbsp;
The change in security of a rooted device typically renders it unusable for work. If you wish to root your phone, research the inherent dangers and proceed with a healthy dose of caution.&nbsp;
<h2>In Conclusion</h2>
As mobile devices become more capable, our trust in and reliance on them increases. Your smartphone may store credit card and bank info, addresses, pictures of ID, your physical location&hellip;do you even know what's on there? And it&rsquo;s all on a device that can too easily be snatched from a coffee table or slip from your pocket.&nbsp;
I hope these five tips have helped supplement your knowledge and motivated you to take action to strengthen your mobile device security.&nbsp;

Though mobile operating systems are tightly secured, we may unwittingly expose our data if we're not deliberate about how we use them.

Though mobile operating systems are tightly secured, we may unwittingly expose our data if we're not deliberate about ...

5 Reasons Your Smartphone Is At Risk

Most modern browsers offer an autofill function. The browser stores your name, phone number, address, etc. so that every time you fill out a form, you do not need to fill out the information line by line.&nbsp;
However, what you save in tedious work you lose in potential security risks. This is especially the case if the computer is shared. While most people know not to put their personal information into a public computer at the library, they may forget that other people might jump on to their computer at home or in a dorm room&mdash;or that someone might grab their smartphone right off their table while working in a caf&eacute;.
Even if you are not concerned about the security issues, the data stored may be out of date, have an error in it, or otherwise require you to constantly change a single field after autofill is completed.&nbsp;
In this article we will learn how to add, delete, and modify all or some of the autofill information in your Google Chrome browser, as well as other information you may wish to remove.
<h2>How to delete unwanted autofill entries on Chrome browser</h2>
You can clear all or only some of your autofill data in Chrome. Let&rsquo;s take a look at these two cases below.
<h3>Clear all autofill entries directly via Chrome settings in your toolbar</h3>
Use the following instructions to clear all of your autofill information in Chrome:
<ol>
<li aria-level="1">Open Chrome</li>
<li aria-level="1">Click the&nbsp;three dot symbol &gt; More Tools &gt; Clear browsing data...</li>
<li aria-level="1">Click the&nbsp;Advanced tab in the new window, and select&nbsp;All time from the drop down.&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Check the Autofill form data&nbsp;box. Be sure to unselect all others if you do not wish to delete other data</li>
<li aria-level="1">Click the Clear data button</li>
</ol>
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/JJ9oIPCRoe0qHCnu5Fqs" alt="undefined" width="397" height="333" /> &nbsp; &nbsp; <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/YduonhM8SryTCFvCd5O7" alt="undefined" width="394" height="361" /> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
You have now cleared all of your autofill data in Chrome. But what if you want to delete only part of the information?
<h3>Clear some autofill entries directly via the autofill tab of Chrome settings</h3>
Follow the steps below to clear only part of your autofill information in Chrome:
<ol>
<li aria-level="1">Open Chrome</li>
<li aria-level="1">Click the&nbsp;three dot symbol in the top right corner</li>
<li aria-level="1">Click Settings</li>
<li aria-level="1">Click the&nbsp;Autofill tab</li>
<li aria-level="1">Here, you can individually edit or delete the different autofill categories: passwords, payment methods, and addresses and more</li>
</ol>
<h2>How to make specific changes to what autofill saves</h2>
If your computer is regularly used by others, or you are currently using a public computer, you may wish to turn off autofill entirely. Let&rsquo;s look at different types of autofill information stored by Google and how to disable them. This may also be wise if you regularly use these devices in public where a thief can get their hands on them.
<h3>Passwords</h3>
The &ldquo;Offer to save passwords&rdquo; setting allows you to save passwords in Chrome. This can be done in all modern&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-save-passwords-in-chrome-and-alternatives">browsers</a>. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/are-chrome-passwords-safe" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">saving passwords in a browser might not be the safest or easiest option</a>. Flipping this toggle to off will disable Chrome&rsquo;s password saving feature. You can also disable this functionality in other&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-disable-your-browsers-built-in-password-manager" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">browsers</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/P1IBEoW2QbtQaWIXnVTq" alt="undefined" width="860" height="216" />
<h3>Payment methods</h3>
To turn off autofill for payment methods, find &ldquo;Save and fill payment methods&rdquo; and set the toggle button to off. You can also see a link below this that you can follow to clear any autofill payment information currently stored in Chrome.
<h3>Addresses and more</h3>
This information includes your email address, physical address, phone number, etc. Similar to above, find &ldquo;Save and fill addresses&rdquo; and flip the toggle to off.
<h2>What is autofill and how does it work?</h2>
Autofill does exactly what it sounds like. By default, Chrome will remember what you input into different form fields and then add that information automatically whenever you encounter the same field in the future.&nbsp;
Autofill saves time and reduces the hassle of providing information in the future. While filling out an address doesn&rsquo;t take most people much time while working on their PC or laptop, typing in number and letter combinations, especially when your address has uncommon words or non-dictionary words that make autocorrect hiccup, can be rather time-consuming. If it leads to incorrect information on those forms, then the delays to shipments could cause further issues.
No technology is without its drawbacks. You should take the time to understand the security implications of using Chrome autofill.
<h2>Reasons why autofill may not be working correctly</h2>
Autofill might not be working for various reasons. Sometimes it is simply that friends or family have used your computer recently to fill in their own information and now Google Chrome is confused about what is the correct information.
Other times it might be that your information has been changed by government edict. In Canada, the postal code (like a zip code but fancier with letters) format has changed from A1A-1A1 to A1A 1A1 and now A1A1A1 over time. Because of this change, many postal code form fields are limited to six characters now instead of seven (bye bye space). Then, you might find Chrome autofill always adding &ldquo;A1A 1A&rdquo;, which you need to go and manually change to &ldquo;A1A1A1&rdquo;. And if you are super lazy, this might persist for a few years until you are tasked with writing about how to clear autofill in Chrome and finally get around to fixing the information&hellip;&nbsp;
However, whatever the issue, it is easy to change the Chrome autofill settings.
<h2>Other data settings to keep in mind</h2>
Accessing the same menu, you can delete all of the other information your browser is storing. Doing this periodically is a practical and proactive step to help reduce your risk online. The following are some other types of information that you should consider clearing along with autofill in Chrome:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Browsing history</li>
<li aria-level="1">Cookies and other site data</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://macpaw.com/how-to/clear-cache-on-mac" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://macpaw.com/how-to/clear-cache-on-mac&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1648309794332000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1lwRodBSl30WBTzbWzYHap" rel="follow noopener">Cached images and files on your Mac</a> (or any other device)</li>
</ul>
Anyone who touches your device, whether&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/prevent-password-theft-from-ex-employees" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">at the office</a>, the caf&eacute;, or on the subway (if you accidentally leave your briefcase behind), with or without your permission, can access every account you have saved in Chrome passwords.&nbsp;
This leaves you wide open to being hacked.
<h2>Is Chrome autofill safe?&nbsp;</h2>
While convenient, using Chrome to store passwords and credit cards is not secure. If the device on which you have autofill enabled is stolen or accessed by someone else, they can easily get into your accounts. Chrome's password manager also lacks a way to share logins with coworkers, making it completely inappropriate for use at work.
We recommend using a <a href="https://teampassword.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">password manager</a> instead. Password managers store your passwords in an encrypted environment and can even be used to store credit card information and addresses in the Note section, as the entire record is secured with AES 256-bit encryption.&nbsp;
<h2>What should I use instead of Chrome autofill?</h2>
TeamPassword offers a fast, safe, and easy solution for storing and managing your passwords that doesn&rsquo;t leave you vulnerable to Chrome password security issues.
Create and customize strong passwords that you can use with any browser or device and access all your passwords whenever and wherever you need them. With TeamPassword, your passwords are secure, even if your device falls into the wrong hands.&nbsp;
A&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">dedicated password manager</a> protects you by requiring you to log in with a separate &ldquo;master&rdquo; password. It automatically locks your passwords after a specific amount of time has passed. With browser extensions and apps, password managers are only slightly less convenient than Chrome's built-features, but&nbsp;a lot more secure.&nbsp;
TeamPassword has a Chrome extension which autofills to most website and shows you record information from a dropdown without needing to go to separate page.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/H6sqhcSSGARs0vTaPvw6" alt="undefined" width="559" height="389" />
It also has extensive features for safe credential sharing - something Chrome's password feature lacks entirely. Passwords are categorized into Groups, and team members are given access to Groups as needed. Removing members and editing records is just as easy.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> to test TeamPassword with your team members today.

Learn how to clear your autofill on Chrome to protect your passwords. Use TeamPassword instead of letting Chrome remember your passwords for you.

Don't store your passwords in Chrome, it's not safe. Clear your Chrome Autofill and use TeamPassword instead.

How to Clear Autofill on Chrome (Protect Your Data!)

How to Clear Autofill on Chrome: Protect Your Internet Security by Clearing Chrome’s Saved Information

While there is no hard and fast rule, experts agree that it is wise to change your passwords every 90 days. Yup, every 90. If the very thought of going through each and every one of your 127 passwords and updating them every 90 days makes you want to click off this article - don&rsquo;t.&nbsp;
With a little knowledge, this tedious task can be made easier and safer. We&rsquo;ll also share why it&rsquo;s an essential part of securing your accounts and that it's:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Worth your time, and</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Not as overwhelming as it seems if you&rsquo;re using the right tools</li>
</ol>
Aside from learning to spot <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/your-passwords-are-only-as-secure-as-your-teams" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">social engineering attacks</a>, regularly changing your passwords is one of the easiest actions you can take to minimize the probability of being hacked.&nbsp;
<h2>What&rsquo;s the point of changing my password?&nbsp;</h2>
Does changing my password really make a difference?&nbsp;
Statistics from 2019 found that over 1 million passwords are stolen every week, and that number has only increased during the pandemic. Today, there are over <a href="https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/97825-24-billion-usernames-passwords-available-on-the-dark-web#:~:text=There%20are%20more%20than%2024,to%20new%20Digital%20Shadows%20research." rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">24 billion username and password combinations available on the dark web</a>.&nbsp;
Changing your passwords absolutely makes a difference in keeping your accounts safe, provided they&rsquo;re strong. Some stolen passwords are exploited right away, but others are leveraged months later. Changing your password could foil months of a cybercriminal&rsquo;s work, which may lead to them focusing their attention on lower-hanging fruit.
<h3>Are my accounts more secure the more I change my password?</h3>
Yes, and no. Provided you are using randomly generated or unique passwords of 12+ characters with symbols and numbers, then updating your most valuable accounts frequently absolutely keeps your accounts more secure.&nbsp;
Frequent, scheduled password changes are only an issue when the task is thrust upon an uneducated employee who hasn&rsquo;t been given the right tools for the job.
Most software solutions that mandate frequent password changes are rendered virtually useless by not giving the user the proper tools. People feel annoyed at being forced to change and memorize a new password, and often game the system, first adding a 1, then a !, then a 2 etc. I was certainly guilty of this at past jobs.&nbsp;
Requiring people to change their passwords without providing a password manager (more on this below) irritates people and does little to bolster your company&rsquo;s security.
Cybersecurity exists on a spectrum: convenient and frictionless on one end, and security on the other. In a perfect world you would change your password every day, but the cost/benefit analysis buckles when you realize that a program like <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/following-oldsmar-attack-fbi-warns-about-using-teamviewer-and-windows-7/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">TeamViewer can get hacked</a>, rendering a simple security measure such as a password useless.&nbsp;
Ultimately, a combination of new, complex passwords and a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/one-time-passwords-vs-two-factor-authentication" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">second authentication factor</a> is the best we can do.&nbsp;
If your systems require the best available security, look into hardware keys such as Yubico, Google Titan, and Thetis.&nbsp;
<h2>How to change your passwords</h2>
The most common reason people cite for not wanting to change passwords is the time it takes. It&rsquo;s a manual process, and right now there&rsquo;s no way around that. But if you're not using a password manager, your vision of what the process looks like may be needlessly convoluted.
The unknown can be scary.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/kE8Uzu4ESfebb0whlxAV" alt="undefined" width="752" height="386" />
With a password manager, updating passwords is as simple as:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Navigate to the &ldquo;change password&rdquo; page of your account settings&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Click your browser extension. The extension will most likely have pulled up the appropriate record, but if not simply search for it&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Click &ldquo;edit&rdquo; in your password manager on the account you&rsquo;re updating</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Use the Password Generator to create a new, strong password</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Save the password in your manager and on your account</li>
</ul>
Change your passwords with a movie or music in the background! There&rsquo;s no reason it has to be all boring.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>How to make strong passwords</h3>
If the account you&rsquo;re using allows for symbols, then generating a long, random string of symbols, digits, and letters is the easiest and safest option.&nbsp;
If you need to remember the password, try creating a passphrase. Passphrases are strings of words, with a few symbol and number substitutions, that are easy to remember but hard to guess. Part of the reason passphrases are effective is that when it comes to password strength, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/tips-and-tricks-to-create-a-strong-password" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">longer is better</a>. Don&rsquo;t use song lyrics, lines from poems, or anything that can be found in a Google search.&nbsp;
<h3>What are bad passwords?</h3>
Every year, a few websites take the time to bemoan the state of password management by compiling the <a href="https://www.tomsguide.com/news/worst-passwords-2022" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">worst passwords of the year</a>. The list typically looks much the same. These passwords can be cracked in less than a second by modern software, yet continue to be widely used.&nbsp;
Avoiding bad passwords is mostly common sense. If you use a password generator or take the time to create a 14+ character passphrase, you&rsquo;re probably good. The key is to avoid patterns and personal information.&nbsp;
If someone is choosing to target you, they will scour the internet and social media for personal information. Pet&rsquo;s names, birthdays, your first car&hellip;it&rsquo;s hard to remember everything you&rsquo;ve ever said on the internet. We recommend avoiding such personal information when building your password.
Here are a few that always make the worst passwords list:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">123456</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">123456789</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">qwerty</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">password</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">12345</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">12345678</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">111111</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">1234567</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">123123</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">qwerty123</li>
</ul>
<h2>What is a password manager?</h2>
So far, I&rsquo;ve asseverated that a password manager is a critical tool in your mission for effective password hygiene. But what is its purpose?
In its most basic form, a password manager is a single vault that stores unique passwords for all your accounts. The benefit is that you only need to remember one master password to access the vault.&nbsp;
A good vault such as TeamPassword uses <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Client-side_encryption#:~:text=Client%2Dside%20encryption%20is%20the,as%20a%20cloud%20storage%20service." rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Client-Side Encryption</a>, which means that even TeamPassword employees, or anyone with access to TeamPassword&rsquo;s database, cannot see your passwords. They also feature AES 256-bit encryption and security accreditations such as ISO 27001, SOC 1 and SOC 2, SSAE 16 and ISAE 3402.
The best vaults allow users to share passwords with team members - be they friends, family, or colleagues. With organizational tools like groups and different user settings, you can control who sees what without exposing your data.&nbsp;
<h3>Should I let my browser save my passwords?</h3>
While Chrome is working to make its password manager more secure, it does not provide enterprise level security or secure sharing.&nbsp;
Chrome is designed to be the most convenient browser on the market, and it succeeds. But if your Google account is breached, your passwords will be revealed. Most of us sync our Chrome profiles so that we can access bookmarks from anywhere. This works against us if one of our devices is stolen.
I won&rsquo;t claim that a real password manager is as convenient as letting your browser handle everything. As I said above, cybersecurity is often a tradeoff between easy and secure. However, if you need to share passwords with team members or family, then Chrome is definitely not the appropriate tool. A dedicated password manager built for sharing is both easier to use and safer.&nbsp;
<h3>How does a password manager work?&nbsp;</h3>
Let&rsquo;s start with what a password manager is not.&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Not a magical tool that automatically updates all your account passwords without you lifting a finger.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Does not guarantee that you&rsquo;ll never be locked out of an account again - you could accidentally save different passwords between your password manager and the account you&rsquo;re trying to manage.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Does not replace account settings or have administrative control over your accounts. That is, just changing your Instagram password in your password manager does not actually change your Instagram password. You still need to go to your Instagram account settings and make the change there.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
What does it do?
By storing your sensitive credentials in a host-proof and locally encrypted vault, a password manager stores complex passwords for all your accounts while only requiring you to remember the master password that accesses your vault. Team plans let you safely share account credentials with your team without the credentials leaving an encrypted environment.
<h2>Is TeamPassword a good password manager?</h2>
TeamPassword is one of the best - especially for sharing passwords on teams.
TeamPassword exists so teams can effortlessly access the credentials they need&hellip;and only the credentials they need. Here are a few of the features that make this possible:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Unlimited number of completely customizable groups such as Marketing, HR, and Billing</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Records can be part of multiple groups</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Admins grant or revoke access to each group with the click of a button</li>
</ul>
TeamPassword is designed so that your team will actually use it. The interface is simple and only shows you what you need. We integrate with Google SSO for seamless login into your vault.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/S5jNIC3TtuXldRHK5V4w" alt="undefined" width="511" height="418" />
We offer a mobile app and extension so your records are accessible everywhere, all the time.
If you&rsquo;re looking for an affordable, easy-breezy to set-up password manager for your team, please <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">sign up for our free trial</a> and let us know what you think.&nbsp;&nbsp;

We suggest changing your passwords every 90 days. Overwhelmed? Here are some tips to make it easier and reasons why it's worth it.

We suggest changing your passwords every 90 days. Overwhelmed? Here are some tips to make it easier and ...

How Often Should You Change Your Password?

How Often Should You Change Your Password? The Importance of Password Safety

Team Password Blog | Category password-management | Page 2

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!
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<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!
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<h2>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>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$$w0rd123</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hashed password: 6AF1CE202340FE71BDB914AD5357E33A6982A63B</li>
</ul>
While this might seem secure, simple hashed passwords aren't hack-proof.
The hash function only creates a unique hash for each password, not each user. So, if multiple users have the password, Pa$$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): 72AE25495A7981C40622D49F9A52E4F1565C90F048F59027BD9C8C8900D5C3D8</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password two hashed value (SHA256): B4B6603ABC670967E99C7E7F1389E40CD16E78AD38EB1468EC2AA1E62B8BED3A</li>
</ul>
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<h2>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>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?

Over the last decade, the gig economy boom has allowed professionals worldwide to switch to freelancing and build a network of international clients.&nbsp;
According to Upwork, 1 in 3 US workers engaged in freelance work during 2020. Some of the most successful freelancers earn hundreds of thousands of dollars per year through platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Toptal.
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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. 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>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 Environmental, 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. Xhensila Zemblaku - Art Director - Canada</h3>
Xhensila Zemblaku is a freelance art director, UX/UI designer, and illustrator from Markham, Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Ryerson University with almost ten years of experience.
Xhensila has been a freelancer for most of her professional career and earned over <a href="https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~01a08d1fcc6ea8fbcb">$400k on Upwork</a>, completed over 150 jobs, and 4,663 hours!&nbsp;
Xhensila's work includes typography, print design, UX/UI design, web, and mobile design. She's a Top Rated Upwork Freelancer currently charging $200 per hour for various creative gigs.
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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!

Usernames are essential for security and anonymity online. But some people come up with username ideas to stand out or align with a brand. Usernames can also help gain followers or build a social media following.
With so many possibilities, coming up with username ideas can be challenging! Luckily, there are plenty of tools and methods to create unique usernames.
Whether you're aiming for fame or privacy, we have username ideas to help you create unique usernames easily!
Using unique credentials (including passwords and usernames) can mitigate many cybersecurity vulnerabilities. When paired with a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager like TeamPassword</a>, strong usernames and passwords can protect you against attacks. Sign up for a 14-day free TeamPassword trial today!
&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>Why You Need to Use Unique Usernames</h2>
There are several reasons people want unique usernames ideas:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Security</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Anonymity</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Popularity</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Humor</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Business name ideas</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Unique Usernames for Security</h3>
Many people don't know about the importance of using unique or secure usernames for online security. Reusing usernames can be just as troublesome as <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/colonial-pipeline-ransomware-attack-dont-reuse-passwords">reusing passwords</a>.
If criminals steal your credentials from a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/category/data-breaches">data breach</a>, they can use your username to figure out where else you have accounts and deploy spear-phishing attacks using fake correspondence to steal your credentials.
For example, hackers sending you a "password reset" from Instagram because they "suspect suspicious activity!" If you use unique usernames for every account, the attackers won't find your Instagram profile!
Don't think that you won't fall for these ploys! Many individuals with regular cybersecurity training fall victim to phishing attacks.
In effect, unique usernames act as a second password, preventing anyone from finding your accounts with a single username.
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<h3>Unique Usernames for Anonymity</h3>
Aligned with security is anonymity. Maintaining anonymity online can protect you from cyberattacks and prevent work colleagues, clients, and other companies or individuals from finding you online.
Many people want to separate their professional profiles from their personal ones while maintaining an online presence. Using unique usernames can hide the profiles you prefer to keep private.
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<h3>Unique Usernames for Fame, Popularity, Attention</h3>
A good Instagram username can help you stand out and boost your online presence. If your username is unique or obscure, it could lead to more profile clicks and followers.
A good example is French Connection UK or @FCUK. At first glance, the username looks like an expletive, drawing people's attention to the brand.
People often use made-up words, obscure combinations, and other naming conventions to grab attention online.
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<h3>Unique Usernames for Humor</h3>
Humor is another reason people often want unique username ideas. For example, @PickledElephantTusk is sure to get people's attention and perhaps a chuckle at the ridiculousness.
Funny usernames are great for social media profiles, but you might want to avoid these if you're trying to aim for security or anonymity!
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Business Name Ideas</h3>
Most startups want a unique brand name, including URL and social media usernames. Startups can ensure that every digital touchpoint is unique to their brand by choosing an available unique username first.
While using the same username is necessary for branding on social media channels, companies should always choose different, unidentifiable usernames for non-public accounts&mdash;email marketing apps, keyword research tools, productivity tools, accounting apps, etc.
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>How Can You Get Unique Usernames Ideas?</h2>
There are many places you go for unique username ideas. Here are a few of our best sources for inspiration:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Pinterest</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Username generators</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Google Search - type a word and look through the autocompletes. This is also an excellent way to find trending usernames</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Instagram hashtags</li>
</ul>
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>Here are a Couple of Methods for Thinking of Great Usernames Ideas</h2>
If you're looking for inspiration, here are three methods for coming up with great username ideas. We've included processes for creativity, speed, and security.
<h3>Creating Your Own Unique Usernames</h3>
The best way to create unique username ideas is by combining two or three mismatched words with a number. First, come up with two or three categories, and then pick a word from each.
For example, let&rsquo;s choose the two categories fish, and US State:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">US State: Idaho</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Fish: Pufferfish</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Number: 13</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">@IdahoPufferfish13</li>
</ul>
You can come up with funny and cute usernames using this method. It's also a fantastic creative exercise some people might find entertaining.
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Use a Username Generator</h3>
If you don't want to waste time coming up with usernames yourself, a username generator is a fantastic option to create unique usernames fast!
Some username generator tools will let you add a prefix, suffix, or number and randomize the rest. This method works well if you're trying to find unique username ideas for a specific industry, like fitness, health, tech, etc.
Some username generators even provide a social media search function to see if your unique username is available on the relevant platforms&mdash;providing you speed and efficiency!
Random username generators are also excellent for security because you avoid familiarity, making it less likely for attackers to find you.
&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3>Use a Password Generator</h3>
Password generators are great for creating unique username ideas. Password generators produce random strings with letters and numbers, significantly reducing the possibility of someone identifying you.
Try creating a username with TeamPassword's password generator:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Visit our <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">free password generator</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Deselect symbols (most platforms don't allow symbols in the username. Keep this selected if your platform does allow it!)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Our password generator only allows a minimum of 12 characters. If you need a shorter user name, drop the characters you don't need</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Copy/paste your random username to use when signing up for a new account</li>
</ol>
Remember to use our password generator with uppercase, lowercase, symbols, and numbers to create a secure unique password.&nbsp;
TeamPassword's password manager features a built-in password generator that suggests and pastes a strong password into forms during signup or resets. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a free 14-day free trial</a> to start managing your usernames and passwords securely.
&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2>How You Can Secure Your Accounts Using a Password Manager</h2>
Usernames and passwords are the keys to your individual and company accounts. These credentials prevent attackers from breaching your devices, networks, social media, apps, financial services, and more.
Most companies have hundreds of accounts requiring authentication daily. Often team members need to share access, especially for social media, research tools, productivity apps, store accounts, and marketing tools, to name a few.
<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/secure-password-sharing">Sharing credentials</a> over email, chat, or via spreadsheets exposes your company, clients, employees, and users to many cybersecurity risks. In some states and countries, sharing passwords this way is illegal!
Using a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">password manager</a> is a secure and efficient way to store and share your company's credentials.
Here are five reasons to choose TeamPassword for your company:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Affordable - Enterprise-grade password managers are often expensive. TeamPassword provides small businesses, agencies, and startups with an affordable password management solution.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Secure - TeamPassword is an <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-password-encryption-and-how-much-is-enough">accredited secure hosting provider</a> using state-of-the-art encryption technology. We store your passwords using AES-256, trusted by US government agencies and many other organizations globally.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Efficient - Share and revoke access in TeamPassword with a single click. Quickly create passwords using our built-in <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">secure password generator</a>.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Scalable - TeamPassword's plans scale with your business. Start with as few as five members and upgrade your plan as your workforce expands.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Flexible - Employees can sign into accounts using TeamPassword's Chrome, Firefox, or Safari browser extensions&mdash;catering to both Apple and Windows users.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ol>
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>Password Management With TeamPassword</h2>
TeamPassword makes it easy and secure to share credentials with employees, clients, freelancers, and contractors. Everyone gets a separate TeamPassword login to manage access and monitor activity.
TeamPassword encrypts your passwords, making it impossible for employees (or even TeamPassword staff) to preview raw credentials.
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Sharing Access With Groups</h3>
Add your team to TeamPassword and create groups to share access to your various accounts. If an employee, contractor, or freelancer leaves the team, simply remove them from the group&mdash;no need to worry about changing passwords!
If you're an agency working with multiple clients and accounts, one TeamPassword account is all you need! Just increase your plan accordingly.
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Activity Logging</h3>
Keep track of TeamPassword activity, just like an enterprise password manager does. Monitor logins, password changes, credential sharing, and more to spot suspicious activity.
TeamPassword also lets you set up email notifications&mdash;helpful in monitoring sensitive accounts or specific actions, like sharing or adding new users.
&nbsp; &nbsp;
<h3>Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)</h3>
Enabling 2FA on your TeamPassword account prevents attackers from gaining access, even if they steal your employee's username and password.
TeamPassword uses the Google Authenticator app (iOS &amp; Android), requiring a six-digital randomly generated code as the second authentication step. Without the employee's device, hackers can't complete TeamPassword authentication.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<h2>Start With a Free Trial</h2>
Coming up with unique username ideas isn't enough to protect your company's digital assets from attack. Protect your company's usernames and passwords with <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a>.
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> to test our robust and efficient sharing features with your team today!

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

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

Username ideas to make your logins more secure

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

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