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

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

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If one member of your team uses a weak password, it exposes your entire network to threats. Likewise, if one member of your team reuses their strong password elsewhere and it is <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/have-i-been-pwnd-what-to-do-when-it-happens">pwned</a>, then your entire network is exposed.&nbsp;
Passwords have become the main point of entry for hackers. Any password complex enough to garner security cannot be remembered easily, and with an ever-increasing number of passwords being needed, users often <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/colonial-pipeline-ransomware-attack-dont-reuse-passwords">reuse</a> them, which is a huge security risk.&nbsp;
Between weak and reused passwords, your network is far less secure than it would be by design. The first step in rectifying this situation is to audit passwords on your network. 
<h2>What is a Password Audit?</h2>
A password audit is simply using similar software as hackers to test your network against <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-truth-about-terrible-passwords">dictionary attacks</a>, <a href="about:blank">brute force attacks</a>, and more.&nbsp;
Special software is used to audit passwords. They attempt to break into your network similarly to nefarious actors to show you all of your password vulnerabilities, from weak passwords to pwned passwords, so that your network can realize maximum security.&lrm;
<h2>Why Audit Passwords?</h2>
The fact is that passwords are fatally flawed: they need to be complex and unique, they need to be different for each site, you need to remember them, and you shouldn&rsquo;t store them somewhere unsafe like on a post-it note on your monitor or an <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-manager-or-excel">Excel</a> file. Human nature is hard to avoid, and it runs counter to the aim of secure passwords.&nbsp;
Of course, a strong <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/whats-the-best-small-business-password-manager">password manager</a> helps, but before you get the most out of the added security and convenience of a password manager, you need to be confident that the passwords being used to access your network are secure.&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s assume everyone on your team understands that they shouldn&rsquo;t reuse passwords and have chosen a unique one for their work login, as well as the logins for all the tools they use at work. That&rsquo;s great.
Let&rsquo;s assume you enforce password complexity to maximize security. That means everyone must choose a password with a minimum length of 12 characters and that it must have at least one each of lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers, and a set of characters. That is, it meets the following requirements:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Lowercase letter {abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz}</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Uppercase letter {ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ}</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Number {0123456789}</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Character {!@#$%^&amp;*()_+{}|:"&lt;&gt;?~`-=[]\;',./}</li>
</ul>
That&rsquo;s great, too. But, is it enough? Well, to crack that password by trying 20,000,000,000 attempts per second, which is easily accomplished using a cloud computing platform, would take a maximum of approximately 6,600 years and an average of half that, or 3,300 years. Problem solved, right?&nbsp;
Well, it depends on what kind of passwords your team is choosing. If they are picking truly random passwords, then it is unlikely anyone will ever crack those codes. But there&rsquo;s a difference between passwords that can be brute force attacked and those that are easy to guess. For example, &ldquo;Password#333&rdquo; matches the requirements but isn&rsquo;t going to take any longer than &ldquo;password&rdquo; to guess.
To understand this fully, we need to understand the difference between a brute force attack and a dictionary attack. The brute force attack starts with &ldquo;aaaaaaaaaaaa,&rdquo; then &ldquo;aaaaaaaaaaab,&rdquo; and so on until the password is found.&nbsp;
A dictionary attack, conversely, tries every word in a dictionary. Although these dictionaries might include the entire Oxford English Dictionary, they go well beyond that and include the words commonly used as passwords and variations of those passwords. For example, in addition to &ldquo;password,&rdquo; they might include &ldquo;p4ssw0rd&rdquo;, &ldquo;pa55word&rdquo;, &ldquo;passwordpassword,&rdquo; etc.&nbsp;
Passwords need to be safe from both, and auditing passwords will tell you whether you have either issue.
Don't let your company fall victim to extortion emails, credential stuffing, or any other password vulnerability. Let <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> take care of security while you focus on growing a successful business!
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<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.
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2>How do you Audit Passwords?</h2>
To audit passwords, you need to use specialized software. We provide a list of several popular tools to audit passwords in the following section. But how do they work?
Essentially, the password auditing tools attempt to guess the passwords being used on your network. They do this through a combination of dictionary and brute force attacks, among other attacks, and then notify you about any other ways that the passwords might be compromised, for example, by being pwned.
Once you have performed a password audit, you can then notify any users whose passwords have been compromised or too weak so that they can change them.
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<h2>What are some tools to audit passwords?</h2>
You&rsquo;ve decided to audit the passwords on your network, but what program should you use? Here are five popular password auditing apps.&nbsp;
<h3>RainbowCrack</h3>
<a href="http://project-rainbowcrack.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">RainbowCrack</a> is based on Phillippe Oechslin&rsquo;s faster time-memory trade-off technique. It is a brute force hash cracker that generates all possible plaintexts and then computes the corresponding hashes on the fly. Next, it compares the hashes to the one that needs to be cracked.&nbsp;
If a match has been found, then the plaintext has also been found. Conversely, if all possible plaintexts have been tested, but no match has been found, then the plaintext has not been found.&nbsp;
RainbowCrack requires a pre-computation stage that involves time-consuming computations.
<h3>Wfuzz</h3>
<a href="https://github.com/xmendez/wfuzz#wfuzz---the-web-fuzzer:~:text=Wfuzz%20%2D%20The%20Web%20Fuzzer" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Wfuzz</a> is another tool designed to brute force attack web applications. It was originally created to assess web applications, but it can also be used to find hidden resources, e.g., directories, servlets, and scripts.
<h3>Cain and Abel</h3>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cain_and_Abel_(software)" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Cain and Abel</a> is a password recovery tool. It is available for Microsoft operating systems. It can help recover lost passwords by using several types of attacks. These include dictionary attacks, brute force attacks, and cryptanalysis attacks.&nbsp;
It can also decode scrambled passwords, record VoIP conversations, reveal password boxes, uncover cached passwords, recover wireless network keys, and analyze routing protocols.
Cain and Abel was originally developed for use by network administrators, teachers, security consultants, forensic investigators, network penetration testers, etc.&lrm; &lrm;
<h3>THC Hydra</h3>
THC Hydra is a common choice for performing brute force cracks of remote authentication services because it can perform quick dictionary attacks on more than 50 protocols, such as Telnet, FTP, HTTP, https, smb, and various databases.
<a href="https://github.com/vanhauser-thc/thc-hydra" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">THC Hydra</a> is a fast network login password cracking tool. New modules can be installed easily to enhance its features. It is currently available for Windows, Linux, Free BSD, Solaris, and OS X.
<h3>Ncrack</h3>
<a href="https://nmap.org/ncrack/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Ncrack</a> is another fast network authentication cracking tool. It was originally designed to help companies improve the security of their networks by testing their hosts and network devices for poor passwords.&nbsp;
Because Ncrack enables rapid, reliable, and large-scale password auditing, it is also used by security professionals. Furthermore, it has a flexible interface that gives the user full control of network operations.&nbsp;
The protocols supported include RDP, SSH, HTTP(S), SMB, POP3(S), VNC, FTP, SIP, Redis, PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Telnet.
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<h2>What are common issues found in when you audit passwords?</h2>
<h3>Weak Passwords</h3>
Weak passwords are too short, too simple, or too common.&nbsp;
The too short and/or too common passwords can be found easily through brute force attacks because the total number of testable passwords before hitting the correct password combination is too low compared to modern computing as a service capabilities.&nbsp;
Too common passwords, for example, your child&rsquo;s name, are highly vulnerable to dictionary attacks.&nbsp;
Whichever type of weak passwords is found, all affected passwords should be changed immediately.
<h3>Compromised Passwords</h3>
A &ldquo;pwned&rdquo; password is one that has been leaked online. This is when a username and password combination has been hacked on some site, so hackers can integrate those credentials into the ones they test when trying to break into other networks.&nbsp;
Since people regularly reuse passwords despite all recommendations against the practice, these pwned passwords are likely to show up on your network, and they need to be changed asap.
<h3>Identical Passwords</h3>
If the same password is being used for several accounts, this is another risk that can be found during password audits. Be sure to replace these repeated credentials.
<h3>Expired Passwords</h3>
Depending on security requirements, passwords can expire. If expired passwords are being found, then they need to be changed. A good password audit will show currently expired as well as soon-to-be expired passwords.
Whatever issues are found during your password audit, the best thing you can do to prevent further issues is to help your users create strong passwords by providing a password manager. Only with <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> can you facilitate your team in being proactive participants in network security.&nbsp;
The best way to secure your IT infrastructure is to use a password manager that includes sharing features. TeamPassword offers AES 256-bit encryption and two-factor authentication so that only the right people can make sense of the passwords.
Before anyone can access the list of shared passwords, they must log in to the platform using their personal password and, should you choose to enforce multi-factor authentication (which we recommend), a short-term authentication code.
Teams often need to share passwords to access mutual accounts, but you don't have to put your data at risk to make this possible. Instead, use<a href="https://teampassword.com/"> TeamPassword</a> to securely generate, store, and share passwords within a team.&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.

This article explains how to audit your passwords, what auditing your passwords means, and why you should audit passwords. | TeamPassword

This article explains how to audit your passwords, what auditing your passwords means, and why you should audit ...

How to Audit Passwords

Have you ever wished you could log in to your favorite websites without having to remember or type a password? One way to make this happen is through magic links. Magic links are a simple way to authenticate users with just their email address.&nbsp;
<h2>What are Magic Links?</h2>
Magic links are a way to sign into an account without a password. The process is similar to what happens when you click Forgot Password.&nbsp;
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Enter your email address in the sign-in form</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Click Sign-in with Email (or Send Magic Link - wording varies)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Check your email, and click the link or enter the code to sign in</li>
</ol>
You&rsquo;re now signed in! Links are for one-time use and typically expire after a certain amount of time. In the case of magic codes, such as what Slack uses in the example below, the code only works for the browser session that sent the request. If you close that window and go to sign in again, it will send you a new code.&nbsp;
Slack is one of the leading platforms that adopted magic links (or codes).&nbsp;&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/8NJhm77qT0aR0oKuvVcQ" alt="undefined" width="749" height="472">
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/L3beNaQRiapg2LqALQc1" alt="undefined" width="606" height="494">
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/xGFZviPQyWBPItsUl0WO" alt="undefined" width="609" height="402">
Why would a company have its customers use magic links instead of passwords to sign in?&nbsp;
You probably have over 100 online accounts. You&rsquo;ve been told they should each have a unique, complex password. Without a password manager, however, it&rsquo;s impossible to create secure passwords for every online service. 
Given how many free and easy-to-use password managers are out there, there&rsquo;s no excuse not to use one. But developers can&rsquo;t force their customers to download password managers and practice good password hygiene.&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s where magic links come in.&nbsp;
The goal is to make customers&rsquo; bad password habits a non-issue and eliminate frustrating &ldquo;forgot password&rdquo; experiences along the way.
Do magic links succeed?
<h2>Are magic links better than passwords?</h2>
While magic links have become more popular, they are far from being universally adopted. Let&rsquo;s examine some pros and cons of magic links.&nbsp;
Pros:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The customer doesn&rsquo;t have to manage a password. That means no trying until you get locked out, no need to change it every 90 days, no password resets, and no getting hacked because you used that one password you use on every other account.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Easier troubleshooting for support. If the user didn&rsquo;t get their magic link by email, they either entered the wrong email, or the magic link went to spam (or was blocked entirely). In any case, support won&rsquo;t have to listen to claims that &ldquo;the correct password isn&rsquo;t working.&rdquo;&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Only relies on the customer having a properly secured email. Many people <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-often-should-you-change-your-password-the-importance-of-password-safety" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">reuse passwords</a>, and you can&rsquo;t force them to use a password manager or generator. A time-bound, one-time-use link negates the danger of credential stuffing attacks, whereby a cybercriminal uses one password on a bunch of accounts in the hopes that it will unlock multiple things. It also eliminates the danger of phishing attacks where the criminal tricks the victim into giving up an essential piece of information.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Cons:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">An inverse to the above &ldquo;pro&rdquo;: magic links are only as secure as the user&rsquo;s email. If a cybercriminal manages to hack the customer&rsquo;s email, it&rsquo;s over. Customers should use two-factor authentication, a strong, unique password, and ensure they know what devices have access to their email and where those devices are.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Relies on the security of the network. If the customer uses unsecured wifi, a cybercriminal can use a man-in-the-middle attack to intercept the session token.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Frustrating experience if things go wrong. The magic link could go to spam or take minutes to show up. If you&rsquo;re logging in on a device where your email isn&rsquo;t signed in, you&rsquo;ll have to go do that - which might mean needing your phone for 2FA.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Just like with passwords, admins cannot control who the link or code is shared with, or how.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h2>Are magic links secure?</h2>
Like with every security measure, its effectiveness depends on how it&rsquo;s used. While magic links eliminate specific cybersecurity issues intrinsic to passwords (such as phishing and credential stuffing attacks), they shift the burden of security to the customer&rsquo;s email. And the security of your email is closely tied to your <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/stop-cybercriminals-in-their-tracks-with-these-5-password-hygiene-tips" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">password hygiene</a>, so a magic link won&rsquo;t save you if you don&rsquo;t practice good password habits. Anyone using magic links should:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Use a secure email provider and enable 2FA.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Check activity logs to make sure only recognized devices have access to your email and make sure you&rsquo;re notified when new devices sign in.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Only use encrypted networks.</li>
</ol>
On the positive side, no stolen password from another account will get a cybercriminal past the magic link (unless they&rsquo;ve hacked your email), and there&rsquo;s no point in them trying to phish your password away (unless they phish your email password).&nbsp;
Magic link security is also dependent on how it is set up. Here are some ways a developer can program their magic links to increase the security of the sign-in process:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Magic links or codes only work once (this is pretty standard)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Links and codes expire after a short amount of time</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The link must be opened on the same browser where it was requested</li>
</ul>
Some of these features come at the cost of potential friction in the user experience. What if the customer&rsquo;s magic link email doesn&rsquo;t arrive instantly? What if their email is signed in on a different computer than the one they&rsquo;re trying to use the application on? Security and ease of use are in constant tension.&nbsp;
<h2>Magic Link Alternatives</h2>
<h3>Single Sign-On (SSO)</h3>
Single sign-on (SSO) is a system that allows users to log in to multiple applications or websites with one set of credentials. Users only need to authenticate once with a trusted identity provider, and then they can access all the services that are connected to the SSO system. SSO can simplify user management, reduce password fatigue, and enhance security.
<h3>Passwords + Multi-factor Authentication (MFA or 2FA)</h3>
While several prominent companies have adopted magic links over passwords, most online accounts still require a password.&nbsp;
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a technique that requires users to provide two or more pieces of evidence to prove their identity. The evidence can be something the user knows (such as a password or a PIN), something the user has (such as a phone or a token), or something the user is (such as a fingerprint or a face scan). MFA can increase the level of security and prevent unauthorized access.
Storing your login credentials in a password manager minimizes damage in the event that your email gets breached. People who don&rsquo;t use a password manager are tempted to reuse passwords or store them in an excel or Google spreadsheet. Don&rsquo;t put all your eggs in one basket.&nbsp;
There are free options out there if you need a password manager for personal use. If you need something for your business, <a href="https://teampassword.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">TeamPassword</a> is one of the best. If using password best practices is too hard, neither you nor your team will do it. TeamPassword makes it easy to store, update, and share credentials without them leaving an encrypted environment.
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
Magic links aim to remove the frustration of being forced to create complex passwords you&rsquo;re sure to forget. Magic links also eliminate the risk of certain cyberattacks and reused passwords, but remain at the mercy of the user&rsquo;s email security. If your website or application requires high security, magic links probably aren&rsquo;t a good choice. But if you want to streamline your customer&rsquo;s login experience and minimize &ldquo;forgot password&rdquo; frustration, magic links can help you get there.&nbsp;

What are magic links, and why would a company have its customers use magic links instead of passwords to sign in?

Learn about the mysterious Magic Links. What are they and how they are used? In today's blog post ...

What are Magic Links | A Guide to Passwordless Login

Learn about the mysterious Magic Links. What are they and how they are used? In today's blog post we talk about their applications for email logins.

Since One-Time Secret's launch in 2012, many similar apps and services have sprung up using the company's open-source code. Created by developer Delano, One-Time Secret is a link that can be viewed only one time, typically used to share sensitive information like passwords and private links via email or chat.
One of the biggest challenges (for companies and individuals) is sharing passwords securely. Many people use email, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-manager-or-excel">spreadsheets</a>, or messaging apps to share passwords. The problem with these methods is that they're easily copied or shared&mdash;you have no control over who has access to your credentials!
One-Time Secret is an answer to this password-sharing challenge. But does One-Time Secret actually solve the issue? Or, is it a good alternative for a password manager?
We'll explore One-Time Secret in this article and look at the best way to share passwords using a secure password manager.
TeamPassword is a password manager built to share credentials with coworkers safely. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial today</a>.
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<h2>What is a One-Time Secret, and how does it work?</h2>
One-Time Secret is a tool to share passwords and sensitive notes. Instead of sending a password over email, text, or a messaging app, you use One-Time Secret and send a link and a password to open the message instead.
When the recipient visits the link address, they have to enter the password, and the information you shared appears on-screen for them to read. The link will only work one time before it disappears forever.
You can also set a time limit for the One-Time Secret to "self-destruct," even if the recipient doesn't read it. Times range from five minutes to several days.&nbsp;
Here is an example:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Someone in accounts needs to share the company's bank account credentials. They don't want to send them over text or email.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">So, they create a One-Time Secret message with the bank account's credentials and a one-time password to open the message. Because this is highly sensitive information, the sender also sets the One-Time Secret to self-destruct in 1 hour.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">They send the One-Time Secret link to the recipient's company email address. They may share the one-time password over the phone or another medium to prevent someone from intercepting the One-Time Secret message.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The recipient opens the link, enters the password, and the bank account credentials appear on the screen.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The recipient copies the bank account credentials somewhere safe and closes the browser, simultaneously deleting the One-Time Secret message.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">If the recipient (or anyone else) clicks the link again, an error message appears saying: "Unknown secret. It either never existed or has already been viewed."</li>
</ol>
If the sender changes their mind, they can "burn the secret," but only before the recipient views it.
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2>Where Do You Manage One-Time Secrets?</h2>
onetimesecret.com is the original One-Time Secret application. But, since the code is open-source, several similar websites are offering the same service.
Most One-Time Secret apps are free, while others limit the number of free One-Time Secrets before moving to a paid plan.
One-Time Secret apps feature a basic text field for entering your data, but some offer a WYSIWYG editor to create tables, lists, insert documents, and more.
<h3>What Kind of Information Do You Share in a One-Time Secret?</h3>
People use One-Time Secrets to send all sorts of data. Here is a list of common information sent via One-Time Secret:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-safely-share-passwords-with-coworkers">Sharing passwords</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Credit card details</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">API keys</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sensitive code or algorithms</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sharing sensitive, untraceable notes</li>
</ul>
Some One-Time Secret apps allow you to share documents and images. The problem with these documents is that they're traceable through stored metadata, defeating the purpose of an anonymous One-Time Secret!
<h3>OneTimeSecret.com Alternative&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;</h3>
If you need to share credentials with teammates, co-workers, and employees, consider a password manager like <a href="https://teampassword.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">TeamPassword</a>. Give access to credentials on a need-to-know basis; and since the user always has access to what they need in a secured vault, there's no motivation for them to write down, email, or text passwords and other secrets.&nbsp;
Rather than manually sending a secret each time, you can divide credentials into different groups and give permissions accordingly.&nbsp;
<h2>Is a One-Time Secret a Good Password Manager Alternative?</h2>
The short answer is no&mdash;a One-Time Secret is not a good password manager alternative.&nbsp;
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">One-Time Secret doesn't solve the problem of password sharing. You're still sharing raw credentials over a messaging service. You don't know where the recipient will save the password or who might see it!</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">If you're <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/top-five-mistakes-when-sharing-passwords-with-your-team">sharing passwords with team members</a>, then One-Time Secret is extremely inefficient and insecure. Creating a One-Time Secret every time you need to send a password is time-consuming. After you've shared the credentials a few times, the passwords end up saved in browsers, written on pieces of paper, or saved in digital notes. You may as well have sent them over email!</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">If you <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/should-i-share-data-with-freelancers">share passwords with freelancers</a>, using a One-Time Secret is no better than email or text messaging. When the freelancer leaves, they still have access to those accounts. You have to change your passwords and then share these new credentials with the rest of the team.</li>
</ol>
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<h2>How is a Password Manager Different from One-Time Secret?</h2>
One-Time Secret is a messaging service rather than a password manager. You can't store and recall passwords with One-Time Secret, whereas with a password manager, you can.
With TeamPassword, you have complete control over who uses your passwords, and you can track their activity. Once you share a password using One-Time Secret, you don't know where those credentials go or who uses them!
One-Time Secret doesn't prevent weak passwords or reusing the same credentials for multiple accounts. TeamPassword features a built-in secure password generator, allowing you to create unique, secure passwords for every account login!
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2>Common Password Vulnerabilities for Companies</h2>
Even with the <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/category/data-breaches">increase in cyberattacks</a>, the multitude of password tools, and endless media warnings, many companies still allow poor password management practices.
We always encourage companies to <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">try TeamPassword's 14-day free trial</a> to experience how you can share credentials securely.
Here is a recap of an article we wrote earlier in 2021, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/top-five-mistakes-when-sharing-passwords-with-your-team">Top Five Mistakes When Sharing Passwords with Your Team</a>.
<h3>Mistake 1 - Weak Passwords</h3>
Weak passwords are a significant issue. P@$$w0rd123 might look complex, but it's no different from using password123. Hackers often run these obvious passwords first during brute-force attacks&mdash;where criminals try to guess your password.
Many people believe that just replacing letters with symbols is enough to create a strong password. While this does offer some security, it's still easy to guess!
Agencies that manage multiple client accounts should also avoid using the client's name in a password. For example, clientnameIn$t@gr@m for a client's Instagram account might look secure with symbols, but hackers know to expect these changes.
Companies should create robust (12 character minimum) passwords using a random set of characters (including uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols).
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> features a built-in <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">password generator</a>, so you never have to worry about weak passwords again!
<h3>Mistake 2 - Storing Passwords in Plaintext</h3>
Storing passwords in plaintext (and yes, this includes <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-save-passwords-in-chrome-and-alternatives">storing passwords in your browser</a> and sending credentials over One-Time Secret) means anyone can view, use, or share your company's credentials.
Agencies often manage hundreds of accounts for clients&mdash;using spreadsheets to store and share credentials. Anyone can copy a spreadsheet and share it without your knowledge.&nbsp;
Plaintext password storage is extremely negligent, and in some states or countries, could violate regulations, leading to prosecution or fines.
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword's password manager</a> is an accredited secure hosting provider. There's also no way to preview passwords, so you never have to worry about exposing your company or client's credentials.
<h3>Mistake 3 - Reusing Passwords</h3>
Like weak passwords, reusing credentials creates another significant cybersecurity vulnerability.
Attackers often use passwords stolen from one data breach to try accessing other accounts and applications in a process called credential stuffing.
If your company reuses the same password for multiple accounts, attackers only have to steal one set of credentials, and they have access to all the other accounts!
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword's</a> built-in password manager ensures your team creates unique passwords for every account! You can choose between 12-32 characters using uppercase, lowercase, symbols, and numbers.
<h3>Mistake 4 - Using the "Remember Me" Feature</h3>
Many websites and applications have a "Remember me" feature with a checkbox. Sometimes there's a period "Keep me logged in for 14 days."
The problem with this remember me feature is that if someone steals an employee's device, the criminal can use their browser history to find your company's accounts and log in.
The same issue applies to saving passwords in the browser. If someone steals an employee's browser credentials, they have access to all the saved passwords too!
With <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a>, all of your credentials are encrypted and stored securely. Employees use a browser extension (Safari, Chrome, Firefox) to sign in, so your passwords never leave TeamPassword. Two-factor authentication (2FA) creates a second authentication step, preventing a full breach, even if someone steals an employee's TeamPassword credentials.
<h3>Mistake 5 - Changing Passwords</h3>
Companies often try to change passwords frequently as a security measure. The problem is that employees often end up reusing passwords over time or swap passwords across accounts.
If you're not using a password manager, it can be challenging to keep track of changes, with employees constantly sharing credentials&mdash;exposing many cybersecurity vulnerabilities!
With <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a>, you can update passwords regularly and not even have to tell employees. The password manager updates the credentials for all users, so work continues as usual.
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2>Try a Password Manager for 14 Days</h2>
If you're looking for a better way to share passwords with team members, forget sharing passwords with One-Time Secret and other non-secure methods.
Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">14-day free trial</a> and experience the ease and security of sharing passwords with TeamPassword!

What is One-Time Secret, and why isn’t it a safe way to share passwords and information with team members and freelancers?  | TeamPassword

What is One-Time Secret, and why isn’t it a safe way to share passwords and information with team ...

What is a One-Time Secret?

Cybersecurity is no longer an optional or secondary concern for manufacturers. It is a vital and strategic necessity that affects every aspect of their business. According to a <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/za/Documents/risk/cybersecurity-for-smart-factories.pdf" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">report by Deloitte and MAPI</a>, 48% of manufacturers surveyed identified operational risks, which include cybersecurity, as the greatest danger to smart factory initiatives. Cyberattacks can disrupt production, compromise quality, damage equipment, expose intellectual property, and harm reputation.
In this guide, we will explore the current cybersecurity risks for manufacturers, especially in the context of Industry 4.0 and smart factory technologies. We will also discuss the consequences of cybersecurity breaches and the best practices to prevent and mitigate them. Finally, we will provide some resources and tools to help manufacturers assess and improve their cybersecurity posture.
Here are the key things you need to know about cybersecurity for manufacturing:
<ul>
<li>Cybersecurity risks for manufacturers are increasing as they adopt more digital technologies and connect their operational technologies (OT) to their information technologies (IT).</li>
<li>Cyberattacks can severely impact manufacturers, such as costly business disruptions and downtime, data loss and theft, regulatory fines and lawsuits, and reputational damage.</li>
<li>Manufacturers need to implement a holistic and proactive approach to cybersecurity that covers people, processes, and technology across their entire value chain.</li>
<li>Manufacturers need to follow cybersecurity standards and frameworks, such as NIST SP 800171 and NIST SP 180010, to protect their systems and data from cyber threats.</li>
<li>Manufacturers need to leverage cybersecurity resources and tools, such as NIST MEP Cybersecurity Resources for Manufacturers and NIST SP 180010 Protecting Information and System Integrity in Industrial Control System Environments: Cybersecurity for the Manufacturing Sector, to assess and improve their cybersecurity capabilities.</li>
</ul>
[Table of Contents]
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#currentcyberrisks" rel="follow">Current Cybersecurity Risks for Manufacturers</a>
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="2"><a href="#consequences" rel="follow">Consequences of Cybersecurity Breaches</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="1"><a href="#cybersecurityformanufacturing" rel="follow">Cybersecurity for Manufacturing: 5 Steps for Getting Started</a>
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="2"><a href="#understandrisks" rel="follow">#1. Understand the Risks &amp; Identify Gaps</a></li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="2"><a href="#knowcompliance" rel="follow">#2. Know Your Compliance Requirements</a></li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="2"><a href="#developresponseplan" rel="follow">#3. Develop a Cybersecurity Response Plan</a></li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="2"><a href="#implementaccesscontrol" rel="follow">#4. Implement Strong Access Control</a></li>
<li data-gc-list-style="bullet" data-gc-list-depth="2"><a href="#protectcriticalsystems" rel="follow">#5. Protect Your Critical Systems &amp; Data</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="currentcyberrisks">Current Cybersecurity Risks for Manufacturers</h2>
Manufacturers face a variety of cybersecurity risks that can affect their operations, assets, data, customers, suppliers, and partners. Some of the most common and critical risks are:
<ul>
<li>Industry 4.0: Industry 4.0 is the term used to describe the digital transformation of manufacturing that leverages technologies such as IoT, cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, additive manufacturing (AM), and big data analytics. These technologies enable manufacturers to improve their efficiency, quality, flexibility, and innovation. However, they also introduce new cybersecurity challenges as they increase the complexity and connectivity of the OT systems that control industrial processes. OT systems were traditionally isolated from IT systems and the internet, but now they are exposed to cyber threats that can exploit their vulnerabilities or interfere with their functionality.</li>
<li>Ransomware: Ransomware is a type of malicious software (malware) that encrypts the victim's data or systems and demands a ransom for their decryption or restoration. Ransomware is a top threat for manufacturers because it can cause significant operational disruptions and financial losses. According to <a href="https://www.dataendure.com/wp-content/uploads/2021_Cost_of_a_Data_Breach_-2.pdf" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">IBM Security's 2021 Cost of a Data Breach Report</a>, ransomware attacks accounted for nearly onethird of all cyberattacks in 2021 and had an average total cost of $4.62 million per incident. Manufacturers are particularly vulnerable to ransomware attacks because they rely on continuous production cycles and often lack adequate backup systems or recovery plans.</li>
<li>Supply chain attacks: Supply chain attacks are cyberattacks that target third party vendors or service providers that have access to or influence over the target's systems or data. Supply chain attacks are a top threat for manufacturers because they can result in data theft, disruption to operations, compromise of product quality or safety, and damage to customer trust. <a href="https://securityintelligence.com/articles/62-of-surveyed-organizations-hit-by-supply-chain-attacks-in-2021/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Supply chain attacks continue to rise</a>. Manufacturers need to be aware of the cybersecurity risks posed by their suppliers, contractors, distributors, and other partners, and ensure that they have adequate security controls and monitoring in place.</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="consequences">Consequences of Cybersecurity Breaches</h3>
Cybersecurity breaches can have devastating consequences for manufacturers, both in the short term and the long term. Some of these consequences are:
<ul>
<li>Costly business disruptions and downtime: Cyberattacks can disrupt or halt production processes, damage equipment or machinery, affect product quality or safety, or compromise customer orders or deliveries. These disruptions can result in significant operational and financial losses, as well as contractual penalties or legal liabilities. According to a study by IBM Security and the Ponemon Institute, the average time to identify and contain a data breach in 2021 was 287 days, which means that manufacturers could face prolonged periods of downtime or reduced productivity.</li>
<li>Severe data loss or theft: Cyberattacks can compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of the data that manufacturers collect, store, process, or share. This data can include sensitive information such as intellectual property, trade secrets, customer data, employee data, financial data, or regulatory data. Data loss or theft can result in competitive disadvantage, reputational damage, regulatory fines or lawsuits, or identity theft or fraud.</li>
<li>Reputational damage or loss of trust: Cyberattacks can damage the reputation or trust of manufacturers among their customers, suppliers, partners, regulators, investors, or employees. This can affect their market share, customer loyalty, supplier relationships, partner collaborations, regulatory compliance, investor confidence, or employee morale. According to a survey by PwC, 69% of consumers said they would stop doing business with an organization that suffered a cyber breach, which means that manufacturers could lose a significant portion of their customer base or revenue.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="cybersecurityformanufacturing">Cybersecurity for Manufacturing: 5 Steps for Getting Started</h2>
Cybersecurity is a vital aspect of any business, but especially for manufacturing. Manufacturing plants rely on complex systems and processes that can be vulnerable to cyberattacks. A cyberattack can disrupt production, damage equipment, compromise data, and harm customers. Therefore, it is essential for manufacturers to take proactive steps to protect their assets and operations from cyber threats.
In this blog post, we will outline five steps manufacturers can follow to get started with cybersecurity. These steps are:
1. Understand the risks and identify gaps 2. Know your compliance requirements 3. Develop a cybersecurity response plan 4. Implement strong access control 5. Protect your critical systems and data
Let's dive into each step in more detail.
<h3 id="understandrisks">#1. Understand the Risks &amp; Identify Gaps</h3>
The first step to improving your cybersecurity is to understand the risks that you face and identify the gaps in your current security posture. To do this, you need to conduct a risk assessment. A risk assessment is a process of identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the potential threats and vulnerabilities that could affect your manufacturing plant.
A risk assessment can help you answer questions such as:
What are the most valuable assets that you need to protect? What are the most likely threats that could target your assets? What are the potential impacts of a successful cyberattack on your assets? How prepared are you to prevent, detect, and respond to a cyberattack?
By completing a risk assessment, you can prioritize the most critical risks and allocate resources accordingly. You can also identify the security gaps that need to be addressed. Security gaps are the weaknesses or flaws in your security controls that could be exploited by attackers.
To learn more about how to conduct a risk assessment, check out <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-a-security-audit-and-does-my-business-need-one" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">this blog post on security audits</a>.&nbsp;
<h3 id="knowcompliance">#2. Know Your Compliance Requirements</h3>
The second step to improving your cybersecurity is to know your compliance requirements. Compliance requirements are the rules and standards you must follow to meet the expectations of your customers, regulators, and industry partners.
Compliance requirements can vary depending on the type and size of your manufacturing plant, as well as the industry that you operate in. For example, if you manufacture medical devices or pharmaceuticals, you may need to comply with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. If you manufacture defense or aerospace products, you may need to comply with the Department of Defense (DoD) regulations.
Compliance requirements can help you improve cybersecurity by providing a framework and best practices for implementing security controls. However, compliance does not guarantee security. You still need to go beyond compliance and adopt a proactive and comprehensive approach to cybersecurity.
<h3 id="developresponseplan">#3. Develop a Cybersecurity Response Plan</h3>
The third step to improving your cybersecurity is to develop a cybersecurity response plan. A cybersecurity response plan is a document that outlines how you will handle a cyber incident if it occurs.
A cybersecurity response plan can help you:
Define roles and responsibilities for your security team and other stakeholders Establish procedures and protocols for detecting, containing, analyzing, and resolving cyber incidents Communicate effectively with internal and external parties during and after a cyber incident Document lessons learned and implement improvements for future incidents
A cybersecurity response plan can help you minimize the impact of a cyberattack and restore normal operations as quickly as possible. It can also demonstrate your commitment and readiness to your customers, regulators, and industry partners.
To develop a cybersecurity response plan, you need to:
<ul>
<li>Identify the types of cyber incidents that could affect your manufacturing plant</li>
<li>Assess the potential impacts and consequences of each type of incident</li>
<li>Define the objectives and goals for responding to each type of incident</li>
<li>Assign roles and responsibilities for each stage of the incident response process</li>
<li>Establish procedures and protocols for each stage of the incident response process</li>
<li>Create communication plans for internal and external parties</li>
<li>Test and update your plan regularly</li>
</ul>
<h3 id="implementaccesscontrol">#4. Implement Strong Access Control</h3>
The fourth step to improving your cybersecurity is to implement strong access control. Access control is the process of granting or denying access to your systems, data, and resources based on predefined rules and policies.
Access control can help you:
<ul>
<li>Prevent unauthorized access to your sensitive or confidential information</li>
<li>Limit the exposure of your systems and data to potential threats</li>
<li>Reduce the risk of human error or insider threats</li>
<li>Monitor and audit user activity and behavior</li>
</ul>
To implement strong access control, you need to:
<ul>
<li>Define who can access what, when, where, how, and why</li>
<li>Enforce the principle of least privilege, which means granting users only the minimum level of access they need to perform their tasks</li>
<li>Implement multifactor authentication (MFA), which means requiring users to provide more than one piece of evidence (such as a password and a code) to verify their identity</li>
<li>Use password managers, such as TeamPassword, to generate, store, and share strong and unique passwords for your apps and services</li>
<li>Review and update your access policies and permissions regularly</li>
</ul>
TeamPassword is a password manager designed for teams and businesses. It can help you manage your passwords securely and efficiently across your devices and platforms. With TeamPassword, you can:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/tips-and-tricks-to-create-a-strong-password" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Create and store strong passwords</a> for your apps and services</li>
<li>Share passwords with your team members and collaborators</li>
<li>Sync passwords across your devices and browsers</li>
<li>Monitor and <a href="https://teampassword.com/security" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">audit password usage</a> and activity</li>
</ul>
To learn more about TeamPassword and how it can help you improve your access control, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/">https://teampassword.com/</a>
<h3 id="protectcriticalsystems">#5. Protect Your Critical Systems &amp; Data</h3>
The fifth and final step to improving your cybersecurity is to protect your critical systems and data. Your critical systems and data are the ones that are essential for your manufacturing operations and that would cause significant harm if compromised.
To protect your critical systems and data, you need to implement various security measures and best practices, such as:
<ul>
<li>Install firewalls: Firewalls are devices or software that filter the incoming and outgoing network traffic and block or allow it based on predefined rules. Firewalls can help you prevent unauthorized or malicious access to your systems and data.</li>
<li>Use encryption: <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/whatispasswordencryptionandhowmuchisenough" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Encryption</a> is the process of transforming data into an unreadable format that can only be decrypted with a key. Encryption can help you protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your data in transit and at rest.</li>
<li>Install antivirus software: Antivirus software is a program that detects, prevents, and removes malware (such as viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, etc.) from your systems. Antivirus software can help you protect your systems from infection and damage.</li>
<li>Create data backups: Data backups are copies of your data that are stored in a separate location from the original source. Data backups can help you recover your data in case of loss, corruption, or deletion due to a cyberattack or other disaster.</li>
</ul>
These are some of the basic security measures and best practices that you can implement to protect your critical systems and data. However, there are many more that you can explore and adopt depending on your specific needs and circumstances.
<h2>Secure Your Manufacturing Data With TeamPassword</h2>
Cybersecurity is not a one-time project or a checkbox item. It is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and improvement. By following these five steps, you can get started with cybersecurity and build a strong foundation for your manufacturing plant.
However, cybersecurity is not something that you can do alone. You need to involve your entire team, from the top management to the shop floor workers. You also need to partner with experts and vendors who can provide you with the tools and services that you need.
At TeamPassword, we are committed to helping you improve your cybersecurity by providing you with a password manager that is secure, easy to use, and tailored for teams. If you want to learn more about how we can help you, <a href="mailto:support@teampassword.com" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">contact us</a> today or <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">sign up for a free trial</a>.

Manufacturers transforming their plants using new tech must protect their critical operations and data. Learn more in this cybersecurity for manufacturing guide.

Manufacturers transforming their plants using new tech must protect their critical operations and data. Learn more in this ...

Cybersecurity for Manufacturing: Risks & Best Practices

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

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

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

10 extremely successful freelancers and what they do

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

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

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

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

What is password encryption and how much is enough?

What is password encryption and how does it work?

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 ...

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