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

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

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

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

Did you know the average person has <a href="https://tech.co/password-managers/how-many-passwords-average-person#:~:text=100%20is%20too%20many%20passwords,worry%20about%20our%20vulnerable%20logins.&amp;text=All%20of%20us%2C%20at%20some,password%20and%20needed%20a%20reminder.">100 passwords</a> to remember? Memorizing so many logins is a pain &mdash; not to mention you'll inevitably forget a password or two this year and have to reset them.&nbsp;
If you can't recall your Justworks details, you've come to the right place. This quick guide will tell you what to do next. You should be able to log in to your account again in a few minutes.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Reset Your Password</h2>
Here's a step-by-step guide for resetting your Justworks password:
<h3 dir="ltr">1. Go to the Login URL</h3>
<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/QNRV7n9B9z9m1-3RoAkgB9OEh_JK_bovZJg3E2EnjGCPDZn2nWdmtIE8H3gAXGMx7yXCgC92NlgoAbmTYtn9vJQ_KRwLz7uM5eX0Z3PmqbLu_59gx81uosRaaVWF0WTz7XbF61Jw4tTe91AU8s1FAA" width="406" height="195">
Start by clicking this link or copying and pasting the URL into your internet browser:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
<a href="https://secure.justworks.com/login">https://secure.justworks.com/login</a>
</li>
</ul>
This is Justworks'&nbsp;authentic&nbsp;login page, where you enter your username and password to access your account. However, you can also reset your password from this page. Next, click the 'Forgot Username or Password?' link. (It's under the blue 'Login' button.')
<h3 dir="ltr">2. Enter Your Email</h3>
<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/wFXNmCcuPlei937W9IeAfiDGE180HhNUlJ8lx53JExNZPJ2rdxuEM2u_5sVJvOqkj5nop6TDx4fKpgo2k9r6adhdQktOOtXBbYhp2Hv34B3ZZUP1BQiFkr4m4AnxZ6SHtiIr4xyG4WH43Veu2enmHw" width="365" height="244">
Enter the home or work email address linked to your account on the Reset Your Password page. Then click 'Send Verification Email' and wait for it to appear in your inbox.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">3. Go to Your Email</h3>
Log in to your email account, and click on the link inside the message you received from Justworks. That will take you to a new page where you can reset your password. You are on the authentic Justworks website if you see a padlock symbol in the URL bar in your internet browser, which signifies that it's safe to enter your personal information.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/ftj6h2aWRyiXOXRpJ7eh" alt="undefined" width="579" height="30">
<h3 dir="ltr">4. Enter Your New Password</h3>
Now it's time to enter a new password for your Justworks account. You'll have to enter it twice on this page. If you suddenly remember your old password, you won't be able to use it again.
<h2 dir="ltr">Creating a Secure Password</h2>
Choose a password that's difficult for someone to guess using a combination of letters (both upper case and lower case), numbers, and a symbol like an exclamation mark or percentage sign. Your password shouldn't contain any personal information. Alternatively,&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">use a password generator</a>&nbsp;to do all the hard work for you.
Related Reading:&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-best-practices-what-makes-a-strong-password">Password Best Practices</a>
<h2 dir="ltr">Improve Your Password Management</h2>
Improving password management will ensure you won't need to reset your Justworks password (or any other login details) again!
<h2 dir="ltr">Browser Extensions&nbsp;</h2>
Password management browser extensions let you manage passwords directly in your Internet browser. The best ones autofill passwords and keep track of security breaches, keeping you safe online.
<h2 dir="ltr">Password Sharing&nbsp;</h2>
Password sharing, with proper precautions, lets you share login information with friends or colleagues so you can always access your accounts. Password managers help you do this without sharing specific usernames and passwords.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Secure Password Generator</h2>
A password generator auto-creates a random or customized secure password. It can protect your personal information online.&nbsp;
<h2 dir="ltr">Try TeamPassword Today</h2>
Forgetting your Justworks passwords can be a headache. But you can solve this problem by following the simple steps above. To prevent this issue from happening again, invest in a password management tool.&nbsp;
TeamPassword is the password management solution you've been looking for.&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/pricing">Sign up today</a>, and never reset Justworks password again!&nbsp;

This guide will walk you through the steps of resetting your Justworks password and give you tips and tricks to maximize password security. Sick of managing your passwords on your own? Check out TeamPassword.

This guide will walk you through the steps of resetting your Justworks password and also give you tips ...

How to Reset Justworks Password if Forgotten

This guide will walk you through the steps of resetting your Justworks password and also give you tips and tricks to maximize your password security. Sick of managing your passwords on your own? Check out TeamPassword.

It may be convenient to have all the information you need at your fingertips, but that convenience is partnered with the grueling task of keeping track of the passwords that protect that information. Every device, account, and platform has unique password requirements which makes remembering them all impossible. The team at TeamPassword understands the need to have unique strong passwords for every account and doesn't think you should have to have that information memorized.
TeamPassword is here to teach you how to reset your ADP password and avoid having to do it again. Keep reading for helpful tips on creating secure passwords and managing them too.
<h2>Reset Your Password</h2>
This is a step-by-step guide for changing your ADP password.
<h3>1. Go To Login URL</h3>
<figure class="gc-figure" data-instance-id="b7bf7150-9ba2-4b0c-8353-86ff2f86adef"><img data-gc-id="NTQ3NzQ/puzTdawdZQUa2bJZ" draggable="false" data-previews="{&quot;original&quot;:&quot;https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/puzTdawdZQUa2bJZ?s=b4541b2118e6150419c966bc6386162f&quot;,&quot;editor&quot;:&quot;https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/puzTdawdZQUa2bJZ?auto=format%2Ccompress&amp;fit=max&amp;h=800&amp;q=75&amp;s=fedcbf56eda6e7dc17e3dac20b61d1e3&quot;}" src="https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/puzTdawdZQUa2bJZ?auto=format%2Ccompress&amp;fit=max&amp;h=800&amp;q=75&amp;s=fedcbf56eda6e7dc17e3dac20b61d1e3" data-presentation="null" alt="null" data-instance-id="b7bf7150-9ba2-4b0c-8353-86ff2f86adef"></figure>
Begin by finding the authentic ADP <a href="https://online.adp.com/signin/v1/?APPID=RDBX&amp;productId=80e309c3-70c6-bae1-e053-3505430b5495&amp;returnURL=https://my.adp.com/&amp;callingAppId=RDBX&amp;TARGET=-SM-https://my.adp.com/static/redbox/" data-gc-link="https://online.adp.com/signin/v1/?APPID=RDBX&amp;productId=80e309c3-70c6-bae1-e053-3505430b5495&amp;returnURL=https://my.adp.com/&amp;callingAppId=RDBX&amp;TARGET=-SM-https://my.adp.com/static/redbox/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">login page</a>. Be sure the URL reads adp.com.
<h3>2. Enter Your User ID</h3>
<figure class="gc-figure" data-instance-id="f6aff3b5-6543-4b4b-a51e-d7582b8a0553"><img data-gc-id="NTQ3NzQ/67zbr8aBmZfq0s1J" draggable="false" data-previews="{&quot;original&quot;:&quot;https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/67zbr8aBmZfq0s1J?s=d3400dd97ad8dbca8f349dae22376661&quot;,&quot;editor&quot;:&quot;https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/67zbr8aBmZfq0s1J?auto=format%2Ccompress&amp;fit=max&amp;h=800&amp;q=75&amp;s=3c2b7e77921172b95d21c99f4fdffee3&quot;}" src="https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/67zbr8aBmZfq0s1J?auto=format%2Ccompress&amp;fit=max&amp;h=800&amp;q=75&amp;s=3c2b7e77921172b95d21c99f4fdffee3" data-presentation="null" alt="null" data-instance-id="f6aff3b5-6543-4b4b-a51e-d7582b8a0553"></figure>
Enter your User ID while being conscious of capital letters and typos. Then click next.
<h4>Forgot User ID?</h4>
If you also forgot your User ID then click "Forgot your user ID?" and follow the prompts on the webpage. This will take you to a page that will ask you for more personal information to retrieve your account so be sure you are on the authentic ADP website.
<h3>3. Answer Security Questions</h3>
Once you've hit next on the User ID page there will be an option to select forgot password. Clicking this option will take you to your security questions. Follow the prompts provided and answer the security questions on the screen.
<h4>Tips for Security Questions</h4>
Choosing security questions can be tricky, especially ones that you will remember. Here are TeamPassword's tips for mastering security questions:
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Keep it simple</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Pick something that won't change over time</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Choose questions not many people know the answer to</li>
</ul>
<h3>4. Enter Your New Password</h3>
Once you have completed the security questions you will be directed to choose a new password. Once completed you will be able to access your account again.
<h2>Creating a Secure Password</h2>
<figure class="gc-figure" data-instance-id="364446d7-498f-493e-a5cd-0a097ba826f8"><img data-gc-id="NTQ3NzQ/9vzIdM0feWz2mjKR" draggable="false" data-previews="{&quot;original&quot;:&quot;https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/9vzIdM0feWz2mjKR?s=42b2b95533ee3d40ac22bc6cf3a49905&quot;,&quot;editor&quot;:&quot;https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/9vzIdM0feWz2mjKR?auto=format%2Ccompress&amp;fit=max&amp;h=800&amp;q=75&amp;s=48889cf06c2edb5543a2dd1cb97c001b&quot;}" src="https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/9vzIdM0feWz2mjKR?auto=format%2Ccompress&amp;fit=max&amp;h=800&amp;q=75&amp;s=48889cf06c2edb5543a2dd1cb97c001b" data-presentation="null" data-instance-id="364446d7-498f-493e-a5cd-0a097ba826f8"></figure>
Choosing a new password can be daunting. TeamPassword can help with this <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">password generator</a>. Here are the main elements to keep in mind: 
<ul>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">It should be at least 12 characters</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Make sure to include at least 1 symbol</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Use upper and lower case letters</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Be sure the password isn't easy to guess</li>
<li data-gc-list-depth="1" data-gc-list-style="bullet">Your passwords should never contain personal info</li>
</ul>
Related Reading: <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-best-practices-what-makes-a-strong-password" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-best-practices-what-makes-a-strong-password" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Password Best Practices</a>
<h2>Never Forget a Password Again by Using a Password Manager</h2>
You shouldn't rely on your brain to store all of the passwords that you use. <a href="https://teampassword.com/pricing" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/pricing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">TeamPassword</a> is here to do that for you. This easy-to-use password manager keeps things simple while still providing highly beneficial features.
<h3>Browser Extensions</h3>
TeamPassword has a browser extension. This means that when it is time to log into an account all you need to do is click the TeamPassword extension and your information will autofill.
This extension works with Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari.
<h3>Password Sharing</h3>
TeamPassword is great for small teams and families because it is incredibly simple to share your login credentials with those that need them. All you need to do is add members to your group and they will instantly have access to any records shared with that group. It is also easy to add and remove people as your access needs change.
<h3>Secure Password Generator </h3>
TeamPassword's secure <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">password generator</a> can automatically create strong unique passwords for you. Select the length and elements you need and TeamPassword will automatically generate an original password. You can then save the login to your TeamPassword account and copy and paste the password where you need it.
You can also use TeamPassword's Password Strength Test tool to test passwords you are already using. TeamPassword's Password Strength Test tool will rate the password you plug in. Then, tell you how long it would take for that password to be cracked.
<h2>Try TeamPassword Today</h2>
No one wants to go through the headache of changing their password every time it slips their mind. Check out <a href="https://teampassword.com/pricing" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/pricing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">TeamPassword</a> so you can use that brainpower for more important things.

Reset your ADP password with this easy-to-follow guide. Discover tips for choosing memorable security questions and creating secure passwords. Let TeamPassword help you generate your next password and ensure you never have to memorize another password.

Reset your ADP password with this easy-to-follow guide. Discover tips for choosing memorable security questions and creating secure ...

How to Reset ADP Password if Forgotten

You&rsquo;ve lost a password&mdash;an important password. This is an unthinkable, stress-inducing event in this modern digital world. But, it could be worse.
Let me tell you about Stefan Thomas. Stefan Thomas forgot the password to a hard drive that contains 7002 Bitcoins. For the very, very few people who still don&rsquo;t know about Bitcoin at the time of writing this article, that would be worth $160,929,066.60! Of course, when you read this, it could be a billion or zero, but this article isn&rsquo;t about the fickle nature of Bitcoin.&nbsp;
Imagine what you could do with that kind of money. Now, imagine what you would do if you forgot that password! Let&rsquo;s not get too drastic here, as I&rsquo;m happy to say that Stefan Thomas has made peace with the fact that he will probably never touch that money. (Huge respect for that self-actualization if you are reading this, Stefan!)
We are going to go through all the ways you can recover passwords, how you can use modern tools to prevent forgetting passwords in the future, and what to do when all else fails (hint, if you have to accept it is gone forever and at least you aren&rsquo;t out 160 million US dollars).
In our quest to become more secure, passwords become <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/tips-and-tricks-to-create-a-strong-password" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">less and less easy to remember</a>. Let&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> take care of securely remembering your passwords, so you never have to deal with a &ldquo;long lost password&rdquo; again.
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2>How to recover passwords</h2>
To find long-lost passwords, you need to cast a wide net. That means searching around your home, office, and all devices. We are going to start with the digital search and then follow up with some of the places where you may find an old password in the real world.&nbsp;
<h3>Search your web browsers</h3>
The first place to look for a lost password is your web browser. The way you find passwords is different for each browser, so we&rsquo;ll go through them one by one. Also, note that you may have switched which browser you use regularly at one or more points in time, so it may not be in the one you are using to read this.&nbsp;
In addition, you may have reused the password you are looking for (note: <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/colonial-pipeline-ransomware-attack-dont-reuse-passwords" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">don&rsquo;t reuse passwords</a>), so think about login info for sites you signed up for around the same time as the lost password.
<h4>Microsoft Edge (formerly Internet Explorer)</h4>
Open up Edge and click the three dots in the top right. Click Settings &gt; Profiles &gt; Passwords. Here you can see your saved passwords.&nbsp;
<h4>Firefox</h4>
Click the hamburger in the top right, then&nbsp;Settings &gt;&nbsp;Privacy and Security&nbsp;&gt; scroll down to Logins and passwords, and click Saved Logins....
<h4>Chrome</h4>
Click the three dots in the top right, then Settings &gt; Autofill &gt; Password Manager. You'll see your logins under Saved Passwords.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/zTlL2dWtQIaq587PJFwT" alt="undefined" width="827" height="204" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
<h4>Safari</h4>
Open up Safari and then go to Preferences and then Passwords. You can then click on multiple sites and then select &ldquo;Show Passwords for Selected Websites.&rdquo; Once you enter your account password and follow the prompts, you&rsquo;ll be able to see your login information.
<h3>Search your email inboxes</h3>
Have you ever sent yourself an email with an important password in it (note: <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/top-5-dangerous-ways-to-store-your-passwords" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">don&rsquo;t ever email yourself passwords</a>)? Can you think of words that might be found in those files? If you sent any of these lost passwords from one account to another, would you know what email account you sent them from? Let&rsquo;s go through some of these prompts following the search instructions below.&nbsp;
Before you get started digging through your email, please note that many thousands of emails are hacked every year, and your passwords could now be available online in multiple places. Once you find your password be sure to change the information and find a more secure way to store it.&nbsp;
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h4>Outlook&nbsp;</h4>
Select the search bar, located above the Outlook ribbon. Type a name, subject, or phrase which is included in the email message that you want to find. You can use quotation marks around a phrase to search for words in that exact order.&nbsp;
<h4>Gmail</h4>
For a simple search, just type the terms in the box at the top of the page. You can also click on the down arrow for advanced search filters. Then, click the search icon.
<h4>Yahoo Mail</h4>
As with Gmail, you can type basic search terms in the box found at the top of the page. You can also refine your search using the menu in front of the search box.
Whichever email provider you are searching, be sure to vary your search terms. &ldquo;Credentials,&rdquo; &ldquo;login,&rdquo; and &ldquo;password&rdquo; are all possible hits, but so is the name of the organization for which you have lost your password.&nbsp;
If that fails, figure out approximately when you originally would have made the password and try to search by dates. You can also search in your sent email folder, as you may have long deleted the received email, but the sent message might still remain.
<h3>Search through cloud-based services</h3>
It is probably repetitive at this point, but it bears repeating, all the same. Storing your passwords in a cloud-based service such as Google Drive or Evernote is not a secure way to manage your passwords. However, if you have done so and then lost your password, follow the steps below to search your services for those lost passwords.
<h4>Google Drive</h4>
The following instructions are for a desktop computer or an iOS device. You can bypass them on your Android devices and just search using Google Now.&nbsp;
Open <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-risks-of-storing-your-passwords-in-google-sheets">Google Drive</a> and log in if you aren&rsquo;t already. Then, type your search terms. You can then peruse the list of documents found. Google Drive will search document titles, content, and images by default, which could provide too many results. It is best to start with a narrow search and then expand if your search was unsuccessful. To only search titles, add the phrase &ldquo;title:&rdquo; to the start of your search query.
<h4>Evernote</h4>
Open Evernote and sign in. Click the magnifying glass on the left and simply enter the keywords you wish to search.
<h3>Search for files on your computer&rsquo;s hard drive</h3>
Some people write important passwords in a Word or Excel file or some other note-taking file. Have you done this at any point? If you can&rsquo;t remember, try searching your files for your lost passwords.
This can be done on both Windows and Mac.
<h4>Searching for files on Windows</h4>
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/7ltDMNRF7Elx11PfBCwf" alt="undefined" width="674" height="371">
Windows search, by default, doesn&rsquo;t scan all the files on your computer. To do so, before typing in your search query in Windows Search, perform the following actions. Go to the Control Panel and open &ldquo;Indexing Options.&rdquo; Select Advanced and then File Types. Select all file extensions you wish to search (.docx, .doc, .xlsx, .xls, etc.). If you don&rsquo;t see the options, you can add more. Click the radial option &ldquo;Index Properties and File Contents&rdquo; as well as &ldquo;Always Search File Names and Contents&rdquo; on the &ldquo;Search&rdquo; tab.
<h4>Searching for files on Mac</h4>
Mac is a bit simpler. Click on the magnifying glass in the top-right corner of your screen near the date and time or hit cmd+space. Then, type in your search terms and view the results.&nbsp;
<h3>Collect passwords from your mobile device</h3>
How long have you had a smartphone? For most people, the answer is longer than you have had a password manager like TeamPassword. During those early years of mobile Internet, did you ever store passwords in the note app on your phone (note: <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/top-5-dangerous-ways-to-store-your-passwords" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">don&rsquo;t store your passwords in a notetaker on your phone</a>)?
If so, you can use spotlight on your iPhone to search through your notes to find any lost passwords stored there.
<h3>Search for passwords around your home</h3>
Writing passwords down on paper can be as insecure as the location you store the paper. If you keep backup files in sealed envelopes tucked away with your 2009 tax return, there is a good chance that no one will find it.
That being said, if that password holds the key to 7002 Bitcoins, it is probably worth putting it in a bank safety deposit box.&nbsp;
If you work in a shared office, definitely don&rsquo;t write passwords on a sticky note and put it on your monitor!
But this isn&rsquo;t a time to judge. You can change your ways after finding your lost password. Here&rsquo;s a list of places in your home that might be hiding your lost password:
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<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">On or under the desk in your home office</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">In your home vault or security box</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">In a filing cabinet</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Your kitchen junk drawer</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">That pile of mail that really should be put in the recycling bin</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Old notepads or diaries</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Old calendars</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Wireless routers (sometimes default WiFi passwords are on the back)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Your wallet</li>
</ul>

&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/TKRNK5xjSsSgwIcCOdY6" alt="undefined" width="739" height="493">
<h2>When all else fails&hellip;</h2>
When all else fails, take a deep breath and accept it is gone. If you find your password in the future, great! For now&mdash;for your sanity&mdash;just let it go. If Stefan Thomas can be zen about losing a password and over 300 million dollars along with it, you can create a new email account&mdash;and your boss can forgive you for a lost password.
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<h2>How to prevent lost passwords</h2>
So you have lost a password. Let&rsquo;s make sure that is the last time!
<a href="https://teampassword.com/">TeamPassword</a> can make sure you never have another lost password. But that&rsquo;s not all. <a href="https://teampassword.com/">TeamPassword</a> keeps all your passwords safe and up to date so that they are there when you need them.
Now, you can safely share passwords with teammates while ensuring that your projects are safe. With AES 256-bit encryption and DSS-compliant security, <a href="https://teampassword.com/">TeamPassword</a> keeps all your assets safe, and you&rsquo;ll never have to search for a lost password again.

Say goodbye to the stress of lost passwords. Learn how to recover old passwords and prevent future forgetfulness with modern tools.

Learn what to do when you have a lost password and how to prevent a losing password in ...

How to Find a Lost Password from Ages Ago

Learn what to do when you have a lost password and how to prevent a losing password in the future to protect your personal data.

Over the last few years, you&rsquo;ve probably heard all about the importance of using strong, unique passwords for your online accounts. But have you actually practiced doing so? Perhaps you aren&rsquo;t worried about a data breach or hackers targeting you, because they only go after big companies, right?
Wrong. Very wrong. In fact, cybercriminals target thousands of small businesses and individuals on a daily basis. But whether you&rsquo;re running a Fortune 500 company, a small business, or if you&rsquo;re an entrepreneur or a contractor working from a home office, there is one thing all cybersecurity experts recommend and agree on &mdash; using unique passwords for all online accounts.
A strong, unique password is an effective deterrent to cybercriminals, but unfortunately, many organizations still fail to encourage their use. The main hindrance is that it can be difficult to remember different strings of random letters and numbers for the multitude of accounts we all have. It&rsquo;s so much easier to simply use a few words or a phrase that&rsquo;s easy to remember, for each and every account.
But that is exactly what cybercriminals count on.
In this post, I will discuss the idea of "password strength" and what you can do to make your passwords more secure and easier to manage.
Table of Contents:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
<a href="#whatmakesapasswordstrong" rel="follow">What Makes a Password Strong?</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
<a href="#4tipsforstrongpassword" rel="follow">4 Tips for Making a Strong Password</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
<a href="#avoidthesepasswordmistakes" rel="follow">Avoid These Password Mistakes</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
<a href="#keepstrongpasswordsecure" rel="follow">How to Keep Strong Passwords Secure</a>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="whatmakesapasswordstrong">What Makes a Password Strong?</h2>
A strong password is considered to be a string of at least 12 random upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters such as a question mark. Many organizations now require you to create passwords conforming to these guidelines, which is good. However, they can't stop people from using that same password for multiple accounts, which is definitely not recommended.
<h3 dir="ltr">Password strength vs. password complexity</h3>
Let's start by talking about a couple of scenarios you have likely found yourself in:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
You sign up for an account or change your password online, where the site gives you feedback regarding strength. Usually, it's symbolized by a line or dot that changes from red (weak), yellow (decent), and green (strong).
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
You sign up for an online account or change your password on an account where a certain amount of complexity is required for a password to be accepted: minimum length, maximum length, special characters, capital letters, numbers, etc.
</li>
</ul>
So, when it comes to creating passwords, what do these terms, strength, and complexity mean?
There is some overlap between strength and complexity in passwords. A password like P@ssw0rd might meet the complexity requirements listed above, but it certainly isn't strong. You might ask yourself, "Why isn't that a strong password? Didn't it meet complexity requirements?"
The short answer is that while P@ssw0rd met some arbitrary complexity requirements, it isn't a strong password because it features the type of predictable substitutions that humans employ when trying to outsmart a computer. We&rsquo;ve used that exact password so much that computers know to try it (along with several hundred other common passwords) before anything else.
To better demonstrate the idea of password strength, I&rsquo;ll use an example from Gibson Research Corporation&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.grc.com/haystack.htm">&ldquo;Password Haystack&rdquo; tool</a>: Which of the following two passwords is stronger, more secure, and more difficult to crack?
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;D0g.....................
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;PrXyc.N(n4k77#L!eVdAfp9
It&rsquo;s a trick question. The first password is actually stronger, even though it contains a simple/common word like &lsquo;dog&rsquo; and uses predictable substitution. I believe this example serves as a great demonstration of how password strength differs from password complexity.&nbsp;
The first password is stronger for a couple of reasons:&nbsp;
<ol>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
It employs &ldquo;padding&rdquo; in the password (that&rsquo;s all of those periods at the end).
</li>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
It&rsquo;s one character longer than the second.
</li>
</ol>
Why? It&rsquo;s due to the idea of a password&rsquo;s &ldquo;search space,&rdquo; or the number of different combinations of passwords that can be created using different character sets and a password&rsquo;s length.&nbsp;
This number of different combinations is used to exemplify the number of &ldquo;attempts&rdquo; an attacker would have to make in order to crack that password; the more attempts needed, the better. It&rsquo;s important to note (as the Haystack tool points out) that the padding in the example padded password isn&rsquo;t great; it&rsquo;s repetitive and only at the end of the password.&nbsp;
In theory, the first password is more secure. But if this type of padding were to become common, attackers would likely include these types of variations in the dictionaries (lists of common passwords) they use when attempting to crack a password.
&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">How does a password get hacked? What can you do to prevent that?</h3>
A strong password is the simplest yet most powerful tool against cyberattacks. It can thwart malicious access to your personal details and protect you from fraud and other devastating consequences of a data breach.
When it comes to preventing your passwords from being hacked, there are some things you can control and others you cannot. Let's start by exploring the things you cannot control.
<h4 dir="ltr">What you can't control</h4>
How online services store their users' passwords
Online services rarely tell you how they store your password. Even if they did, you aren&rsquo;t able to change it.&nbsp;
Hopefully, every online service you subscribe to uses a secure password hashing algorithm to obscure your password before they store it. There are many different approaches to hashing passwords; some are more secure than others, and an essential difference between algorithms is how fast or slow they are.
Ideally, your password is hashed using a robust, slow algorithm so that an attacker is constrained in the number of attempts per second/minute they are able to make.
This difference in speed is another reason why having a strong password is so important: if you take the time to generate a strong password (long, difficult to guess), it will take much longer for an attacker to guess your password correctly.&nbsp;
Unfortunately, some online services don't hash passwords at all, which means passwords are stored in plain text that can be read by anyone with access to the database where user information is stored, which leaves your password completely exposed if a malicious actor was able to get the contents of a service's passwords.
How an attack is executed
Hackers can employ various tools, strategies, and hardware in an attack. If an attacker can generate 10 thousand attempts per second, there is an extremely high likelihood that a hacker will crack a short but complex password in a reasonable amount of time.
Here&rsquo;s a real example: I used a random password generator to generate this password of 8 characters: 2xI5#%fX. This would be cracked in about 3 hours if an attacker were able to generate 10 thousand guesses per second. If I double the length of the password to 16 characters (t16qq*T4u*#^WtEg), it&rsquo;s estimated that it would take over 100 years to crack the password at 10 thousand attempts per second. 10 thousand attempts per second may seem like a lot, but if we&rsquo;re talking about an offline device, like your laptop, it&rsquo;s quite possible for an attacker with the right means.
<h3 dir="ltr">What you can control</h3>
How your passwords are generated and stored
<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/kPcD-ph37Lp_D9cBzfm641SJR49zd-nzRNU9bf_qYERhfzwvHk3UdjaMRoDuT5VR5YMRdDPJjUuGTg0DgwoJZK_K_pZ2ojqqE8duCf6Pm8FzMtu2BBDBOu1PHscUjTjEHpdtmaKKcLI-5pdZSwGBJ3s" width="624" height="247">
A good password manager will store passwords in an encrypted state and use a robust and secure algorithm to generate passwords for you. The combination of these two things is the most straightforward step you can take to improve your overall password strength and security. For example, our password manager, TeamPassword, offers a password generation tool with options to specify password length and character sets. TeamPassword makes it easy to generate and save secure passwords for any service you use. Additionally, TeamPassword encrypts all passwords with a "master key" (that you set) before sending them to their servers. No one can read them without your master key.
How passwords are shared within your business
<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3b1HaJpdg6bCgPp9lUAncw1H7Hr6veCYgpiqGnUYnMdNiYAKi9j1sh71xGDVIFyJ8rdz5JmXsWqlJdik1f0ElA3bw5syZuIRxfc20RVvzQwCZIcVhAs_cvSrQymKvYju8luU6SYQy2oJ2hD0UvCKuco" width="334" height="260">
One common and insecure practice that I've seen companies employ is to keep a spreadsheet of passwords to company services that are shared with everyone in the company. It's dangerous because it lacks any granularity in who can see/use passwords in the company. This is another area where a password manager is desirable, as it can provide<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/secure-password-sharing"> essential access controls</a> to company account passwords.
<h2 id="4tipsforstrongpassword">4 Tips for Making a Strong Password</h2>
<h3 dir="ltr">1. Use a Password Manager to Keep Track of your Passwords</h3>
<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/9gqIpgPwQuKxM5LAhaNxYzAoC24RcNSrqFcIs5LOhatiZlcpo472A2BqCEfX_RYAPDNClCvxCPVx7q3lx6YwigDrxGusnZ2uxjSEw1XhpX_-BWSawh6TemBiObrc0u5kg7lQiFs0us9RMaiVIhnHrws" width="412" height="262">
Creating and remembering unique passwords for all these accounts is difficult. This is where your password manager comes in handy. A tool like<a href="https://teampassword.com/"> TeamPassword</a> keeps track of all your passwords and manages access to the different sites and apps you use.
This software stores all log-in information for all sites and accounts you use and helps you log into them automatically. The software encrypts your password database with a master password which is the only one you need to remember.
<h3 dir="ltr">2. Use a Password Generator, or create a Passphrase</h3>
<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/42GcXutqEVLUiVFAcdhGJhYoWTyNCLLTFUEd_goJO5n0arjSnSQ9I5Ajm6D1eIQrV7lcPVyKWp76YbgkCZvK5UO6CwPVUsVAq_ydwq3YdamXzDf8v25F6V6_WEbJOzJ6SIpwYb_h0k_27y8phV45LIE" width="445" height="277">
The simplest way to create a strong password is to use a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">password generator</a>. However, consider creating a passphrase if you need to remember the password. Use a sequence of words that creates a funny and memorable image or are related to the product for which you&rsquo;re creating it.&nbsp;
Good passphrase:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
frog-yellowish-stranger-Timestamp
</li>
</ul>
Even though this lacks a variety of character types, it clocks in at 33 characters which makes it an incredibly high-entropy password.&nbsp;
Bad passphrase:
<ul>
<li dir="ltr" aria-level="1">
the-windmills-of-your-mind
</li>
</ul>
Stay away from song lyrics, famous quotes, and phrases that make sense.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">3. Longer is Better: 12 Characters is a Starting Point</h3>
As we learned in the &ldquo;How an attack is executed&rdquo; section, simply doubling an 8-character password to 16 characters can easily 35x the amount of time it takes for a cybercriminal to crack your password.&nbsp;
We recommend using the longest password the service will allow. Since you&rsquo;re using a password manager and your passwords are conveniently auto-filled or copy-pasted, there&rsquo;s no reason not to go long.&nbsp;
<h3 dir="ltr">4. Use Two-factor Authentication (2FA)</h3>
<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Xddjq43lhwTm0igWLehZzUi0WbcGXRLVYKEMtAheREOcLhJcmuCW259XGE8dVRbF9dDnOY40gOOEksfQ3a6db3BySOxRdOGiNOvgiDhrwNd650jpDUtUfu9cDLEXNjejxBdvV2Q3w9QsKs-LJFHR5sA" width="388" height="304">
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is one of the most sophisticated data security technologies. This security system requires two unique forms of identification to access an account.
Your password is the first security factor, and the second can be biometrics using your fingerprint, face, retina, a text with a code sent to your email/smartphone, or a code on an authenticator app on your phone. For high-security applications, you can set up physical keys such as Yubikey.&nbsp;
The unlikely will eventually happen. Servers get hacked. Your super-strong password may get compromised. 2FA provides a lot more security for a little extra effort.&nbsp;
<h2 id="avoidthesepasswordmistakes">Avoid These Password Mistakes</h2>
<h3 dir="ltr">Don&rsquo;t reuse passwords across accounts</h3>
Because there are things we cannot control, limiting the impact of a password being leaked or stolen is essential. The best way to defend against this possibility is to use a unique password for every service that requires a password. By never reusing a password, you limit the scope of impact that a single stolen password could have on your business.
In many cases, when a large group of passwords is stolen, they are leaked or sold online, and you can guarantee that some attackers will take that information and try it on more services than the one from which a hacker stole the password.
<h3 dir="ltr">Avoid Using Passwords Known to be Stolen</h3>
When in doubt, check the compromised password database <a href="https://haveibeenpwned.com/Passwords">haveibeenpwned</a>.
Words and phrases such as &ldquo;password,&rdquo; &ldquo;security&rdquo;, &ldquo;default&rdquo;, 123456789, QWERTY, abc123, will be hacked in seconds. The easiest password combinations are also the riskiest.
Look out for information on cybercriminal activity and data breaches to stay informed regarding your information. Unfortunately, hundreds of millions of people&rsquo;s account data is leaked annually.
<h3 dir="ltr">Don't store passwords where they can be discovered</h3>
Storing your passwords in spreadsheets, emails, messaging tools, or note-taking apps are just a few ways people expose themselves to cyberattacks. Avoid these<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/top-5-dangerous-ways-to-store-your-passwords"> dangerous ways to store your passwords</a> and opt for an encrypted password management tool.
<h2 id="keepstrongpasswordsecure">How to Keep Strong Passwords Secure</h2>
Keeping individual and group-shared passwords secure can be a difficult task. Thankfully, password managers exist for this reason. Many businesses utilize a team password manager like TeamPassword as a fast, easy, and secure way for team members to share and access logins and passwords. We have a variety of<a href="https://teampassword.com/security"> password security features</a> that keep your data safe. Protect yourself with TeamPassword today - <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">try us for free for 14 days</a>.&nbsp;

Discover how to create strong, unique passwords. Learn why it's crucial for businesses and individuals to adopt this practice and how to make it easier to manage. Protect yourself from cybercriminals with this essential guide to password strength.

Discover how to create strong, unique passwords. Learn why it's crucial for businesses and individuals to adopt this ...

How to Make a Strong Password (and Keep it Secure) | TeamPassword

How to Make a Strong Password (and Keep it Secure)

By now, we all know that&nbsp;hacking is no joke. Your identity can be taken in a matter of seconds &mdash; with it, all your personal and financial information. A corporate cyber attack can be devastating, but large corporations usually have their own security teams to help get their systems back online. However, the&nbsp;effects of an attack&nbsp;on a small business can be almost impossible to recover from.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">TeamPassword</a>&nbsp;is built to protect your company&rsquo;s most important information and ensure that the right people have easy access when they need it.
<h3 id="ensuring-that-you-re-using-strong-passwords-is-the-first-and-most-important-step-in-protecting-your-online-information-there-are-two-main-questions-to-consider-here-">Ensuring that you&rsquo;re using&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-best-practices-what-makes-a-strong-password" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">strong passwords</a>&nbsp;is the first and most important step in protecting your online information. There are two main questions to consider here:</h3>
<ol>
<li>How easy would it be for a human to guess your password?</li>
<li>How easy would it be for a computer to guess your password?</li>
</ol>
<h3 id="review-the-checklist-below-to-decide-whether-your-passwords-are-strong-enough-to-keep-out-hackers-"><img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/DA8Wvm4LRwWR3palIUmZ" width="497" height="165" /></h3>
TeamPassword provides <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">free tools</a> to generate new passwords and test your current ones.&nbsp;
<h3>Review the checklist below to decide whether your passwords are strong enough to keep out hackers.</h3>
<ul>
<li>Does your password include personal information that would be easy for someone to guess? This might include your spouse&rsquo;s or significant other&rsquo;s name, the names or ages of your children, the names of pets, your hometown, the type of car you drive, or your mother&rsquo;s maiden name.</li>
<li>Does your password include sequential numbers or letters? (1234567, abcdefg, 1111111, zyxwvu, etc.)</li>
<li>Is your password a string of letters on your keyboard? (qwerty, lkjhgf, zxcvbnm)</li>
<li>Do you use the same password across several platforms? (If someone can hack into one account, they can get into them all!)</li>
</ul>
If you answered &ldquo;yes&rdquo; to any of the above, then it is definitely time to update those passwords!
<h3 id="use-these-tips-to-ensure-your-password-is-strong-secure-and-as-hacker-proof-as-possible-">Use these tips to ensure your password is as strong, secure, and hacker-proof.&nbsp;</h3>
<ul>
<li>Your password should be long (6-34 characters, but longer is better, so why not shoot for 42 or 67?!). Today&rsquo;s brute-force cracking software can unscramble 6-10 character passwords in seconds.</li>
<li>Your password should be complex: It contains both upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.</li>
<li>Your password should be randomized: It is not necessarily a real word but a random jumble of characters and numbers. This makes it nearly impossible to break and harder for you to remember, so you&rsquo;ll need to devise a system to safely store your randomized passwords &mdash; password managers like TeamPassword generate, store and remember them for you.</li>
<li>Create a passphrase: String several words together to make a short sentence (using upper and lowercase letters) or make up a mnemonic device to help you remember.</li>
<li>Your password should be unique: You use a different password for every platform, app, and the website you log into.</li>
</ul>
It&rsquo;s also important to remember that your overall password security is only as good as the weakest security on the website you&rsquo;re using. If one website is compromised and you&rsquo;re using the same password across several sites, you&rsquo;re at extremely high risk of being hacked. If you&rsquo;re wary of a website&rsquo;s security, it may be wise to create a different email (think of it as your &ldquo;burner&rdquo; email) for that account, so if the site&rsquo;s security is compromised, the account isn&rsquo;t tied to your primary email. In this case, you could also generate a randomized username and password to be extra safe.
<h3 id="how-often-should-you-change-your-passwords">How often should you change your passwords?</h3>
Start with strong passwords; you shouldn&rsquo;t worry too much about them. Unless a service is compromised or you know someone has your password, it will be very difficult to crack a password that follows the above rules. If you receive a notice that a website you use has been breached, you should immediately change that password &mdash; but if you&rsquo;re using a password that&rsquo;s unique only to that site, you won&rsquo;t need to worry about your other accounts.&nbsp;
You can check if your password has been compromised at&nbsp;<a href="https://haveibeenpwned.com." rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">haveibeenpwned</a>.
It&rsquo;s advised to update your passwords every year or so, which looks different depending on the account. For instance, you could change your company's CRM accounts after the new year or your banking information after tax season.&nbsp;&nbsp;
For a more in-depth guide, see <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-often-should-you-change-your-password-the-importance-of-password-safety" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;re worried about your company&rsquo;s online security or think your passwords are putting your personal information at risk, then it&rsquo;s time to&nbsp;consider using a password management system that can guarantee safety. Learn how we can keep your business and personal life safe at&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/features" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">TeamPassword</a>!

By now, we all know that hacking is no joke . Your identity can be taken in a matter of seconds — and with it, all your personal and financi

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Checklist — How to Hacker-Proof Your Passwords

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<h2>1: Go To Login URL</h2>
Begin by going to Workday's login page. Either use you company's custom URL, or https://resourcecenter.workday.com/. Click "Reset Password".
<figure class="gc-figure" data-instance-id="83a31b6b-87a0-498c-9fbe-ecf9a68cc538"><img data-gc-id="NTQ3NzQ/UskWOKkLqPcllAk7" draggable="false" data-previews="{&quot;original&quot;:&quot;https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/UskWOKkLqPcllAk7?s=892c0297d46ec67f4935f8b423be8d00&quot;,&quot;editor&quot;:&quot;https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/UskWOKkLqPcllAk7?auto=format%2Ccompress&amp;fit=max&amp;h=800&amp;q=75&amp;s=ae68bab7a41f6081aa8d998845647335&quot;}" src="https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/UskWOKkLqPcllAk7?auto=format%2Ccompress&amp;fit=max&amp;h=800&amp;q=75&amp;s=ae68bab7a41f6081aa8d998845647335" data-presentation="null" data-instance-id="83a31b6b-87a0-498c-9fbe-ecf9a68cc538" /></figure>
<h2>2: Enter Email</h2>
Enter your email address associated with your account and click "Reset Via Email".
<figure class="gc-figure" data-instance-id="1f17d1e1-a1ec-4edf-9d09-9af96a7b8da3"><img data-gc-id="NTQ3NzQ/AXXVA7LqSzRYKaYC" draggable="false" data-previews="{&quot;original&quot;:&quot;https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/AXXVA7LqSzRYKaYC?s=b4ff764138c36e7d741cb952cb3b1b85&quot;,&quot;editor&quot;:&quot;https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/AXXVA7LqSzRYKaYC?auto=format%2Ccompress&amp;fit=max&amp;h=800&amp;q=75&amp;s=be19cc39e4726b10d6767973b93969e1&quot;}" src="https://assets.gathercontent.com/NTQ3NzQ/AXXVA7LqSzRYKaYC?auto=format%2Ccompress&amp;fit=max&amp;h=800&amp;q=75&amp;s=be19cc39e4726b10d6767973b93969e1" data-presentation="null" data-instance-id="1f17d1e1-a1ec-4edf-9d09-9af96a7b8da3" /></figure>
<h2>3: Send Password Reset Link To Your Email</h2>
After requesting to reset your password via email, you should receive confirmation on screen that an email was sent. Head over to your email inbox, open the email, and click the "Reset Password" link.
*If you cannot find the email in your inbox, be sure to check your spam and junk folder.
<h2>4: Enter New Password</h2>
From here, you will enter your new password twice and click "Reset Password" to complete the process.
<h3>Ensure This Password is Secure</h3>
Most importantly, make you choose a password that is specific to Workday - you don't want to lose access to paystubs or critical employee data! An easy way to generate a secure and hard-to-crack password is with TeamPassword's <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Password Generator</a>.
<h2>Never Forget Your Passwords Again With TeamPassword</h2>
You'll never have to follow a step-by-step reset password guide again after using <a href="https://teampassword.com/features" data-gc-link="https://teampassword.com/features" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">TeamPassword</a>. This password manager is the best option for companies, teams, and employees because it was created with three things in mind: security, easy-use, and collaboration. With TeamPassword, your saved logins are accessible everywhere, easy to share amongst your coworkers and other collaborators, and even more secure with 2-step verification.

This straightforward guide will take you through the steps to reset your password in Workday.

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How To Reset Your Workday Password

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What To Do If You Forgot Your Old Facebook Login

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

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

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

Have I Been Hacked? How to Know for Sure.

Password encryption is essential to store user credentials stored in a database securely. Without password encryption, anyone accessing a user database on a company's servers (including hackers) could easily view any stored passwords.
Even a strong 32-character password created using a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">secure password generator</a> is useless without password-encryption! If someone can read your password on a server, they can use it simply by copy/pasting it&mdash;no matter how long or complicated the password might be!
Encryption scrambles your password before saving it on the server. So, if someone hacks the server, instead of finding password123, they find a random series of letters and numbers.
In this article, we're going to explore the world of password encryption, why <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/tips-and-tricks-to-create-a-strong-password">strong passwords matter</a>, and how you can practice better password management!
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">TeamPassword</a> is the password management solution for small businesses! Create, store, and share login credentials safely with employees, contractors, and clients. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial</a> today!
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;[Table of Contents]
<ul>
<li><a href="#understandingpasswordencryption" rel="follow">Understanding Password Encryption</a></li>
<li><a href="#howdoespasswordencryptionwork" rel="follow">How Does Password Encryption Work?</a></li>
<li><a href="#5commonpasswordencryptionmethods" rel="follow">5 Common Password Encryption Methods</a></li>
<li><a href="#whystrongpasswordsmatter" rel="follow">Why Strong Passwords Matter</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="understandingpasswordencryption">Understanding Password Encryption</h2>
To explain password encryption effectively, we must first grasp the language. Several terms might be unfamiliar, so here is a quick intro to password encryption terminology.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Key: Used to lock and unlock passwords using a random string of bits. You get private and public keys that crypt and decrypt data differently, but we won't get too deep in the weeds with keys!</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Bits: A logical state with one of two possible values, including 1/0, true/false, yes/no, or on/off as typical examples.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Block (block cipher): A deterministic algorithm operating on fixed-length groups of bits, called blocks.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hash function: The algorithm that uses the key to create password encryption and decryption. A hash function is essentially a piece of code that runs every time someone saves a password or logs into an application.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hash: A random series of numbers and letters representing your password. The hash function uses your hash instead of the raw password for authentication.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Salt: Additional letters and numbers appended to the hash</li>
</ul>
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<h2 id="howdoespasswordencryptionwork">How Does Password Encryption Work?</h2>
When you save a new password, a hash function creates a hash version and saves that on the server.&nbsp;
Every time you log in using your password, the hash function recreates the hash to see if it matches what's stored. If the hashes match, the algorithm passes the authentication and logs you in.&nbsp;
For example:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Original password: Pa$$w0rd123</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hashed password: 6AF1CE202340​FE71BDB914AD5357​E33A6982A63B</li>
</ul>
While this might seem secure, simple hashed passwords aren't hack-proof.
The hash function only creates a unique hash for each password, not each user. So, if multiple users have the password, Pa$$w0rd123, the hash will be exactly the same.
To overcome this encryption vulnerability, engineers salt passwords so each hash is unique, even if the passwords are identical.
<h3>How Salt Works</h3>
A salt appends a unique value of 8 bytes (16 characters) to the password before the hash function creates a hash. This way, even identical passwords are unique before the hash function.
For example:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Two identical passwords: Pa$$w0rd123</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Salt value one: E1F53135E559C253</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Salt value two: 84B03D034B409D4E</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password one before hash: Pa$$w0rd123E1F53135E559C253</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password two before hash: Pa$$w0rd12384B03D034B409D4E</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password one hashed value (SHA256): 72AE25495A7981​C40622D49F9A52E4F15​65C90F048F59027BD9​C8C8900D5C3D8</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password two hashed value (SHA256): B4B6603ABC670​967E99C7E7F1389E40​CD16E78AD38EB1468E​C2AA1E62B8BED3A</li>
</ul>
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<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.
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<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>
&rlm;&rlm;&lrm; &lrm;
<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 ...

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