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

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

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

10 extremely successful freelancers and what they do

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

Cloud computing has seen rapid adoption since 2020, with more people working remotely than ever before. One interesting study highlighted that <a href="https://www.snowsoftware.com/blog/how-new-normal-changing-cloud-usage-and-strategy">80% of IT leaders</a> had increased their overall cloud usage. However, while this technology has undoubtedly changed the way organizations operate for the greater good, this has come at a cost, with IT teams having far less control and access.

One issue many businesses are struggling with is weak passwords, and while most companies acknowledge that this is a security risk, only <a href="https://www.insightsforprofessionals.com/it/cloud/state-of-cloud-security-infographic">35% of companies</a> are concerned about the accidental exposure of credentials.

So, why should you pay close attention to password hygiene? Here are some reasons:

<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">&ldquo;123456&rdquo; and &ldquo;qwerty&rdquo; are still some of the most commonly used passwords worldwide and can be cracked in less than a second (<a href="https://cybernews.com/best-password-managers/most-common-passwords/">Cybernews</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Around 31% of users update their passwords at least 1 &ndash; 2 times a year, while only 18.5% change theirs even if they&rsquo;re notified of any security issues (<a href="https://digitalguardian.com/blog/uncovering-password-habits-are-users-password-security-habits-improving-infographic">Digital Guardian</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Three-quarters of Americans struggle to keep track of their credentials (<a href="https://storage.googleapis.com/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod/documents/PasswordCheckup-HarrisPoll-InfographicFINAL.pdf">Google</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The FBI highlighted that $4.2 billion was lost in 2020 due to cybercrime, increasing the five-year total to $13.3 billion (<a href="https://www.ic3.gov/Media/PDF/AnnualReport/2020_IC3Report.pdf">The IC3</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">61% of breaches involved credential data (<a href="https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/2021-data-breach-investigations-report.pdfx">Verizon</a>)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">55% of IT security practitioners don&rsquo;t utilize 2FA in the workplace (<a href="https://dataprot.net/statistics/password-statistics/">Dataprot</a>)&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2>How do cybercriminals steal passwords?</h2>

Hackers are more motivated than ever and will do whatever it takes to get their hands on your money. <a href="https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/2021-data-breach-investigations-report.pdfx">Verizon&rsquo;s 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report</a> shows that SMBs with less than 1,000 employees recorded 1,037 incidents and 93% of such breaches were financially motivated.&nbsp;

So, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/five-most-common-password-attacks">what techniques do cybercriminals use</a> to compromise users&rsquo; passwords?&nbsp;

<h3>Social engineering</h3>
This involves threat actors preying on vulnerable employees and psychologically manipulating them into sharing confidential data. One of the most popular social engineering methods used by hackers is phishing.&nbsp;


<h3>Brute force attacks</h3>
From a hacker&rsquo;s perspective, brute force attacks are easy to launch and don&rsquo;t require a lot of effort. Criminals typically use trial and error tactics to decipher passwords or PINs through automated tools that test a large number of password combinations. These tools can crack weak passwords in a matter of minutes.


<h3>Dictionary attacks</h3>
Dictionary attacks &ndash; a type of brute force tactic &ndash; involve inputting commonly used words or phrases as a password, but they aren&rsquo;t strictly limited to a wordlist. Instead, they can also include names of people you know or a sports team you support. These are based on information easily found online through online profiles

However, this method isn&rsquo;t as successful against passwords containing numbers, symbols, and a mixture of lowercase and uppercase letters.&nbsp;


<h3>Credential stuffing attacks</h3>
Bad actors typically purchase lists of leaked usernames and passwords and feed these into a botnet, which attempts several logins across multiple websites in one attempt.&nbsp;

With more than <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2020/07/08/new-dark-web-audit-reveals-15-billion-stolen-logins-from-100000-breaches-passwords-hackers-cybercrime/">15 billion login credentials from 100,000 breaches</a> circulating on the dark web, it&rsquo;s not surprising that credential stuffing attacks have grown in popularity among cybercriminals. <a href="https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2021/05/20/financial-services-credential-stuffing/">Research from Help Net Security</a> detected some 193 billion credential stuffing attacks worldwide in 2020, with the financial services industry, in particular, suffering the most and reporting around 3.4 billion incidents &ndash; an increase of 45% YoY in the sector.
<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Secty%2B+course&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enGB975GB976&amp;ei=NGy0YpeFGNLqgQbx_afIBg&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiX78nA2MP4AhVSdcAKHfH-CWkQ4dUDCA4&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=Secty%2B+course&amp;gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAMyBAgAEA0yBAgAEA0yBAgAEA0yBAgAEA0yBAgAEA0yBAgAEA0yBAgAEA0yBggAEB4QDTIGCAAQHhANMgYIABAeEA06BwgAEEcQsAM6BggAEB4QFjoJCAAQHhDJAxAWOgUIABCSA0oECEEYAEoECEYYAFClCFjPC2DXDGgCcAF4AIAB3wGIAaIGkgEFMS4yLjKYAQCgAQHIAQjAAQE&amp;sclient=gws-wiz" rel="follow"><img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/daJiCLeTOe3gnOFxJXPw" alt="undefined" width="560" height="400" style="font-family: sans-serif;" /></a>
Image Credit: <a href="http://&lt;a href=&quot;https//www.freepik.com/vectors/safe-internet&quot;&gt;Safe internet vector created by jcomp - www.freepik.com&lt;/a&gt;" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">freepik.com</a>
<h2>How to enforce strong password hygiene</h2>
To protect your accounts and organization against cyberattacks, you and your employees need to practice good password hygiene. Consider adopting these tips below:&nbsp;

<h3>1. Encourage employees not to reuse passwords&nbsp;</h3>
In 2019, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2019/12/06/microsoft-finds-password-security-problem-affecting-44-million-users/">Microsoft&rsquo;s threat research team</a> analyzed a database that contained 3 billion breached login credentials and identified 44 million Microsoft users who had reused the same passwords.

Therefore, it&rsquo;s essential employees don&rsquo;t reuse the same password across multiple accounts &ndash; no matter how complex it is &ndash; because if one account is compromised, the rest are at risk too.&nbsp;


<h3>2. Create a unique password for every account</h3>
A crucial part of password hygiene is making sure you and your employees create a unique passcode for every account. Don&rsquo;t use words or phrases found in the dictionary or online, and avoid any sequences such as 123 or 2468.

Consider creating memorable passphrases that contain a minimum of 12 characters and a mixed combination of lowercase and uppercase letters, symbols, and numbers.&nbsp;

For instance, let&rsquo;s hypothetically say you&rsquo;re a Liverpool supporter and you watched your side thump Manchester United 5-0 at Old Trafford back in October 2021.&nbsp;

Something like &lsquo;Liverpool FC beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in October 2021&rsquo; could translate to lFc_Bmu@oTi1021.

Not only is this passphrase complex and more memorable, but it&rsquo;s also extremely difficult for bad actors to crack, which can significantly reduce the risk of a breach.&nbsp;

However, depending on the number of accounts you possess, manually updating every single password may not always be feasible, so it&rsquo;s worth using a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">password generator tool</a> to protect your data.


<h3>3. Get into the habit of reviewing and updating passwords</h3>
Most security experts recommend <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-often-should-i-change-my-password?r=US&amp;IR=T">changing your password every few months</a>, particularly if your accounts have been compromised without you realizing it.

To achieve this, you need to develop a strong security culture. Make sure you provide regular security awareness training and educate your employees about password security. In doing so, they&rsquo;ll know what&rsquo;s expected of them, and you&rsquo;ll significantly reduce the likelihood of someone creating a weak password and exposing your business to bad actors.


<h3>4. Deploy multi-factor authentication (MFA)</h3>
Whatever industry you&rsquo;re in, multi-factor authentication is arguably one of the most important security tools out there, and it can better protect your passwords from cybercriminals.

MFA strengthens the login process by requesting users to provide three pieces of information. For instance, you may be asked to provide a password, an SMS code, and a photo of yourself to verify your identity.

Considering that most people reuse the same passwords, not only will MFA stop cybercriminals from accessing their accounts, but it&rsquo;ll significantly reduce the likelihood of a security breach.&nbsp;


<h3>5. Use a password manager</h3>
Let&rsquo;s face it: our memory isn&rsquo;t perfect. That&rsquo;s why most of us use memorable phrases or words as our passwords and make a note of them. Sadly, neither of these are good practice and can do more harm than good.

With employees already<a href="https://dataprot.net/statistics/password-statistics/"> spending around 12.6 minutes per week inputting or resetting passwords</a>, according to Ponemon Institute, simplifying password management is more important than ever for security and productivity, especially in the era of remote/hybrid work.

Here are a few reasons why you should adopt a password manager to strengthen your password hygiene:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Password managers allow users to securely generate, manage and store complex passwords.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Login credentials are stored in an encrypted vault and adhere to the strongest encryption standards (AES 256-bit), meaning hackers won&rsquo;t be able to get through your defenses with brute-force techniques.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Some vendors provide dark web monitoring features that highlight whether your login details have been breached.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Final thoughts</h2>
Simply relying on employees to create unique and complex passwords isn&rsquo;t enough in today&rsquo;s cybersecurity world. Instead, IT leaders must educate and encourage the workforce to practice good password hygiene. By adopting the above five actions as part of your security strategy, you&rsquo;ll strengthen your defenses and ultimately prevent cybercriminals from gaining unauthorized access to your accounts.

From a security perspective, one weak password can weaken your defenses. Practice these good password hygiene tips to keep your team safe.

Despite much awareness, employees are still using easy-to-remember passwords, and to make matters worse, they’re also reusing them ...

5 Password Hygiene Tips to Stop Cybercriminals

Despite much awareness, employees are still using easy-to-remember passwords, and to make matters worse, they’re also reusing them across their personal and corporate accounts. Therefore, practicing good password hygiene is key in the fight against cybercriminals.

Digital marketing is a highly dynamic field where techniques and trends evolve quickly. As you build a digital marketing strategy that&rsquo;s comprehensive and effective, it&rsquo;s important to consider a range of tactics to discover what works for your brand.&nbsp;

After all, digital marketing has grown in importance in recent years, taking up <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/marketing/research/annual-cmo-spend-survey-research" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">72% of marketing budgets today</a>. Here are some insider tips and techniques to take your digital marketing the extra mile. Remember that every company is unique, so be sure to tailor these ideas to your own brand&rsquo;s needs and audience.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/GbZembBTQyxVSBPNFCAJ" alt="undefined" width="645" height="430" />
Source: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/office-concept-illustration_6610842.htm#page=2&amp;position=5&amp;from_view=author" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Freepik</a>
<h1>11 tips to take your digital marketing strategy to the next level</h1>
Let&rsquo;s walk you through some of our favorite digital marketing strategies so you have some new tricks up your sleeve for this year&rsquo;s campaigns.&nbsp;

<h2>1. Aim for your content to be share-worthy</h2>
Never produce content just for the sake of it. Everything you make should pass the &ldquo;share-worthy&rdquo; test, so you&rsquo;re actually adding value for your potential customers.&nbsp;

Consider generating top-notch content such as in-depth blogs, podcasts, webinars, white papers, educational materials, and more. You might even team up with an expert to achieve higher quality in your digital materials. Ask yourself, &ldquo;Would I share this?&rdquo; If the answer is no, try to create something you would. If you won&rsquo;t, why would anyone else?
<h2>2. Leverage multi-channel campaigns</h2>
We live in the age of endless options &ndash; and digital marketing channels are no different. It&rsquo;s important to manage multi-channel campaigns since customers check several mediums before trusting a brand. Create campaigns that work across email, mobile, social media, paid search, direct mail, radio/TV, etc. in order to break through the noise of marketing today.

For example, you can work with email marketing companies to create a summer newsletter email campaign that is timed with a social media push, themed landing pages, and radio ads, in order to elevate the potential of your campaign.

You can integrate traditional marketing with digital and also complement your digital campaigns by sending flyers, catalogs, and other printed materials to your customers through direct mail. This is an extremely powerful combination. Print <a href="https://cash4toners.com/info/2019/02/10/why-print-matters/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">works</a>!

<h2>3. Hire a visuals guru</h2>

It only takes a second for potential customers to form an opinion about your website. Images and design play a key role in ensuring an enthusiastic first impression.

If you don't already have one, partner with a visuals guru (i.e. <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/first-5-marketing-roles-for-your-small-business-what-roles-do-you-need-to-hire" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">a graphics designer</a>) who can boost your images, infographics, web design, and <a href="https://www.webnode.com/blog/video-marketing-the-marketers-guide/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">video marketing</a> for all your assets.

<h2>4. Personalize at every opportunity&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
With the <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/should-i-share-data-with-freelancers" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">customer data</a> available today, companies have a huge opportunity to target their content. It&rsquo;s vital to learn how to personalize certain types of content, offers, and recommendations according to your business&rsquo; audience. This way, you&rsquo;ll be able to personalize the journey for each unique segment of customers with greater success.

For example, you can edit your website so that it has several different landing pages for different segments, and then push these pages through unique social media posts.&nbsp;

<h2>5. Test all content in a mobile environment</h2>
Your digital marketing should be mobile-first, as the majority of users are connecting on their mobile devices. Be sure to check all content on a mobile testing platform and work with developers to get a high-performing site on mobile.&nbsp;

Pro tip: Get <a href="https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7496737?hl=en" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)</a> for your website in order to optimize for mobile browsing, speed up load time and increase your Google ranking. 
<h2>6. Optimize your buyer journey</h2>
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/d8Y1sW4xRiKX8FMGmWRU" alt="undefined" width="500" height="500" />
<a href="https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/journey-concept-illustration_10946454.htm#query=journey&amp;position=2&amp;from_view=search" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Source: Freepik</a>

Understanding the buyer's journey is also essential for long-term digital marketing. You should regularly be analyzing user behavior on your website through Google Analytics and tools like Crazy Eggs to understand how customers land on your shopping page.&nbsp;

With this behavioral data, you can optimize your digital marketing campaigns in order to create smoother flows to these pages. 
<h2>7. Don&rsquo;t forget about local SEO</h2>
The majority of digital marketers know how to improve SEO, but one area that&rsquo;s often overlooked is local SEO.

It&rsquo;s important to hook your local audiences with tailored keywords that use location words, events, and searches. Local SEO gets some of the best results, so be sure to incorporate it into your digital marketing strategy.

<h2>8. Go beyond SEO by tracking reach</h2>
As you listen to the customer and find out what&rsquo;s working, always track reach. This will give you a sense of what types of content and messaging are more powerful.&nbsp;

This will include reaching metrics such as engagements per month (viewed, liked, shared, downloads, open rates, etc.), 10 highest ranked content pieces by engagement and shares, month-over-month engagement metrics, etc.
<h2>9. Achieve tried-and-true customer service</h2>
There&rsquo;s no shortcut for cultivating great customer relationships through top service. Every interaction a customer has with your brand counts as &ldquo;service&rdquo; so be sure to consider how to support customers throughout their digital buyer experience. According to studies, <a href="https://123office.com/blog/millennial-statistics/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">about 75% of millennials</a> say they would pay more for a good customer experience. So take time to show these clients what makes you special when servicing them throughout their digital buyer journey.

Have customer service in place for digital marketing channels to answer questions, provide personalized recommendations and tackle service challenges that come up on your<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/sharing-social-media-credentials-with-teammates" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank"> social media feeds</a>.
<h2>10. Don&rsquo;t be afraid of repurposing content</h2>
Having content to share on a daily basis can be exhausting for content creation teams. Don&rsquo;t forget to take stock of what content you&rsquo;ve already made. It&rsquo;s perfectly fine (and smart!) to repurpose content by resharing it or recycling it in a new way.&nbsp;

For example, a blog post that had good traffic in the past could be reimagined as an infographic, video, or podcast episode. Be efficient with your team&rsquo;s time by finding ways to re-engage customers with the same content. Luckily there are lots of tools out there that will help your team to make <a href="https://internettools.net/video-editing-tools/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">great-looking videos</a> and <a href="https://siteefy.com/ai-writers/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">generate quality content</a> with minimal effort.

<h2>11. Take advantage of automation</h2>
Finally, automation can be your closest ally as a digital marketer. Every year, there are more channels and metrics to handle. Wherever possible, find ways to automate processes, so you can free up time and focus your efforts. You might automate:

<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Social media post scheduling</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Email cart abandonment workflows</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Chatbots for social and web support</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Push notifications for certain web actions (i.e. on the purchase page)</li>
</ul>

Through these automated steps, you can get rid of repetitive tasks, better allocate resources and ensure your teams are maximizing their time every day.&nbsp;

<h2>Bonus tip: Boost your digital marketing strategy with the right tools </h2>
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/7Fb7bVI4SIabYVK29j4d" alt="undefined" width="500" height="500" />
Source: <a href="https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/team-goals-concept-illustration_12704338.htm#query=target&amp;position=13&amp;from_view=author" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Freepik</a>
Finally, without the right tools, your digital marketing strategy may be impossible to manage. For every aspect of your strategy, ensure that you have the tools and technologies to support your team. This goes for top digital marketing tools (such as Sprout Social, Audiense, Ahrefs, Hotjar, etc.) as well as <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/9-best-tools-for-managing-freelancers" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">collaboration and management tools</a> such as Notion, Trello, Podio, and <a href="https://teampassword.com/">TeamPassword</a>.

With the ideal suite of tools, you can empower your team and start incorporating these digital marketing tips in no time!

Digital marketing is a highly dynamic field that is taking off! Over 72% of marketing budgets go to digital. Find out how to stay ahead.

Digital marketing is a highly dynamic field where techniques and trends evolve quickly. And it's taking off! Over ...

Improve Your Company's Digital Marketing with These Awesome Techniques

Digital marketing is a highly dynamic field where techniques and trends evolve quickly. And it's taking off! Over 72% of marketing budgets go to digital content. These tips will help your team get ahead.

Do you have a formal offboarding process in place?
HR departments put a lot of time into their onboarding process as they should. Most include a warm welcome with a laid-out plan to get the new hire informed and up and running as soon as possible. But what about offboarding? What&rsquo;s the plan when an employee leaves?
Properly handing off company information when an employee leaves can be a significant challenge. Not just for HR but the entire team. Think about it. What if the employee leaving has accounts created with their email address? What if they had access to sensitive data? What if they control the Starbucks rewards card?&nbsp;
Joking aside, a recent study in 2019 conducted by OneLogin found that 50% of ex-employees still had access to company databases. Of those surveyed, 20% of businesses had experienced data breaches by former employees.
Don&rsquo;t stress! Your team can pull off a quick and effective transition without falling behind with proper planning and organization. Here are some recommended steps your team should take to make offboarding as safe and straightforward as possible.&nbsp;
<h2>Develop Data Protection Policies</h2>
Protecting company data shouldn&rsquo;t be a step you take after an employee submits their resignation letter. The first step in securing your data is to create a policy. Data protection policies should be in place for new hires and existing employees throughout their tenure.&nbsp;
Establish specific policies and procedures for employees who handle company data and clear penalties for those who do not abide by them. If you have a legal department, they should guide what the policy contains. If you don&rsquo;t, there are examples online that you can use, but be sure to read through them and make sure that the policy fits your business. Having set policies is more transparent and will protect your organization from the risks of data theft or loss when employees move on.
<h3>Have employees sign technology policies and keep them informed.</h3>
Once you have a policy, it&rsquo;s essential that all employees know the policy and, more importantly, abide by it. It may be worthwhile to create a "data security" training program for all employees at your company. Don&rsquo;t have the time or the resources to develop a program? Some companies will do it for you.
Technology policies shouldn&rsquo;t just be posted on the bulletin board; they should be read and signed. The act of signing gives the policy more importance and encourages employees to read through them more closely.
<h2>Limit Employee Access to Company Data</h2>
While employees need data and logins to accomplish their work, too much access poses data security risks. Not every employee needs unrestricted access to all of your business or client information. Instead, employees should only have access to the information necessary to do their jobs. Putting reasonable controls in place is critical to ensure that your organization&rsquo;s data remains protected.
A common way to implement access levels is with a password manager. With a password manager, you can make groups such as marketing, accounting, and sales, and you can easily share and revoke access as needed.&nbsp;
<h3>Use a password manager to track activity and change logins.</h3>
When an employee leaves, it will be essential to look out for significant download increases, strange access requests, and unusual file transfer loads. This is a common way to cause damage, and it can happen without you ever finding out if you aren&rsquo;t tracking it.&nbsp;
So how can you be sure that no one is using logins after they&rsquo;ve left or using data in strange amounts or weird times? You track it. One of the easiest ways is with a password manager. When you store all of your passwords with a password manager, an employee has to go through the password manager to log in, and when they do, it will show up on the activity log.
On top of this, when an employee leaves, it is best practice to change the passwords. A password manager will make it easy to update passwords with new solid unique passwords for each account they had access to.&nbsp;
<h3>Control user access in a central authenticated system.</h3>
It is essential to ensure employees are removed from everything, not just the big stuff. Damage can still be done with social media accounts or with other services like Photoshop, or customer service accounts like Intercom. Regaining control of accounts created by employees that have already left can be difficult. In worse cases, an employee can hold company accounts hostage. There have even been extreme cases where employees that still had access to the company's social media used them to tarnish the company's reputation.&nbsp;
A single sign-on system is one of the easiest ways to control access. When logins are controlled through one account like Google Workplace, it is far easier to give and revoke access with the click of a few buttons. No more trying to think of every login the employee had access to. Instead, you can remove them from everything all at once through the single sign-on system.&nbsp;
Set up accounts in a central location like Google SSO or Active Directory, and ensure all cloud applications are SAML authenticated. This makes it easier to manage and de-provision employee accounts.
<h2>Create and Use an Offboarding Checklist</h2>
You don&rsquo;t want to be scrambling every time an employee leaves. A standardized list is the simplest way to have your bases covered.&nbsp; These include simple things that may be obvious, but you don&rsquo;t want to push them off until the last possible second. These can include but are not limited to:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Prepare necessary paperwork</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Conduct an exit interview</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Disable network access</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Recover company assets such as company credit cards, security badges, or keys&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Making sure every possible security breach is on this list ensures all possible loose ends are tied up. Need ideas? There are plenty of examples online.
<h3>Disable all access.</h3>
Plug the holes. A 2021 survey by Beyond Identity found that 83% of employees admitted to maintaining continued access to accounts from a previous employer. What&rsquo;s more terrifying is that 56% of these employees did so with the specific intent of harming their former employer.
Here are a few steps to follow to ensure that every access point gets removed.&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">If your logins are stored in a centralized location like Google SSO or active directory, immediately disable access and, after 30 days, delete it entirely.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Change passwords, especially on shared accounts, to ensure they can&rsquo;t access them with remembered or written down passwords.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Redirect that employee's communication to an appropriate individual.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Disable all access to the company network.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<h3>Recover and wipe company assets.</h3>
Any company phones or laptops that the employee used should be returned and wiped of employee information. If anyone is allowed to work on personal devices, consider establishing a data recovery policy. If a remote wipe isn&rsquo;t possible, there should be a policy that requires the departing employee to provide their personal device for cleaning.
Along with devices any keys, ID badges, or security cards should be returned. You should also close out any corporate credit cards or expense accounts in that employee&rsquo;s name and process any fees or reimbursements.
<h2>Conduct an Exit Interview</h2>
One of the most important things you can do when an employee leaves your company is to understand why they&rsquo;ve chosen to go. Exit interviews can be an invaluable tool to gain insight into your organization The advantage of having these conversations is that departing employees are more likely to give honest feedback. The feedback will help you identify areas that can help improve staff retention and the work environment and highlight ways to improve as management. A final conversation also allows the employee to leave on a good note whether they are choosing to leave themselves or being let go by the company.&nbsp;
<h3>Remind departing employees of company policies.</h3>
This is also a great time to ensure they know what&rsquo;s going on from a security standpoint. Review the data security policies with the employee, reminding them of the types of data they are not allowed to take. Take an inventory of all files or projects that the employee was working on, and ensure that these materials have been returned. Collect their devices and wipe them of company data.
Employees have the right to resign and move on to new jobs. Sometimes they just might not be a great fit. Whatever the cause for departure, the reality is that employees come and go. Unfortunately, departing employees can take confidential corporate information with them, whether unknowingly or will ill-intent.&nbsp;
Depending on your business, there may be more specific measures you should implement to help protect your data but following this standard list of practices is a great place to start. Don&rsquo;t fall victim, be proactive and take the necessary steps to protect your company's data when your employees leave - the consequences can be severe if you don&rsquo;t.&nbsp;

Companies need a plan for employee departures to keep their data secure. Offboarding can be hard or it can be easy. These tips tell you how.

What’s the plan when an employee leaves? Properly handing off company information when an employee leaves can be ...

How to protect company info when an employee leaves

What’s the plan when an employee leaves? Properly handing off company information when an employee leaves can be a significant challenge. These tips help you navigate these departures.

How to protect company information when an employee leaves

There has been a dramatic increase in remote work in the past few years. While remote work has some exciting benefits, it can make the employees feel isolated. Most remote employees combine family and work responsibilities, so it's only natural that they may feel exhausted or lose motivation over time.&nbsp;

Remote team managers or employers of remote workers need to be aware of the effects of working remotely and ensure that their remote employees feel supported and valued for their numerous contributions to their organization.&nbsp;

Recent <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2020/11/16/new-research-says-remote-workers-want-more-appreciation-from-their-leaders-or-else/?sh=5608e04d5fa2">studies</a> have shown that when supervisors recognize employees for their effort, it helps motivate them to become more productive. Now that most companies and industries are at least embracing remote work in part, it is crucial to find ways to recognize your remote employees for their efforts.&nbsp;

Acknowledging remote workers can seem daunting at first, but it's pretty simple. This article discusses seven ways to recognize remote employees for their work.&nbsp;

<h2>Methods of Recognizing Your Remote Employees&nbsp;</h2>
<h3>Provide Them With Regular Feedback (Positive or Negative)</h3>
One of the ways you can engage your remote employees effectively and appreciate them is by communicating with them frequently. These conversations shouldn&rsquo;t just be weather chats. To recognize your remote workers effectively, you need to give them regular constructive feedback. Doing so gives the impression that their work matters and that their supervisor is invested in the work that they are doing.&nbsp; Regular communication also makes remote employees feel more secure, motivates them to be more productive, and improves any shortcomings noticed in their job performance.&nbsp;

When there is limited communication between you and your remote employees, they might be less productive or anxious. No matter what feedback you give your remote workers, comprehensive feedback will help them understand what value they're adding to the company and where they fit within it.&nbsp;
<h3>Call Them&nbsp;</h3>
Calling your remote employees during their work hours, on their phone or online, is an easy way of recognizing their good work. Place a call to them directly and thank them for their effort and service to the company. Do not make a habit of calling remote employees only when things go wrong or when you have more work to give them. Positive calls go a long way to improving morale.

Moreover, calling will show your remote employees that you value them as remote workers, promoting employee engagement in your company. Most remote workers understand how busy their managers and employers are, so the fact that you took time out to call will make them feel special and appreciated.
<h3>Create Professional Development Opportunities</h3>
Every employee (remote or otherwise) wants to grow professionally in their given field. When you provide an avenue for your remote employees to grow professionally, you acknowledge their worth in your company.&nbsp;

This proves to your remote workers that you want to see them succeed professionally and that you're invested in their professional growth. Your employees will benefit, but your company will be able to utilize their learning for the company&rsquo;s gain. It&rsquo;s a classic win-win situation.

Companies can create in-house training programs for their remote employees or choose from the various online certifications and courses that fit their remote workers and their roles in the company.

<h3>Stimulate Peer-to-Peer Recognition</h3>
Another great way to recognize your remote employees is to encourage peer-to-peer recognition. This method helps to boost employee engagement and builds a solid and healthy camaraderie among your employees.&nbsp;

You can acknowledge your remote employees' accomplishments by putting them on the company's group messaging platform. This will encourage other employees to recognize them. Being acknowledged by colleagues helps boost team morale.&nbsp;

Another great tactic is peer-to-peer collaboration. Have employees share their work often with each other for edits and reviews. Working together on projects, even if it's just to look things over, will help employees better understand what other people are working on and, more importantly, make them feel more involved in the company. This strategy will recognize employees that are doing well and encourage others to take notice of their colleagues&rsquo; contributions. Often, this leads to employees acknowledging one another themselves.&nbsp;

Stimulating peer-to-peer recognition helps supervisors ensure that the quality of work is high and can increase overall workplace chemistry.&nbsp;

<h3>Surprise Them With a Break</h3>
Most remote employees juggle work and family, leaving little to no time to care for themselves. Most remote workers work for longer hours than their on-site counterparts, and <a href="https://hbr.org/2017/11/a-study-of-1100-employees-found-that-remote-workers-feel-shunned-and-left-out">studies</a> have shown that they are more likely to feel lonely.&nbsp;

Therefore, if you have remote employees that work tirelessly and don't take breaks often, you can surprise them with a break. Tell them to take a day or two off to recharge and connect with their family and friends. Giving them this free time will make them feel happy and ensure that they are more energetic and productive when they return to work.&nbsp;

Short of a bonus or raise, giving remote employees time away from work is the most tangible way to recognize their hard work and contribution to the company.
<h3>Praise Remote Employees Publicly&nbsp;</h3>
Remote employees, like all employees, want to feel appreciated and valued by their employers. However, it can be challenging to praise remote employees publicly since they aren't in the office.&nbsp;

Nevertheless, you can use communication technology that would allow you to reach out to your remote employees easily. Many companies utilize messaging platforms like Slack and Discord for their remote teams.&nbsp;

If your company has one of these platforms, you can use it to express appreciation for a job well done by simply acknowledging the individual(s) who made it happen. Doing this will make your remote employees feel like an essential part of your company.&nbsp;

Recognizing your employees' achievements on social media platforms can help boost their confidence in the workspace. They can share the post on their page so that their family and friends can see that their work is valued. This increases their commitment to the team and can also grow your company&rsquo;s social media following. Start by welcoming new employees to the company publicly, then regularly post messages acknowledging jobs well done. Whether it's content creation, big sales deals, customer service excellence, or a development project - all jobs have value and should be celebrated!
<h3>Provide More Flexibility&nbsp;</h3>
The reason why most people love remote work is the freedom it affords them to work from anywhere. Do not force your remote workers to keep the same hours allocated to on-site employees.&nbsp;

Instead, try to be more flexible with their work hours and allow them to choose when they would be most effective. Your ability to provide more flexibility for your remote worker will convey to them that you appreciate and trust their choice.
<h2>Consistency is essential to effective employee acknowledgment</h2>
Creating an <a href="https://blog.bonus.ly/organizational-culture-definition">organizational culture</a> that acknowledges and recognizes the achievements of your remote employees isn&rsquo;t just &ldquo;best practice&rdquo;; it&rsquo;s critical. Employees are more likely to stay and grow in the company when they are recognized for their efforts.&nbsp;

Consistency and continuity are critical. An acknowledgment calendar that ensures equitable recognition across the team is one option, but other ways are less formal. What&rsquo;s important is that every employee knows what they need to do to receive praise and see those celebrations regularly. This will improve morale and helps incentivize employees to perform at their best.&nbsp;

Another suggestion is to include employees in the process. Encourage employees to nominate their peers or provide opportunities to vote on awards. Structure this carefully to not alienate a smaller team or sub-section of your workforce through the democratic process. While receiving recognition from peers is a powerful force, the opposite can be equally devastating.&nbsp;

Finally, the acknowledgment you provide has to be authentic. There are no participation trophies in business. Have clear goals or standards for employees to meet and use these in the praise that you give. That way, the objectives are reinforced, and the employee knows how they&rsquo;ve contributed to the bigger picture.

Acknowledging remote workers helps them feel like part of the team. Here are 7 ways you can recognize your remote employees today!

There has been a dramatic increase in remote work in the past few years. While remote work has ...

7 Ways to Acknowledge Remote Employees

There has been a dramatic increase in remote work in the past few years. While remote work has some exciting benefits, it can make the employees feel isolated. Acknowledging remote workers helps them feel like part of the team. This can seem daunting at first, but it's pretty simple. This article discusses seven ways to recognize remote employees for their work.

As we transitioned online, 2020 was a record-breaking year of school ransomware attacks. In fact, there was a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://parachute.cloud/2022-cyber-attack-statistics-data-and-trends/" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="follow noopener">20% increase</a>&nbsp;in education sector cyberattacks between July and September 2020. Many of these incidents were significant: resulting in school closures, millions of stolen taxpayer dollars, and student data breaches directly linked to identity theft and credit fraud.

Schools often discover breaches months after they happen. The numbers from 2021 continue to roll in as more hacks are discovered, and it doesn't look like schools have gotten much safer. But why target a school? And what do&nbsp;you&nbsp;need to know to protect your school community in 2022?

<h2>Why are hackers targeting schools?</h2>
<h3>Lots of Data</h3>
Ransomware attacks are some of the most common attacks that schools face. Modern Ransomware gangs will encrypt or even steal data, and if victims don't meet their demands, they will leak the information onto the Dark Web. Schools may not have your credit card information, but they are chock full of low-hanging fruit that you don't want to float around on the web.
For example, following an attack on Weslaco Independent School District, data relating to approximately 16,000 students and its employees was leaked. This included basic information such as names, dates of birth, and gender, as well as more sensitive information like social security numbers and home addresses.
So what, right? What can they do with that information? According to NBC News, a few months after a ransomware attack on Toledo Public Schools in Ohio, a parent discovered that someone had started trying to take out a credit card and a car loan in his elementary school-aged son's name.
Simply put, hackers use this information to commit fraud.&nbsp;
<h3>Poor Security Practices&nbsp;</h3>
According to Education Week and the Consortium for School Networking, 44% of chief technology officers report that their district does not provide cybersecurity training for educators. While some schools don't even have a single person devoted to cybersecurity. The result? Only 54% of educators are even familiar with the&nbsp;concept&nbsp;of ransomware attacks, even though 44% of their schools were targeted in 2020. (<a target="_blank" href="https://parachute.cloud/2022-cyber-attack-statistics-data-and-trends/" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="follow noopener" title="2022 Cyber Attack Statistics Data and Trends">Parachute Technology</a>)

On top of this, despite the availability of tech vendors that can install solid security practices and technology, not every school chooses to. Even for those that do, many don't implement them fully. This amounts to a half-put-together defense that hackers can glide right through.&nbsp;

<h3>Valuable ".edu" emails</h3>
Email addresses that look real are valuable for implementing&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://teampassword.com/blog/your-passwords-are-only-as-secure-as-your-teams" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener">phishing attacks</a>. Emails that end in ".edu" are far more trustworthy than ones that end in ".org" or ".com." Teachers are much more likely to download and open a file if sent from another teacher. Parents are apt to open a link sent by their child's school. Prospective students might open an email from a college or university without thinking. We intuitively trust educational institutions. Capturing these emails can lead to significant attacks and huge payouts.&nbsp;

<h2>How to Protect Your School</h2>
Don't despair. By implementing good cybersecurity training and procedures, you can do a great deal to protect your school community, whether you're a teacher, administrator, student, or parent.&nbsp;
Most password attacks happen due to poor credential management and a lack of employee training. For a broader understanding of what you can do, here is a list of 10 practices that can easily be implemented in any school:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://teampassword.com/blog/10-easy-cybersecurity-strategies-for-small-businesses" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener">10 Cybersecurity Strategies for small businesses</a>.
One of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to increase security is to use a password manager. A password manager protects user credentials, preventing unauthorized access to shared accounts. Better password managers also allow for easy sharing of credentials within an organization.&nbsp;

<h2>How TeamPassword Prevents Password Attacks&nbsp;</h2>
<h3>Create Secure Passwords for Every Account</h3>
Weak and reused passwords expose a company to many password vulnerabilities. TeamPassword's built-in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener">password generator</a>&nbsp;ensures you create robust credentials for every account and never reuse the same password.
The password generator lets you create passwords 12-32 characters long using letters (uppercase/lowercase), symbols, and numbers. You can also use TeamPassword's password generator to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://teampassword.com/blog/username-generator-why-you-need-one" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener">create unique usernames</a>, increasing the strength of your company's credentials.
With all of your logins stored in TeamPassword, you will never have to remember usernames and passwords!

<h3>Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)</h3>
2FA adds an extra step to each employee's TeamPassword account. If cybercriminals steal an employee's credentials through a successful password attack, 2FA prevents a complete breach.
TeamPassword uses Google Authenticator, which is available for iOS and Android devices. Employees need to enter their password and the six-digit TeamPassword code to log into their account.
Team members can also create backup codes so they're never locked out of their TeamPassword account&mdash;even if they lose their Google Authenticator device.
&nbsp;
<h3>Share Passwords Safely</h3>
Password attacks often happen due to human error and careless credential management.&nbsp;
TeamPassword allows teams to share passwords securely through the password manager, so you never have to worry about exposing raw credentials through emails, chat apps, spreadsheets, and other unsecured methods.
Instead of entering a username and password, teams use TeamPassword's browser extensions (Firefox, Chrome, Safari) to log into your company's tools, applications, and other accounts.
TeamPassword also has a mobile app for logging in to mobile-only applications. Employees can simply copy/paste the credentials they need and log in!
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Get started with a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener">14-day free trial</a>&nbsp;and protect your company's digital assets with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" class="editor-rtfLink" rel="noopener">TeamPassword's robust password manager</a>.

In 2020, there was an increase in cyberattacks on schools. But why target a school? And how can you help protect your school community?

In 2020, there was a 20% increase in cyberattacks on schools. Many of these incidents were significant: resulting ...

Why Hackers Are Targeting Schools and How to Prevent It

In 2020, there was a 20% increase in cyberattacks on schools. Many of these incidents were significant: resulting in school closures, millions of stolen taxpayer dollars, and student data breaches directly linked to identity theft and credit fraud. But why target a school? And what do you need to know to keep your school community protected in 2022?

It's the 21st century. Our data is online, and hackers are constantly improving their craft. It's never been more important to be sure that your team is doing everything in their power to protect your business. There are plenty of resources to help you stay informed and keep up with the latest cybersecurity trends, but how do you turn that information into something useful and get your team involved? Here are a few tips that can help.
<h2>The benefits of a security-aware culture</h2>
When it comes to cyberattacks, employees are the first line of defense. Lack of securing your business can lead to data loss, corruption, and theft. In 2021, there were <a href="https://iapp.org/news/a/record-number-of-data-breaches-in-2021/#:~:text=Last%20year%20saw%20the%20highest,2017's%20previous%20record%20of%201%2C506.">1,862</a> security breaches, up 68% compared to 2020. Cybercrime costs the world economy $600 billion annually and is set to cost <a href="https://cybersecurityventures.com/hackerpocalypse-cybercrime-report-2016/">10.5 trillion</a> by 2025. These stats, and others compiled by <a href="https://parachutetechs.com/2022-cyber-attack-statistics-data-and-trends/" title="Parachute 2022 cyber attack statistics data and trends" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Parachute</a>, are shocking and paint a clear picture - now is the time to care about cybersecurity.&nbsp;
Nobody wants to be a victim. Thankfully, cyber-attacks are preventable. Invest in your business by making your team aware of how crucial it is to take cybersecurity seriously.&nbsp;
<h2>What to teach your team about cyber security</h2>
<h3>1 - Social Engineering (Phishing)</h3>
Social engineering --also known as phishing --- refers to many psychological manipulation attacks that manipulate team members into sharing sensitive information or installing malicious software. Social engineering can be tough to identify, especially if you don't know much about it. Even government employees and multinational professionals fall prey.
Criminals often use email to launch phishing attacks, but they can also use text, social media, phone calls, and other communication methods. Phishing attacks often involve criminals impersonating someone else, such as a cousin, Nigerian prince, or even your boss, to trick employees into revealing sensitive data.
Teach your team to check and double-check where emails are coming from, especially if they seem out of character. If the email contains a link, DON'T CLICK IT. Criminals play off of peoples' habit of clicking links right away. Instead, encourage your team to hover over the link and check the URL first. If it looks fishy, it probably is. Unsure? Ask. Pick up the phone and ask the sender if the email came from them. That's old-school 2FA.
So next time you get an email from a secret admirer at work or promotion by email, give it a second thought. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
<h3>2 - Brute Force Attacks</h3>
When hackers reach a site that requires a login, they use automated tools to crawl through it, trying username and password combinations until they find a match. Weak usernames and passwords, like those that use a company's name or employee's nickname, give attackers half the information they need to hack your credentials.&nbsp;
Encourage your team to use <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/best-types-of-usernames-username-ideas-to-make-your-logins-more-secure">unique usernames</a> and a <a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">password generator</a> to make their login credentials more secure. Automated hacking tools are less likely to crack credentials that randomly combine letters, numbers, and characters. But there's more you can do to protect your site!
Using captcha technology, such as Google ReCaptcha, which helps distinguish humans from computers., and <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-manager-with-2fa">two-step authorization</a> (2FA) further slows down brute force attacks, often stopping them in their tracks.&nbsp;
Logins are the gate to your data; they need to be protected at all costs.
<h3>3 - Good Password Management&nbsp;</h3>
Most company data is stored in different software and online tools secured by logins. How you manage and share these logins is another key to online security. Most password managers only gatekeep personal records and require installation and configuration. <a href="https://teampassword.com/pricing">TeamPassword</a> was designed with ease of use and collaboration in mind. Not only can TeamPassword users store their personal logins securely, but they can also quickly and safely share logins with teams.
Good password managers keep your data safe by encrypting your logins the moment they are saved before transmitting them to a server for storage so that even the company managing your passwords can't see them.&nbsp;
TeamPassword, like many password managers, offers a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">14-day free trial</a> so you and your team can better protect your data without delay.&nbsp;
<h2>How should you teach them?</h2>
Not a cyber security expert? Thanks to the internet, we have access to many tools for education. <a href="https://www.wizer-training.com/">Wizer</a> is an online tool that provides security awareness training. It also includes real-life stories and examples of what happens when you don't take cybersecurity seriously. The starter plan is free, but they also offer monthly and yearly plans for more features.&nbsp;
At TeamPassword, we offer <a href="https://calendly.com/teampassword/teampassword-demo">onboarding calls</a> with our customers, and we go over the basics of password security and walk you through the product. Don't have time? Please share this article with your team so that they can educate themselves. Anything is better than nothing.
Cybersecurity is important. Teaching your team about cybersecurity can decrease the likelihood and impact of a data breach, which keeps us all safer.

Your team needs to understand cybersecurity to protect your business. And it's your job to teach them. These tips tell you what and how.

It's the 21st century. Our data is online, and hackers are constantly improving their craft. It's never been ...

Cybersecurity is the Most Important Topic for Teams

It's the 21st century. Our data is online, and hackers are constantly improving their craft. It's never been more important to be sure that your team is doing everything in their power to protect your business. There are plenty of resources to help you stay informed and keep up with the latest cybersecurity trends, but how do you turn that information into something useful and get your team involved? Here are a few tips that can help.

Cybersecurity: The Most Important Topic Your Team Can Learn About This Year

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 ...

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 ...

Have I Been Hacked? How to Know for Sure.

Learn what to do if you forgot your Facebook password and how to use TeamPassword to make sure you never forget a password again.

Learn what to do if you forgot your Facebook password and how to use TeamPassword to make sure ...

TeamPassword Blog

Browse our carefully created articles about Information Security, Password Management, Product Information, and Modern Business, all written with your team's safety and success in mind.

Most popular articles

Business

November 14, 2021 ∙ 10 min read

10 extremely successful freelancers and what they do

What is password encryption and how does it work?

Have I Been Hacked? How to Know for Sure.

What To Do If You Forgot Your Old Facebook Login | TeamPassword

Password Management

June 23, 2022 ∙ 8 min read

5 Password Hygiene Tips to Stop Cybercriminals

Business

June 14, 2022 ∙ 7 min read

Improve Your Company's Digital Marketing with These Awesome Techniques

Cybersecurity

May 26, 2022 ∙ 8 min read

How to protect company information when an employee leaves

Business

April 22, 2022 ∙ 7 min read

7 Ways to Acknowledge Remote Employees

Cybersecurity

April 14, 2022 ∙ 5 min read

Why Hackers Are Targeting Schools and How to Prevent It

Business

April 6, 2022 ∙ 5 min read

Cybersecurity: The Most Important Topic Your Team Can Learn About This Year

The Password Manager for Teams

Product

Support

Channels

Legal