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

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

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

Top 5 Dangerous Ways to Store Your Passwords

With our passion for tech and high growth companies, we hope that you see us as more than "that password management company that saves the words and numbers you can't remember." That's why we dedicate time each week to write about the many different aspects of working at a tech company. Below are some of our favorite articles you might have missed over the past weeks and month. 

 
<hr />
 
<h2><a href="https://medium.com/@BrianS/survey-says-stop-being-boring-cb792d20b0b6#.4qvg5ulsq" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Survey Says: Stop Being Boring</a></h2>
 <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/zfg7GttdQZmjUe8ucLPU" /> Source: <a href="https://medium.com/@BrianS/survey-says-stop-being-boring-cb792d20b0b6#.c8ccdbqir" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Medium</a> Surveys are a very helpful tool in learning how people view your product. But OH. My. GOD. are they boring. Here are three ways to upgrade your surveys, and get the real feedback you need. 
<hr />
 
<h2><a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales/how-to-pitch-without-being-too-salesy" rel="noopener" target="_blank">How to Pitch Without Being Too Salesy</a></h2>
 <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/FmAFVr7kTOGuJecEtLXw" /> Source: <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/sales/how-to-pitch-without-being-too-salesy" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Hubspot</a> How are the most successful salespeople effective? They're not salesy at all! The art of the honest, organic sale can be a tough one to master but we've tapped into that magic and listed the best way to sell your product to potential clients. 
<hr />
 
<h2><a href="https://medium.com/@BrianS/6-ways-to-start-writing-even-if-you-re-a-noob-246c491c85d7#.q8td81rda" rel="noopener" target="_blank">6 Ways to Start Writing (Even if You're a Noob)</a></h2>
 <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/2kp0fIOKTDegWUv3gobW" /> Source: <a href="https://medium.com/@BrianS/6-ways-to-start-writing-even-if-you-re-a-noob-246c491c85d7#.ynmn9jw2h" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Medium</a> You could have every intention of sitting down and writing all about the most interesting topic in the world, but actually forming words into sentences into paragraphs into legitimate articles is hard! 
<hr />
 
<h2><a href="http://www.startup-soiree.com/blog/2016/3/9/jeh8sdhpvqj1jb4o35g1e1v4pn0kfx" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Analysis of Popular Startup Tools</a></h2>
 <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/WL47uRGrTRik9QEJn8IA" /> Source: <a href="http://www.startup-soiree.com/blog/2016/3/9/jeh8sdhpvqj1jb4o35g1e1v4pn0kfx" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Startup Soiree</a> Just like no man is an island, no startup can run on its own. We all rely on the tools of the internet to not only get us started but keep us up and running. StartUp Soiree gave us the opportunity to discuss the tools we use most and love best. 
<hr />
 
<h2><a href="https://medium.com/@BrianS/if-you-re-not-exercising-pay-yourself-2c1f271ad58c#.mvi3k6btz" rel="noopener" target="_blank">If You're Not Exercising, Pay Yourself</a></h2>
 <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/2Ah980LRZehUGwgfiC1s" /> Source: <a href="https://medium.com/@BrianS/if-you-re-not-exercising-pay-yourself-2c1f271ad58c#.817kemvmp" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Medium</a> We're all busy. It's hard to fit in the things we want to do, let alone the things we don't want to do *cough cough exercise.* I found that if I "pay" myself to exercise, I'm much more likely to do it. I'm not talking about putting a dollar in a jar every time I run past the cookie jar, but rather fitting it into my day as a whole - making it a priority as much as I would an important meeting with a client. 
<hr />
 
<h2><a href="https://medium.com/@BrianS/4-pieces-of-advice-you-re-not-getting-when-starting-a-company-6f50eb9a50ed#.cjqnrd8bi" rel="noopener" target="_blank">4 Pieces of Advice You're Not Getting When Starting a Company</a></h2>
 <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/7KpcOC8BSmKr4IzjBtal" /> Source: <a href="https://medium.com/@BrianS/4-pieces-of-advice-you-re-not-getting-when-starting-a-company-6f50eb9a50ed#.e1aado4s6" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Medium</a> I can tell you from experience that when you start a company, you get a dump truck load of advice. Some of it is helpful, some not so much. I wanted to pass on my bevy of startup knowledge and share the four pieces of advice most people don't get when they set up shop. 
<hr />
 
<h2><a href="https://medium.com/shaping-work/negative-feedback-how-to-look-good-after-looking-bad-4875efcbe93#.66xrl8l3h" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Negative Feedback; How to Look Good After Looking Bad</a></h2>
 <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/Vh4VYyThQUWvWGsbvGyf" /> Source: <a href="https://medium.com/shaping-work/negative-feedback-how-to-look-good-after-looking-bad-4875efcbe93#.w8pctf7lm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Medium</a> Negative feedback, much like bad hair days and live musicals on NBC, are bound to happen. Everybody experiences this at some point in their career, but not everyone knows how to properly handle the situation. Consider your chops unbusted after reading about our smart ways to bounce back after negative feedback. 
<hr />
 
<h2><a href="https://medium.com/@BrianS/slack-actually-does-have-sales-people-d67bcfbf7527#.rq7vozxr3" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Slack Actually Does Have Salespeople</a></h2>
 <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/6RVxeClnTr6uEgC2tDDS" /> Source: <a href="https://medium.com/@BrianS/slack-actually-does-have-sales-people-d67bcfbf7527#.rq7vozxr3" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Medium</a> The way we feel about Slack could best be described with the heart eye emoji. We absolutely love Slack and use it every single day. So when I read an article (a PUBLISHED article) that stated Slack doesn't have salespeople, I lost it. Not only do they have a sales team, but read all about how they're rockin' it.

Here are some of our favorite articles you might have missed over the past weeks and month.

With our passion for tech and high growth companies, we hope that you see us as more than ...

8 Posts that have nothing to do with Password Management

With our passion for tech and high growth companies, we hope that you see us as more than "that password management company that saves the words and numbers you can't remember." Below are some of our favorite articles you might have missed over the past weeks and month.

Show of hands, who remembers when Amazon had an outage in <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/cloud/infrastructure-as-a-service/amazon-disruption-produces-cloud-outage-spiral/d/d-id/1322279">September of 2015</a>? How badly did it affect you? Were you upset that Netflix also went down, leaving you totally cut off from the digital world? <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/jphvrZjzQI26kFCYyf8a"/> Since TeamPassword was also affected, our friends and clients all over the web had issues gaining access to their passwords. Since they didn't have their passwords they were unable to get their work done, and even worse not able to get into the systems they needed to help them recover when an event like this happens. This internet hiccup inspired us. In an effort to never let something like this happen again, we created our very own Failover Zone. Our Failover Zone is set up so that even if Amazon goes down for the entire US, you will still have read-only access to your passwords. We want to hold ourselves accountable, and make sure you're never without access to the accounts you need to do your job, and, recover from disasters. Here are a few quick answers to frequently asked questions: What, exactly, is a Failover Zone? Our servers are hosted by Amazon in the US. This is generally fine, Amazon goes through extraordinary measures to make sure their servers are always up and running--and successfully so! Amazon powers a large percentage of internet traffic. However, technology being what it is, sometimes the worst happens, and an entire data center goes down, taking our service with it. For this reason, we set up our Failover Zone, which is a copy of our servers and database setup on an entirely different continent. And let me tell you: these servers are vigilant! They're constantly updating their data based off of our main servers, so should the cord somehow get cut, our failover zone will be up to date with your latest changes without someone at TeamPassword needing to restore a backup. Why is this important? Well, you need access to your stuff, don't you? I *do* need access to my stuff. Good call! Where can I find the Failover Zone? Our read-only Failover Zone will always be <a href="https://failover.teampassword.com/">available here</a>. Phew, that makes me feel better. Anything else I should know? We've also put up our new <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/status">status page</a>! If the service is unreachable for any reason we'll update the status page on when to use the failover service. We'll provide status updates so you'll always be in the loop. Rest assured that we're working diligently to ensure that we're the top password vault available and that secure password management systems are in place to keep your information safe. Still have questions about Failover Zones and how they work? Want to build this into your disaster recovery process? Shoot us a line in the comments section or hit us up on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/teampassword">@TeamPassword</a>

Show of hands, who remembers when Amazon had an outage in September of 2015 ? How badly did it affect you? Were you upset that Netflix also

Show of hands, who remembers when Amazon had an outage in September of 2015 ? How badly did ...

Product Update: Failover Zones

Show of hands, who remembers when Amazon had an outage in September of 2015 ? How badly did it affect you? Were you upset that Netflix also went down, leaving you totally cut off from the digital world? Since TeamPassword was also affected, our friends and clients all over the ...

<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/cBz9w4TsQ1eHzE8ace74" />
Chris Mechanic is co-founder and CEO of <a href="https://www.webmechanix.com/" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">WebMechanix</a>, a digital marketing firm in Baltimore. Specializing in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising, and Marketing Automation, Chris Mechanic has learned a thing or two about good productivity. How did you manage your passwords before TeamPassword? It was somewhat ugly and somewhat insecure. We managed passwords largely via spreadsheets that lived in Google Drive. It was a pretty substantial struggle to make sure everything was in there, and then there was also the security risk and difficulty granting permissions. We basically had two different spreadsheets: one for mission-critical stuff that only executives had access to (e.g. FTP/hosting/CRM/CMS) and one for non-mission critical stuff that pretty much everyone had access to. We had like thirty clients at that time, so having a different spreadsheet for each client was cumbersome. How do you structure your TeamPassword account? We structure it in a similar way, largely--we've got a group in TeamPassword called "Sensitive Stuff." That's where we keep FTP creds, hosting information, and other sensitive stuff. We have one group called "Client Tools" for tools that we use across many clients, like MOZ. Then we also have a group for "Client-Specific Tools." Then another CRM group, which is more sensitive, so fewer people have access to it. We have a few other groups that are broken out by categories and functions and we're careful about the titles we use for passwords. For instance, a lot of our clients use Salesforce so we learned quickly to assign each client a 3-5 character code (for example, Pepsi would be PEP) and now we can easily see which Salesforce password to use. What's your favorite part of using TeamPassword? Well, it's beautiful because you don't need to access a spreadsheet prior to logging in. TeamPassword eliminates those small chunks of time wasted trying to remember a password- and that time can really add up. <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/VXgpCNiRJO7zrc20BxWb" width="454" height="385" />
What do you geek out about most at work? I geek out about everything digital marketing. SEO, PPC, analytics, and conversion. I'm also into "CEO stuff" like management philosophies, operational efficiency, and leadership. What is your best productivity tip? To eliminate distractions by doing things in chunks. I like to work in chunks of time. You should also have a plan before you start working. What advice would you give yourself ten years ago? 10 years ago I would have given myself the advice to invent TeamPassword. Just kidding. I would have given myself the advice to quit my job and start my company earlier.

Chris Mechanic is co-founder and CEO of WebMechanix, a digital marketing firm in Baltimore. Specializing in Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Chris Mechanic is co-founder and CEO of WebMechanix, a digital marketing firm in Baltimore. Specializing in Search Engine ...

From Ugly to Beautiful: WebMechanix's Switch to TeamPassword

Chris Mechanic is co-founder and CEO of WebMechanix, a digital marketing firm in Baltimore. Specializing in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising, and Marketing Automation, Chris Mechanic has learned a thing or two about good productivity. How did you manage your passwords before TeamPassword? It was somewhat ugly and ...

We all have bad habits--letting emails pile up in the inbox, getting fast food for lunch, leaving dishes in the sink. We all do it. The typical bad habit isn't normally a big deal, but when it comes to managing your passwords, getting into a bad pattern can cost you serious time and money. We all know the hassle of forgetting a password and having to reset it, but that's nothing compared what you'll go through if your accounts are compromised because you managed your passwords poorly. We all know the hassle of forgetting a password and having to reset it, but that's nothing compared to what you'll go through if your accounts are compromised because you managed your passwords poorly. It's the age-old story of a company that uses the same password for everything, one unimportant site gets hacked, and the attacker proceeds to log into all of their sites. Luckily, with the right strategies and tools, building good password habits is easy. Read on to learn about bad password management habits and how you can fix them.


<h2>1. Don't use the same password everywhere.</h2>
Also known as, the Password Golden Rule. It's only a matter of time before one of the websites or apps you use gets hacked or has a security lapse. See Dropbox, Adobe, and the Heartbleed bug that affected several websites. Once a hacker gets one of your passwords, it's easy for them to try that password on countless other websites. For example, if you use the same password for Instagram as you do for online banking, a lapse in Instagram's security can result in an empty bank account. Using the same password is one of the riskiest things you can do online; it's asking for trouble.
<h3>Fix it</h3>
Stop using the same password! Stop it right now. Instead, use a password management service (like <a href="https://www.teampassword.com" rel="follow">TeamPassword.com</a>) for randomly generating and storing your passwords so that you can have unique passwords for different services without having to remember all of them.

<h2>2. Don't keep the same password for eternity.</h2>
Passwords, like the oil in your car, should be changed regularly. Many breaches happen over the course of weeks and months before an attacker will act on the data that they've captured. If you update your password, it's tough luck for the hacker. Don't make it easy for hackers and malicious users--just change your password on a regular basis.
<h3>Fix it</h3>
Set up a system that reminds you how old your passwords are. TeamPassword shows the last time you updated the password every time you use the account--shaming you every time you see "Last Updated: 5 years ago."

<h2>3. Don't store passwords in your browser.</h2>
Storing passwords in your browser is quick and easy, but if you lend your computer to a colleague, friend, or family member, they'll have easy access to all of your accounts. We've all seen those "Brian left his Facebook open!" posts made by someone's friend (and that's the polite version.) Imagine the kind of mischief--or trouble--someone could get into with access to, say, your bank account. Plus, if your passwords are stored in your browser, and only in your browser, when you're traveling, or if you're on a different computer for whatever reason, you'll be up a creek without a paddle. For example, you might think you won't need your passwords while you're traveling in Morocco--until you realize you forgot to schedule your car loan payment or you get a text message about suspicious activity on that credit card you hardly use.
<h3>Fix it</h3>
Use a logic management service that requires authentication to get to your passwords so that you can access them everywhere (and so that your friend Jessica can't be a jerk on your Facebook - or bank - account when she borrows your computer.)

<h2>4. Don't share your passwords too liberally.</h2>
We all need to share passwords from time to time, whether you're giving the WiFi password to a guest, or collaborating to update a Twitter account for a business. The problem is sharing too many passwords. Because bad habits often come in pairs or small groups, chances are you may be using that same password on other services, which exposes you to greater risks. Think of passwords like they're the keys to your house. You're not going to give that up to just anybody. Further, it's likely that you're going to forget who you shared your passwords with. It might not seem like a big problem now, but let's be honest, do you really want your crazy ex (or vindictive former employee) having access to any of your online accounts?
<h3>Fix it</h3>
Use a team password manager that helps you share passwords and lets you know who has access. That way, it's easy to add or remove password access as needed. Plus, you'll know quickly which passwords you need to change if you've parted ways with someone.

<h2>5. Don't share passwords via email</h2>
Email is an inherently insecure means of communication. You don't need to be Sony to be a target of an email hack. Never use email to send sensitive information. Plus, who wants to comb through old emails to find a password?
<h3>Fix it</h3>
Use a password storage service with strong security practices to share that sensitive information.

<h2>Bottom Line</h2>
If you have any of these bad habits, you need to stop doing them now, before one of the apps you use gets hacked. Your money, time, and even your identity can be stolen if you have bad password practices. We started TeamPassword to help teams avoid these password bad habits and the losses that come with poor password management. Try it out with our free <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup">14-day trial</a>. Secure your passwords, then work on putting the dishes away.

We all have bad habits--nothing compares to what happens if your accounts are compromised because you managed your passwords poorly.

We all have bad habits--letting emails pile up in the inbox, getting fast food for lunch, leaving dishes ...

5 Bad Password Habits to Break Immediately

We all have bad habits--letting emails pile up in the inbox, getting fast food for lunch, leaving dishes in the sink. We all do it. The typical bad habit isn't normally a big deal, but when it comes to managing your passwords, getting into a bad pattern can cost you serious time and money. We all know the hassle of forgetting a password and having to reset it, but that's nothing compared what you'll go through if your accounts are compromised because you managed your passwords poorly.

Managing passwords shouldn't get in the way of doing good work for your clients. However, when each client has several, dozens, or hundreds of passwords to manage, it's easy to get overwhelmed. There's nothing quite so infuriating as getting held up on a big project because you can't "find the damn password." Managing passwords on a shared Google Doc can be not only messy but insecure (anyone with edit access can change those privacy settings!) And a password-protected Excel document is going to become outdated over several different versions on different people's computers. Who wants to spend more time looking at spreadsheets, anyway? 

 What do we suggest? Signing up for a team password manager app like <a href="https://www.teampassword.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">TeamPassword</a> (totally unbiased recommendation, obviously), and using one of the below methods to easily organize your passwords.
<h2>Method 1: Group passwords by client</h2>
 This one is straightforward: every time you sign a new client, you'll create a new group for that client in TeamPassword. You can add your whole client services team to that group in TeamPassword, or only add the people assigned to that client account - whatever works best for your agency. As with all of the methods covered in this post, you should also have groups for your internal passwords, just like any small business. When it works: This approach works well for clients who are particularly sensitive to who has access to their accounts. For example, if you have to create a "silo" to manage a client who competes with another client, structuring your passwords this way ensures that Pepsi's Twitter manager can't login and sabotage Coke's account. When it's not great: If you are constantly signing many new clients, then creating new password groups on a regular basis may become onerous (but we're working to streamline this process). Still, this is probably the simplest way for most agencies to manage passwords.
<h2>Method 2: Group your passwords by internal team</h2>
 If you have teams of employees that work together to service client accounts, and those employees don't bounce around from team to team often, this method could be right for you. You can just set up your password groups once, and add new client information as it comes in. When it works: If you have large client accounts, and many employees from your team service each account, this will cut down on the time it takes to organize your passwords. When it's not great: If every client has a different, intermingled mix of team members, this method will become complicated to manage.
<h2>Method 3: Add all client passwords to one large group</h2>
 With this approach, your agency can simply create one group for client passwords and add all client accounts and client services employees. When it works: This is great for smaller agencies who collaborate on almost all client accounts. When it's not great: This approach breaks down when you have a large number of clients and employees. Imagine if you stored 100+ Twitter accounts in one group and had to hunt down the correct account! Of course, TeamPassword's search features help with that, but only if you know what to search for and each password has been properly named.
<h2>The Bottom Line</h2>
 Taking the time to think through and set up a password management system will save you time and stress down the road. Once you establish a login management system that works for your marketing, PR, or creative agency, you can let the password details fade into the background, and focus on providing excellent services to your clients. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup">Try TeamPassword now</a>, and follow @teampassword on Twitter for more management and security tips.

Managing passwords shouldn't get in the way of doing good work for your clients. However, when each client has several, dozens, or hundreds

Managing passwords shouldn't get in the way of doing good work for your clients. However, when each client ...

3 Ways to Use a Team Password Manager for Your Agency

Managing passwords shouldn't get in the way of doing good work for your clients. However, when each client has several, dozens, or hundreds of passwords to manage, it's easy to get overwhelmed. There's nothing quite so infuriating as getting held up on a big project because you can't "find the damn password."

Managing passwords on a shared Google Doc can be not only messy but insecure (anyone with edit access can change those privacy settings!) And a password-protected Excel document is going to become outdated over several different versions on different people's computers. Who wants to spend more time looking at spreadsheets, anyway?

We here at TeamPassword know how important security is to you. If it wasn't, you wouldn't be bothering to search for the best enterprise password manager. But you are, and that's why we're excited to announce our newest feature: Avatars!  The use of avatars within our product allows for you to see, at a glance, who your accounts are being shared with and who on your team has access to what. This feature makes everything a little quicker, a little easier, and a heck of a lot more convenient. <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/BGo2VwTSQyjG8j6xSHDR"/> Look at all these little faces, ready to share some passwords and get to work We have always fancied ourselves as a people-centric company. We care that our product fits the way you and your team operate. We know that who you are drives what you do; we want to make your experience with us feel organic and human. The use of avatars keeps your accounts feeling people focused. Every time you see the tiny, smiling face of one of your teammates staring right back at you, you'll know that all of your sensitive information is in the right hands. <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/Sj5VEbPlSnizJfSVfR9I"/>Password sharing- like a little wink between you and your team ;) So, now that we're all extremely amped up on this new feature, tell us, will you be keeping the same old avatar from the days of yore or do you think it's time for a little update? Perhaps throw it back a little so we can see what your hair looked like in high school. No matter what you choose, you can always change your avatar with us using <a href="http://en.gravatar.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Gravatar</a>. Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/teampassword" rel="noopener" target="_blank">@TeamPassword</a> on Twitter for more fun stuff and keep up to date on new tips and features at TeamPassword.com/blog Convinced? <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup" rel="noopener" target="_blank">give TeamPassword a whirl</a>.

We here at TeamPassword know how important security is to you. If it wasn't, you wouldn't be bothering to search for the best enterprise pas

We here at TeamPassword know how important security is to you. If it wasn't, you wouldn't be bothering ...

Introducing Avatars: See the People You'll Be Sharing Passwords With

We here at TeamPassword know how important security is to you. If it wasn't, you wouldn't be bothering to search for the best enterprise password manager.  But you are, and that's why we're excited to announce our newest feature: Avatars!

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

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

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

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