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

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

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

What is password encryption and how much is enough?

What is password encryption and how does it work?

What is a master password, and why do you need a password manager? How can you protect your credentials from cybercriminals? | TeamPassword

What is a master password, and why do you need a password manager? How can you protect your ...

What is a Master Password and Do I Need One?

What is a Master Password?

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

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

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

How to Avoid Black Friday and Cyber Monday Scams

With the ever-changing landscape of internet-based accounts, creating and managing passwords has become a tedious task that no one enjoys undertaking. You&rsquo;ll spend minutes thinking of a unique password that no one will guess, yet you&rsquo;ll immediately be able to recall it when needed. Minutes go by and you&rsquo;ve done it. You&rsquo;ve created a password that includes four alpha characters, three numbers in the 0-9 range&nbsp;and&nbsp;a special character. You&rsquo;re free to update your account passwords now, right? Let&rsquo;s play a game&hellip;
Which password is hard to crack? &ldquo;Password&rdquo; or &ldquo;P@55w0rd&rdquo;?
The answer: neither.
Both of these passwords can be cracked in a few seconds (if even that long) using your average computer. It&rsquo;s not just about complexity when it comes to building a secure password. The longevity of your passwords also helps develop its strength, ergo increasing the amount of time it&rsquo;ll take to crack it.
<h2>Password Managers</h2>
Password managers such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/">Team Password</a>, LastPass and 1Password take care of the hard work for you. You supply these managers with your password requirements and they can generate and save a random password for you. You can create longer, more complex passwords without needing to remember them.
The good and the bad with regard to password managers is that you only need to remember one password; the one you use to authenticate in the password manager.
<h2>Creating your password</h2>
When using a password manager, you&rsquo;re asked to create a master password, which is the only password that you will need to commit to memory. Opt for a passphrase versus a password. Passphrases are just as easy to remember, but are typically longer which help strengthen it. An example of a passphrase would be &ldquo;This!sMySupperL0ngP@asswordTh@tN013lseh4s&rdquo; (don&rsquo;t use this; this is just an example). Do not reuse this password for any other account that you have. Also, be sure to enable multifactor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2016/11/08/identity-authentication-beyondcorp-cyber-talk-radio-episode-7/">authentication</a>. This adds a layer of security and makes it even more difficult for someone to obtain unauthorized access to your account.
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
Password complexity isn&rsquo;t the only factor when creating a strong password. Ensure your complex passwords are 12 characters or longer. Using a password manager allows you to take advantage of stretching the password length as well as randomly generating more complex passwords.

Which password is hard to crack? “Password” or “P@55w0rd”? Neither.

With the ever-changing landscape of internet-based accounts, creating and managing passwords has become a tedious task that no ...

Password or P@55w0rd?

With the ever-changing landscape of internet-based accounts, creating and managing passwords has become a tedious task that no one enjoys undertaking. You’ll spend minutes thinking of a unique password that no one will guess, yet you’ll immediately be able to recall it when needed.

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.

Password managers are an effective way to generate, store, use, and even share strong, random passwords securely. They allow users to create and store unique and difficult to guess passwords for every account by removing the need to remember them. This is done using password generators and AES 256 encryption, along with a variety of other features that help users track how their passwords are being used.&nbsp;
[Table of Contents]
<ul>
<li><a href="#whatdo" rel="follow">What do password managers do?</a></li>
<li><a href="#dowork" rel="follow">Do password managers work?</a></li>
<li><a href="#howwork" rel="follow">How does a password manager work?</a></li>
<li><a href="#aresafe" rel="follow">Are password managers safe in 2024?</a></li>
<li><a href="#doneed" rel="follow">Do I need a password manager?</a></li>
<li><a href="#whyuse" rel="follow">Why should you use a password manager?</a></li>
<li><a href="#benefitsof" rel="follow">What are the benefits of using a password manager?</a></li>
<li><a href="#allsame" rel="follow">Are all password managers the same?&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>
TeamPassword makes it easy to keep your accounts safe from cybercriminals. Don&rsquo;t believe us? Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">14-day free trial today</a> and try for yourself.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/5EgbpyxIQjSdfdHRsxO9" alt="undefined" width="551" height="367">
<h2 id="whatdo">What do password managers do?</h2>
Simply put, password managers take away the tedious, unfriendly tasks of creating and remembering passwords away from humans. The average person uses over 200 accounts, and each account should have a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/strong-password-generator">unique, strong, and random password</a>. However, the human brain isn&rsquo;t capable of remembering over 200 long strings of random characters.&nbsp;

(As a test, can you recall your credit and debit card numbers right now? That&rsquo;s only two sets of 16 numbers, and for most people the answer is &ldquo;no.&rdquo; Imagine if they also had upper- and lowercase letters and characters, were even longer, and if you didn&rsquo;t know them by heart you couldn&rsquo;t shop anymore!)

While <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/what-is-a-passphrase">passphrases</a> are a useful memory hack for key account passwords you may need to remember, it&rsquo;s still not a reasonable task to remember over 200 four-word passphrases.

This leads many people to use simple passwords, and then reuse them again and again, which is a huge cybersecurity risk to you and your business.&nbsp;

The solution is to use a password generator so you can generate, save, use, and share unique, difficult-to-crack passwords for every account securely.&nbsp;
<h2 id="dowork">Do password managers work?</h2>
The answer is emphatically &ldquo;yes.&rdquo; Password managers generate a new password for every account for you. They then store them securely until needed. If you choose the <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/best-password-managers-for-teams">right password manager for your team</a>, they can even allow you to share accounts with colleagues without ever sharing the actual credentials.

<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-to-manage-passwords">Password managers are the only way to manage passwords securely and easily.</a>

It&rsquo;s easy to conclude that password managers do work by solving the real human tendency to take shortcuts on password creation and management. In fact, some companies still store passwords in a <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-sheet-templates">Google Sheet</a>.

But, how do password managers work?&nbsp;
<h2 id="howwork">How does a password manager work?&nbsp;</h2>

There are really two things to understand about how password managers work:&nbsp;

<ol>
<li>
How do password managers create new passwords?
</li>
<li>
How do password managers store and retrieve passwords securely?
</li>
</ol>
<h3>How do password managers create new passwords?</h3>
<a href="https://teampassword.com/password-generator">Password generators</a> create strong, random passwords for you. They take the rules a website has for creating a password (for example, the maximum number of characters and the types of special characters allowed) and then generate a random password utilizing the maximum number of characters and maximum variety of characters to make the strongest password possible.&nbsp;

These passwords are impossible for humans to remember, but that&rsquo;s okay because the password manager is going to store and retrieve the passwords for you.&nbsp;

So, how do they do that?&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/69xesKUWSv63YFIjhEyc" alt="undefined" width="551" height="367">
<h3>How do password managers store and retrieve passwords securely?</h3>

Without getting too technical, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-best-ways-to-store-passwords-2023">passwords are stored safely in a password vault</a> thanks to two technologies working together: an encryption and a key. Most password managers use 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which is a military-grade cipher adopted by the NSA in 2005.&nbsp;

AES is the encryption, while 256-bit is the key. In essence, AES turns your passwords into gibberish so that a hacker can&rsquo;t see your actual passwords even if they steal the file containing them. Then, 256-bit is a key that tells the system how to turn the gibberish back into the password when you need to use it. The number 256 refers to the 2^256 different possible combinations of zeroes and ones that make up the key. That results in a <a href="https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=2%5E256">78-digit number</a>, making it highly unlikely anyone would ever guess the right key.
<h2 id="aresafe">Are password managers safe in 2024?</h2>

Fundamentally, password managers are safe. They use military-grade encryption to store and retrieve passwords and provide a way to create unique passwords that match the maximum complexity allowed by the application.

While it&rsquo;s true that <a href="https://krebsonsecurity.com/2023/09/experts-fear-crooks-are-cracking-keys-stolen-in-lastpass-breach/">LastPass</a> has seen a series of hacks, including having their encryption key stolen, most password managers are very secure. For example, TeamPassword has consistently upgraded their security protocols over the last years to make sure they are many steps ahead of cybercriminals.&nbsp;

<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/top-5-safest-password-managers">Here&rsquo;s a list of the most secure password managers if you want to be extra careful when selecting one.</a>
<h2 id="doneed">Do I need a password manager?</h2>
Pretty much everyone needs a password manager. If you have any online accounts, then you need a password manager. Thankfully, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/best-password-manager-for-iphone">Apple</a> and <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-manager-for-android">Google</a> have created built-in password managers.While they aren&rsquo;t perfect, they are so far ahead of using the same password for every account that in a very real way they are making the world safer.

The question is really whether Apple Keychain or the Chrome Password Manager are sufficient. If you run a business, share accounts, switch between Apple and Windows environments, or want the added security of creating space between your <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/why-do-hackers-want-your-email-address">email account and password manager</a> account, then you probably need a third-party password manager like TeamPassword.&nbsp;
<h2 id="whyuse">Why should you use a password manager?&nbsp;</h2>
Password managers are easy. That&rsquo;s the real answer. It is a rare case in the world where the easy way is also the right way, but for password managers that&rsquo;s the truth. They make your life easier while also making your Internet use safer.&nbsp;

Once you start using a password manager, you only need to remember your <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/master-password-what-is-it-and-do-i-need-one">master password</a>. That one password unlocks all of your accounts so you don&rsquo;t need to remember over 200 passwords, and you won&rsquo;t be tempted to use the same password for over 200 accounts either.&nbsp;
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/p5LBt2YETmqxABtyNwuA" alt="undefined" width="551" height="367">
<h2 id="benefitsof">What are the benefits of using a password manager?</h2>
Depending on the password manager you choose, there are many benefits to using one. Here are some of the primary benefits of using a password manager:

<ol>
<li>
It&rsquo;s easy: Password managers make it easier to create, store, use, and share passwords.
</li>
<li>
It&rsquo;s secure: Password managers create unique, strong, and random passwords for every new account and then store and retrieve them securely using military-grade encryption.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
It&rsquo;s collaborative: Using a password manager in your company makes it easier to share needed accounts without sharing the credentials so work can be done together.
</li>
<li>
It&rsquo;s cost effective: Password managers are an inexpensive way to improve cybersecurity, and through sharing expensive accounts securely businesses usually save money overall.
</li>
<li>
It&rsquo;s simple to implement: The right password manager can be set up on all your devices and browsers in minutes and then is unobtrusively waiting in the background for whenever you need it.
</li>
</ol>
<h2 id="allsame">Are all password managers the same?</h2>

While any password manager is better than no password manager, they are not all built the same. Some are locked to a particular system. For example, the iCloud Keychain is only available on your Apple hardware, whereas the Chrome Password Manager only works in the Chrome browser.

Some other password managers require complicated setup as they are open source solutions. For IT professionals, this might be considered a benefit but for most people, even most people in the tech sector, that makes them harder to use (and therefore less likely to be used).

Finally, not all password managers are designed for teams. If your team shares accounts, then you need a password manager that can help you share access to software securely without divulging the login credentials directly. Only TeamPassword is built for teams.
<h2>TeamPassword can keep you and your business safe</h2>
Password managers are an effective way to improve your online safety. They make it easier to manage passwords according to the best practices recommended by cybersecurity professionals.&nbsp;

By providing unique, strong, and random passwords for each new account and then remembering them for you, you're not tempted to reuse easy-to-crack passwords. This keeps every account safe and available when you need them.

Best of all, password managers are easy to use and available automatically through browser extensions. It&rsquo;s rare to find a situation where the easy solution is the best one. With password managers, that&rsquo;s the case.

TeamPassword can protect your important accounts from yourself. Don&rsquo;t believe us? <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial">Sign up for a 14-day free trial today</a> and try for yourself.

Password managers aren’t complicated. They create and store hard to guess passwords securely to keep you safe. Here’s what you need to know.

Password managers aren’t complicated. They create and store strong, random passwords securely so you don’t need to remember ...

What is a password manager, and how do they work?

Password managers aren’t complicated. They create and store strong, random passwords securely so you don’t need to remember them. Passwords are saved in an encrypted environment that can only be accessed by a user's unique login. Some are designed for individual use and have limited accessibility, while others are designed for teams and can be accessed on any device or browser.

What is password management? Learn how to effectively manage your passwords with these best practices, tools, and more. Check out this guide today!

What is password management? Learn how to effectively manage your passwords with these best practices, tools, and more. ...

What Is Password Management? [Complete Guide]

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

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

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

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

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.

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://teampassword.com/blog/the-best-ways-to-store-passwords-2023" target="_blank" rel="follow 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://teampassword.com/blog/best-password-managers-for-teams" target="_blank" rel="follow noopener">password manager for teams</a> features a selection of security features, including password encryption and two-step verification. Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">free trial</a> today.&nbsp;
[Table of Contents]
<ul>
<li><a href="#email" rel="follow">Email</a></li>
<li><a href="#Documents" rel="follow">Online Documents</a></li>
<li><a href="#instantmessaging" rel="follow">Instant Messaging Service</a></li>
<li><a href="#onlinenotetaker" rel="follow">Online Note-taker</a></li>
<li><a href="#nonpasswordprotecteddevice" rel="follow">On a Non-Password-Protected Device</a></li>
</ul>

<h2 id="email">1. Email</h2>
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/efPCc2QZQ7C0OT1KeoKe" alt="" width="655" height="88">
We've all been there: struggling to remember a new password and considering emailing it to ourselves for safekeeping. While it might seem convenient, emailing passwords is a terrible security practice with far-reaching consequences. Here's why:
<ul>
<li data-sourcepos="7:3-7:245">Unencrypted Transmission: Emails often travel in plain text, like postcards. Anyone with access to the data stream &ndash; hackers, scammers, or even compromised servers &ndash; could easily intercept the email and steal your password in its entirety.</li>
<li data-sourcepos="9:3-9:33">Multiple Vulnerable Points: Even if the email itself is encrypted, your password is exposed at several stages. It's stored on your device before sending, sits unencrypted on email servers during transit, and resides in your sent folder &ndash; all potential points of entry for attackers.</li>
<li data-sourcepos="11:3-11:248">Local Storage Risks: Many email platforms store data locally on your devices. If your computer, phone, or tablet is stolen or infected with malware, even deleted emails containing passwords might be recoverable, putting your accounts at risk.</li>
</ul>
The ease with which cybercriminals can exploit these vulnerabilities makes emailing passwords a high-stakes gamble. A stolen password could grant them access to your bank accounts, social media profiles, email itself, and more. The <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/cybersecurity-complete-guide" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">damage can be immense</a>, so why risk it for a temporary convenience?

<h2 id="Documents">2. Online Documents</h2>
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/Hh6oH8AzTMSnQFUaPHR9" alt="" width="216" height="235">
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 id="instantmessaging">3. Instant Messaging Service</h2>
Instant messaging (IM) services like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Snapchat offer a convenient way to communicate, but they are not designed for securely storing passwords. While some IM platforms offer end-to-end encryption for message content, they lack crucial security features necessary for password management.
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.
Here's why storing passwords on IM apps is a security risk:
<ul data-sourcepos="9:1-9:155">
<li data-sourcepos="9:1-9:155">Accessibility on Unlocked Devices: IM apps are designed to run in the background on unlocked devices. This means anyone with physical access to your unlocked phone or computer could potentially view your unencrypted passwords.</li>
<li data-sourcepos="10:1-10:164">Accidental Sharing: A single inadvertent tap or screenshot could send your password to someone unintended, compromising the security of your online accounts.</li>
<li data-sourcepos="11:1-12:0">Limited Security Features: Unlike dedicated password managers, IM applications typically lack features like secure password generation, two-factor authentication, and strong encryption specifically designed to protect passwords.</li>
</ul>
Dedicated password management applications offer robust security features like encryption, secure storage, and auto-fill functionality for logins.
<h2 id="onlinenotetaker">4. Online Note-taker</h2>
While online note-taking applications like Apple Notes offer a convenient platform for managing everyday tasks and reminders, they are demonstrably unsuitable for storing sensitive information, particularly passwords. These platforms, designed for general purpose note-taking, lack the robust security features essential for safeguarding confidential credentials.
Here's why online note-taking apps pose a significant security risk for passwords:
<ul>
<li data-sourcepos="9:3-9:314">Absence of Multi-Factor Authentication: Unlike dedicated password managers, these applications typically do not offer multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second verification step beyond a simple password, significantly hindering unauthorized access attempts.</li>
<li data-sourcepos="11:3-11:322">Limited Encryption Capabilities: While some note-taking applications may offer basic encryption features, they often fall short of the robust encryption protocols employed by dedicated password management solutions. This weaker encryption leaves sensitive data vulnerable to potential decryption by malicious actors.</li>
<li data-sourcepos="13:3-13:97">Accessibility on Unlocked Devices: Online note-taking apps are designed for ease of use and accessibility. This ease of access translates to a vulnerability. If a user's device remains unlocked and unattended, a perpetrator would only need to access the specific application to view unencrypted passwords.</li>
</ul>
In a world of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, it is critical to prioritize robust security practices. Online note-taking applications simply do not provide the necessary safeguards for password management. Users are strongly advised to consider secure alternatives, such as dedicated password managers or offline password vaults, to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of their login credentials.
<h2 id="nonpasswordprotecteddevice">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 data-sourcepos="7:1-7:6">Control Your Security and Choose Convenience with TeamPassword</h2>
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/0gCOt5oQBCE1vxckmRZC" alt="The TeamPassword Extension for Chrome lets you sign into any account in seconds" width="828" height="466">
Our digital vault safeguards your passwords with industry-leading AES 256-bit encryption and ironclad two-step authentication. Stop wasting time remembering &ndash; TeamPassword empowers you with secure, one-click logins across all your devices.
<ul>
<li data-sourcepos="9:1-9:157">Divide passwords into groups to share with appropriate team members</li>
<li data-sourcepos="9:1-9:157">Enforce 2FA for all users</li>
<li data-sourcepos="9:1-9:157">View activity logs for all of your records</li>
<li data-sourcepos="9:1-9:157">Use the TeamPassword browser extensions and mobile apps for lightning-fast access everywhere</li>
<li data-sourcepos="9:1-9:157">Save money with affordable plans configured for YOU</li>
</ul>
Don't settle for password purgatory. Take control with TeamPassword. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/signup" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">Sign up for your FREE trial today</a> and experience the power of effortless security!

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. ...

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