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://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

<h2>Secure Passwords Checklist: 10 Things You Need to Do to Keep Passwords Safe</h2>
There's no such thing as being too safe, especially when it comes to your passwords. As your personal data's one and only line of defence, you don't want to be caught cutting corners with your password when cybercriminals and hackers show up looking to crack your codes and steal your information. For this reason, it's absolutely&nbsp;essential to follow this secure passwords checklist to make sure you keep your passwords safe. Read on to see if there's anything you need to change &mdash; odds are, there will be.
Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free TeamPassword trial</a> to take advantage of the TeamPassword password manager today.
<h2>Keep Passwords on a Need-to-Know Basis</h2>
Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the leading causes of cybersecurity breaches is password sharing. It happens quite&nbsp;often, and for relatively innocent reasons: For example, say&nbsp;you tell your Netflix login to someone who then tells it to someone else who then tells it to someone else. Before long, a few dozen people have the same username and password you use for your banking, your social media, and your bills. The only way to prevent this is to simply not <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-most-secure-way-to-share-passwords" target="_blank" rel="noopener">share your passwords</a> with anyone who doesn't need to know them.
<h2>Don't Reuse Old Passwords.</h2>
While it might be tempting to reuse the same password with a different variation each time you're asked to reset it, you should&nbsp;resist this urge and go with a new password each time. If you continue to switch up a letter here or a number there while sticking to the same basic password, it'll be incredibly simple for cybercriminals to crack your logins and have their way with your personal data and vital info.
<h2>Two-Factor Authentication Is a Must</h2>
When given the opportunity to enable two-factor authentication, you should&nbsp;absolutely go for it. Two-factor authentication sends a call, a text, or an email to your personal device when logging in, preventing <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/have-i-been-hacked-how-to-know-for-sure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hackers</a> or cybercriminals from having such easy access to your login. Even if they have your username and password, it's pretty unlikely that they'll be able to&nbsp;see your texts or answer your phone.
<h2>Make Sure Each Website Has Its Own Unique Password</h2>
Plenty of us are guilty of using the same password across all our different accounts. It's easy to remember, and it allows you to log in faster, but it also makes you more vulnerable to widespread hacking if someone ends up getting their hands on your password. If the same virtual key fits in all of your online padlocks, cybercriminals can have an open season on your data and info with ease. Each new website should get its own unique password.
<h2>Change Your Passwords Often</h2>
If it ain't broke, why fix it, right? When it comes to passwords, this is dead wrong. Not every website prompts its users to change their password frequently, so it's easy to forget that this is one of the most essential defence mechanism against getting hacked. Change your passwords often &mdash; once every month&nbsp;or so, if you can bear to. It'll absolutely be worth your while in the long run because it essentially turns you into a virtual moving target.
<h2>Think Phrases Instead of Words</h2>
While the word "password" suggests something short and simple, you should&nbsp;start thinking of phrases instead of words. Passphrases are longer and more complex than passwords, and they make things harder to crack for cybercriminals while staying easy to remember for you. A song lyric, a favourite quote, anything &mdash; the longer and more obscure it is, the safer you'll be.
<h2>Use a Password Manager</h2>
Now that you've made up some complex passphrases that are unique to each website you log in to, you're going to need a safe place to store all of them. Obviously, it's not very safe to just write them down on a piece of paper or a Word document out in the open. <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Password managers</a> safely and securely encrypt your various passwords, making them virtually impenetrable to hackers and cybercriminals.
Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free TeamPassword trial</a> to take advantage of the TeamPassword password manager today.
<h2>Log Out, Then Close the Window</h2>
It's really tempting to leave all our favourite tabs up on our laptops or our phones so that we can have easy access to all our websites and things. Unfortunately, if your device falls into the wrong hands, you've essentially made it easier than ever for your passwords to be <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-scariest-data-breaches-of-all-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">breached</a> &mdash; especially if you're still logged in across all your tabs. The best thing you can do is to log out and close out of your tab when you're done with it. (And you can always bookmark the site instead of leaving it open.)
<h2>Beware of Public Networks</h2>
Free Wi-Fi has been a staple of coffee shops, restaurants, stores, and countless other public places for years now. As such, it was only a matter of time before hackers found a way to take advantage of this. Public networks are much less secure than home internet connections, and you're a lot more vulnerable to having your passwords stolen when logging into your various accounts on these public Wi-Fi hotspots. If you must connect to a public network, use a VPN (virtual private network) to secure yourself.
<h2>Take Caution When Choosing Reset Options</h2>
When you choose your security questions when creating a new username and password, you should&nbsp;always be sure not to choose answers that could be easily discovered on the internet: Things like your pet's name that you posted on social media, the name of the street you used to live on, or even your mother's maiden name. When you go with these sorts of questions, you make it easier for someone to come along and reset your password without your knowledge, effectively locking you out of your own account with relative ease.
<h2>The Bottom Line: Password Safety Is Essential</h2>
At the end of the day,&nbsp;password safety is just as essential as locking your front door or your car &mdash; if not more. By following this secure passwords checklist and using <a href="https://teampassword.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeamPassword</a>'s password manager to store all your login info, you'll be able to better ensure your online safety across the board. Sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free trial</a> today.

When it comes to online security, you can never be too safe, especially with passwords. These 10 tips will help you develop secure passwords

When it comes to online security, you can never be too safe, especially with passwords. These 10 tips ...

10 Things You Need to Do to Keep Passwords Safe

The year&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-biggest-data-breaches-of-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biggest data breaches</a>&nbsp;don&rsquo;t always involve credit card and Social Security numbers. Often, cybercriminals use data breaches to access fairly mundane information, such as email addresses and usernames.
This might not seem like a big deal&mdash;after all, a lot of people have your email address. However, each piece of data takes hackers one step closer to accessing your accounts. If they can manage to&nbsp;crack your secure passwords, they can steal financial information, company secrets, and other data that you want to be kept private.
Hackers might not even need to use software to crack your password and enter your account. All too often, people share passwords in unsafe ways. That makes it even easier for cybercriminals to steal your data.
Protect your accounts by&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">starting a free trial with TeamPassword</a>.
<h2>Why You Need a Safe Way to Share Passwords</h2>
Conventional wisdom says that you should update passwords&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/how-often-should-you-change-your-password-the-importance-of-password-safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once per business quarter</a>. In reality, you should&nbsp;change them much more frequently. Hackers use sophisticated software that can test thousands of passwords an hour. The better their technology gets, the more often you need to update your passwords.
Generating passwords every few weeks will keep your accounts more secure. The downside, of course, is that you need to share passwords every time you change them. Otherwise, your team members will lose access to applications and accounts that they need to be productive.
Your business can&rsquo;t function when employees and managers lose access to shared accounts. That means you need a secure way to share passwords while reducing the risk of someone stealing your information.
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Start a free trial with TeamPassword</a>,&nbsp;so you don&rsquo;t need to worry about common mistakes that threaten your security.
<h2>Avoid These Common Mistakes When Sharing Passwords</h2>
People tend to&nbsp;make a lot of mistakes when they create and share passwords. Make sure your employees know to avoid these pitfalls.
<h3>Choosing Passwords That Colleagues Can Remember Easily</h3>
Secure passwords are hard to remember because they include a lot of random characters. The human brain does a great job at recognizing patterns. When it comes to random information, it struggles to remember even the first few characters.
This encourages most people to choose passwords that they and their colleagues can remember easily. It&rsquo;s so much easier for every on the team to remember &ldquo;thisisournewpassword1!&rdquo; than &ldquo;,k(,DyX2E_*&amp;53Tt&rdquo;.
When people don&rsquo;t choose secure passwords, they make a hacker&rsquo;s job much easier.
<h3>Sharing Passwords Through Chat or Spreadsheets</h3>
Sharing passwords through chat and spreadsheets makes sense from the perspective of convenience:
<ul>
<li>A group chat seems like the easiest way to get new passwords to everyone who needs them.</li>
<li>Spreadsheets create a central place to store the passwords for all accounts.</li>
</ul>
The benefits reveal the security problems. When you distribute passwords through group chat, you run the risk of including people who don&rsquo;t have authorization to use the account. Also, a hacker who breaks into your chat will see the messages that contain all of your passwords.
Spreadsheets offer a treasure trove of information for cybercriminals. Anyone who breaks into your network&mdash;or simply stumbles upon a shared Google Spreadsheet&mdash;has all of your passwords in one convenient location.
<h2>Use a Password Manager With a Sharing Tool</h2>
As more people receive Covid-19 vaccines, workplaces are reopening. Unfortunately, just like the shift to remote work created security concerns, returning to the office&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/why-password-management-matters-more-when-returning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raises potential problems</a>.
As you update your accounts and passwords, you need to share the information with team members. A password manager offers the most secure way to distribute the new passwords to everyone.
A password manager stores all of a person&rsquo;s account passwords in a central location. It doesn&rsquo;t have the security problems of a spreadsheet, though, because it requires two-step verification. Before someone can access the new passwords, they need to log in to the password manager accounts with a password and a time-sensitive authentication code.
That extra step makes it much more challenging for hackers to steal your information. When you make yourself a difficult target, they move on to other companies with lighter security.
<h2>Share Passwords Safely With TeamPassword</h2>
TeamPassword has all of the features you need to generate passwords, log activity when employees and managers access accounts and share passwords securely with specific coworkers.
Get started with <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a free trial</a>&nbsp;that lets you experience the security of TeamPassword so that you can make an informed decision.

Your team members need to share passwords with each other. Make sure they use the most secure ways to share to prevent unauthorized access.

Your team members need to share passwords with each other. Make sure they use the most secure ways ...

The Most Secure Way to Share Passwords

<h2>One password does not fit all</h2>
Imagine you had the same lock on your front and back doors, your car, your safe, and your workplace. It would make life incredibly easy until somebody stole the key, at which point things could get very bad very&nbsp;quickly. Reusing a password on multiple sites is a similar situation which is why you should&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/features" target="_blank" rel="noopener">use a password manage</a>r.
Look for tips on password security, and you&rsquo;ll read about how it&rsquo;s important to have longer passwords, avoid common words, use numbers, and use unusual characters. That&rsquo;s all true, but the moment you reuse a password, you undermine all this work. Once an attacker discovers your password on one site, its strength and complexity become utterly irrelevant anywhere else you&rsquo;ve used it.
When cybercriminals get their hands on an unencrypted username and password, either by decrypting it or getting it from a&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/3-billion-usernames-and-passwords-dumped-on-the-dark-web-are-you-affected" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leak of an unsecured database</a>, one of the first things they&rsquo;ll do is try it on other websites.
That creates a simple but scary situation across all the sites where you use the same password. Your most sensitive information is only as safe as the least-secured site allows. It&rsquo;s a numbers game that&nbsp;you could easily lose. The people who used to compile the top 5 or top 10&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-biggest-data-breaches-of-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">security breaches</a>&nbsp;of the year now have enough material to list the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.upguard.com/blog/biggest-data-breaches" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top 52 breaches of the year</a>.
To check out how to increase your online security sign up for a <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/" rel="follow">14-day free trial</a>

<h2>Why Reusing Passwords Risks Everything</h2>
2020 brought the ultimate example of how many cyber criminals find it more profitable to try out known passwords rather than concentrate on directly attacking sites. One set up an &ldquo;all you can scam&rdquo; subscription service, giving hackers unlimited access to <a href="https://www.cpomagazine.com/cyber-security/data-breach-index-site-leaks-over-23000-hacked-databases-exposing-over-13-billion-user-records/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">23,000 leaked and stolen databases</a>. (Perhaps predictably, the service was itself breached, with all 23,000 databases published online.)
So with those risks in place, why do people continue reusing the same password on multiple sites. It&rsquo;s a simple enough answer: nobody can remember a different password for every online login they need. Over the years, different surveys have found different figures for how many logins the average person needs&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;27, 90, 100&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;but the one consistent pattern is that the reported numbers keep rising. And the chances are the reported figures are significantly underestimated.
That leaves many people trying to find a tolerable compromise between memory and security. The most basic of these is to use a unique password for the most sensitive websites and then a generic one to cover every other login. One problem here is that it&rsquo;s surprising how many accounts would risk serious problems if breached. At the absolute least, you need to completely protect social media, e-mail, and financial accounts or be wide open to identity theft. You&rsquo;re also gambling that every other site with a shared password could be breached without causing you significant problems.
Another compromise some people use is to have a generic phrase as the basis of passwords. Then the name of the site added to make it &ldquo;unique&rdquo;: rosebudnetflix, rosebudnytimes, rosebudmgm and so on. This might just do the trick for slowing down hackers who are automating the process and trying to find the most vulnerable among millions of potential victims. Unfortunately, if somebody is targeting you specifically, this tactic is not that useful.

<h2>Why a password manager?</h2>
The only real answer is to stop making compromises and&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">use a password manager.</a>&nbsp;That gives you the best of both worlds: you can create a unique password for every website you need to access, but you only need to remember one password. If your login details for a particular website are ever compromised, neither the original hackers nor anyone who gets the information will be able to&nbsp;violate your security on any other website.
This approach doesn&rsquo;t just improve your overall security, but it can improve your specific protection on each website. Because you are no longer restricted by the need to remember multiple passwords, there are no limits on how complicated they can be. Not only can your password manager create&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/tips-and-tricks-to-create-a-strong-password" target="_blank" rel="noopener">longer and more secure passwords</a>, but they can be genuinely random with no guessable patterns.
This won&rsquo;t help in cases&nbsp;where the site stores data in unencrypted form (though having a unique password will limit the collateral damage.) But if your password is in an encrypted database that is accessed by attackers, having a password created by a password manager will mean yours is at the bottom of the target list when the attackers start trying to decrypt the data.

<h2>Why TeamPassword?</h2>
Not all password managers are created equally, however. You need to take into account ease of use, availability on different platforms, where your password data is stored, and add-on features such as a security audit for your existing passwords.
Team Password Has many features like:
<ul>
<li>Multi-factor authentication adds a layer of security on top of passwords.</li>
<li>Notifications that tell administrators when someone logs in or tries to change a password.</li>
<li>Strong password generator that makes it much harder for criminals to decipher.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sign up for our 14-day free trial</a> and see what Teampassword can do for you

Same passwords on many websites undermine security as you’re only as safe as the least secure site. A password manager is your best option.

Same passwords on many websites undermine security as you’re only as safe as the least secure site. A ...

Variety Is The Spice Of Life… And The Key To Security

As remote teams go back to the office, employers are giving the work-from-home model the pink slip. The COVID-19 vaccine is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2021/health/global-covid-vaccinations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rolling out</a>, and WFH is rolling back, and it's taking Zoom, procrastination, and snack temptation with it. There goes the constant interruptions, lack of tech support, and, for some, chronic loneliness. Unfortunately, here comes an increased risk to password security.&nbsp;
The majority of employers will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/09/a-return-to-the-office-may-be-coming-as-vaccinations-increase.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">encourage</a>&nbsp;but not require teams to return to the workplace, and the road from work-from-home to work-from-office will be a twisty one. Not all employees will want to go back to work, at least not for a while, while others will adopt a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200824-why-the-future-of-work-might-be-hybrid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hybrid working model</a>, which combines the best of both worlds.
Whatever happens, employers should reconsider password security post-COVID. The number of stolen passwords has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/as-coronavirus-crisis-worsens-hacking-is-increasing-security-experts-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">risen</a>&nbsp;since the pandemic began, with heartless hackers using the virus as a ruse to trick employees into handing over personal information &mdash; and that includes business logins.&nbsp;
As you embrace teams back into the office, there's never been a more critical time to beef up password management.
TeamPassword is the No.1 password management for teams. With superior security features like encryption, two-factor authentication, and a randomized password generator, you can protect team logins from hackers.
<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get started</a> with a free trial
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/why-do-hackers-want-your-email-address" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Why Do Hackers Want Your Email Address?</a>
<h2>Password Management When Remote Employees Return to Work</h2>
Employers have hundreds of things to do before workers show up at the office, from retraining workers to making workplaces COVID-secure. So password management is often at the back of their minds. It shouldn't be.&nbsp;
Some teams have worked from home for well over a year, and with that comes scores of forgotten passwords for <a href="https://track.g2.com/resources/software-asset-management" rel="follow">office-based systems and software</a>. Seeing that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2019/12/new-password-study-finds-78-of-people-had-to-reset-a-password-they-forgot-in-past-90-days.html#:~:text=Study%3A%2078%20Percent%20People%20Forget,For%20Reset!%20%2F%20Digital%20Information%20World" target="_blank" rel="noopener">78 percent</a>&nbsp;of people misremember passwords at the best of times, there could be a 'password pandemic' that slows down performance and productivity in your workplace.&nbsp;
Then there are those employees who bring their own devices to work, many of whom will leave their passwords at home &mdash; numbers and digits scribbled on scraps of paper and Post-it notes stuck to the fridge.&nbsp;
TeamPassword makes password management simple for at-office, semi-remote, and remote teams everywhere. Keep projects moving. Protect your most valuable assets.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more</a>.
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/the-state-of-the-password-problem-in-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The State of the Password Problem in 2021</a>
<h2>What's the Solution?</h2>
A password manager is the most sensible solution for returning workers. It allows teams to keep credentials in one secure space and access logins from the first Monday morning back in the office. There's no risk of workers being "locked out" of systems and software because these tools sync and store passwords virtually, which keeps projects moving.
Not all password managers cater to teams. Some free tools won't let employees sync passwords across multiple devices. Other tools store a limited number of passwords. Investing in TeamPassword, the password manager built for businesses like yours,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/features" target="_blank" rel="noopener">improves collaboration and communication</a>&nbsp;between workers for life after lockdown.&nbsp;
<h2>How to Improve Password Security When Employees Go Back to the Office</h2>
There are security benefits that come with using a team password manager like TeamPassword. Hackers are likely to prey on vulnerable teams as they adjust to the at-office working model after many months, potentially exposing your company's most sensitive information. If you keep passwords in an Excel spreadsheet or Word document, it only increases the chances of a breach.
TeamPassword takes security seriously, with an ever-growing suite of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">safety features</a>&nbsp;that protects credentials for shared accounts:
<ul>
<li>TeamPassword's hosting provider adheres to world-class security standards like SOC 1, SOC 2, PCI Level 1, FISMA Moderate, ISO 27001, and more.&nbsp;</li>
<li>A randomized password generator. (Teams will no longer have to remember passwords!)</li>
<li>Two-factor authentication.</li>
<li>Vulnerability sweeps.</li>
<li>Audit logging.</li>
<li>Local encryption.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/blog/5-tips-to-increase-security-for-your-remote-workforce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Five Tips to Increase Security for Your Remote Workforce</a>
<h2>Final Word</h2>
As remote teams uninstall Zoom and head back to the workplace, employers should think about password management again. With increased cybersecurity risks and forgotten passwords for office-based systems, the transition from WFH to work-from-the-office could make teams vulnerable to a data breach. Using a password manager like TeamPassword not only optimizes security but improves productivity and performance as remote workers go back to the office.
TeamPassword is the password management solution for teams during and beyond the pandemic. It's the easiest way to store and safeguard shared credentials.&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get TeamPassword now</a>.

As the pandemic seems to be coming to an end. Companies have started opening offices again. Learn why password management is more important.

As the pandemic seems to be coming to an end. Companies have started opening offices again. Learn why ...

Why Password Management Matters More When Returning

Why Password Management Matters More Post COVID

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The first Thursday of every May has been declared World Password Day. While you might not get the day off work or throw a party, World Password Day is an excellent time to remind yourself and others about the importance of using a secure password. On this day, you're likely to see a number of articles and guides discussing password habits and what you can be doing better. After all, passwords are a crucial part of our day-to-day lives &mdash; but how did we end up with a whole day devoted to it?
Here's the history of World Password day, advice for account security, and a reminder of why&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bcms#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="follow noopener">TeamPassword</a>&nbsp;cares so much about the security of our users.&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bcms#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="follow noopener">Start your trial</a>&nbsp;today and see the power of TeamPassword for yourself.
<h2>The History of World Password Day</h2>
The Registrar of the National Day Calendar designated the first Thursday in May every year as World Password Day. The notion was first encouraged by Mark Burnett, author and security researcher, who discussed the idea of a "password day" in his book titled Perfect Passwords. That book, released in 2005, later inspired Intel Security to pursue the establishment of a World Password Day.
In 2013, Intel Security named May's first Thursday as annual World Password Day. Every year since, the world has used&nbsp;the day as an opportunity to refresh themselves on the latest password practices, review their security, and reinforce the importance of secure passwords to those around them.
Here at&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bcms#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="follow noopener">TeamPassword</a>, we routinely remind our users to follow the best practices of passwords.
<h2>Why Is World Password Day Important?</h2>
As we move more of our lives and personal information into the digital world, passwords play an increasingly important role in protecting our sensitive data. Of course, far too many of us have&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-state-of-the-password-problem-in-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poor password hygiene</a>&nbsp;despite the routine advisories and input of security experts.
Did you know that...
<ul>
<li>91 percent of people say they understand the risk of password reuse, but 59 percent do it&nbsp;anyway.</li>
<li>14 times is the average number a person reuses a password.</li>
<li>13 percent of people use the same password for all of their accounts and devices.</li>
<li>80 percent of data breaches are the result of a password compromise.</li>
<li>65 percent of data breaches resulted in password leaks.</li>
</ul>
These&nbsp;<a href="https://www.idagent.com/blog/10-password-security-statistics-that-you-need-to-see-now/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">numbers</a>&nbsp;are terrifying to security experts, and they should be even scarier for users who have been known to commit these same mistakes. Whether or not you know better, World Password Day is an excellent opportunity to review basic password fundamentals and update your accounts using secure passwords.
<h2>What Is World Password Day For?</h2>
World Password Day is here to provide companies, experts, and individuals with an annual reminder to review their&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/password-best-practices-what-makes-a-password-strong" target="_blank" rel="noopener">security practices</a>&nbsp;and reinforce the importance of digital security with those around them. As an individual, you should&nbsp;consider World Password Day a great opportunity to check your online accounts, delete accounts you are no longer using, and update the passwords to your important accounts, like banks and credit cards.
This day of the year may also inspire you to sign up for an identity monitoring service, which can alert you if any of your sensitive information, emails, usernames, or passwords have been discovered as part of a data breach or leak. These services will also check your information and tell you if any of your data is found on the dark web, which could put your accounts at risk of being broken into or stolen.
<h2>Practice Better Password Hygiene</h2>
So, what should you do this World Password Day to remain secure even as the digital world continues to change and grow? Take this opportunity to...
<ul>
<li>Update your old passwords to a longer, stronger one.</li>
<li>Aim to use passwords with letters, numbers, and special characters.</li>
<li>Avoid reusing passwords across websites or devices.</li>
<li>Use two-factor authentication when possible, especially for bank accounts.</li>
<li>Add a password to secure your wireless router.</li>
<li>Don't store passwords on paper, in your phone, or in your browser.</li>
<li>Log out of accounts and out of devices when you're done using them.</li>
</ul>
While it may seem like a lot at first, once you ingrain good password habits into your day-to-day routine, you'll find that password security comes naturally to you. Every time you create a new account from here on out, you'll find yourself using a&nbsp;unique, <a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-importance-of-a-strong-password-for-each-account" rel="follow">secure password</a>&nbsp;&mdash; and you'll likely come up with a template to help you remember all of them.
<h2>TeamPassword Cares About Security</h2>
When it comes to your most important accounts, like your account here at TeamPassword, we care about your security. When you signed up, we required you to use a password that met some basic requirements, but it's up to you to ensure your TeamPassword password is unique, secure, and secret. If you're not a TeamPassword user yet, sign up for a&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard#signup/testimonial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free trial today</a>&nbsp;and put your new password knowledge into action.
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The first Thursday of every May is World Password Day. Learn about "World Password Day" and the best security practices to keep you safe.

The first Thursday of every May is World Password Day. Learn about "World Password Day" and the best ...

World Password Day: The First Thursday in May

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

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

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

10 extremely successful freelancers and what they do

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

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

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