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

<div class="col-md-7">
<div class="card card-body">
<div class="prose">
At its simplest a password manager is a secure way to store your online passwords, but it does so much more than this. Here are ten ways a password manager can make your life easier and safer.
<h3>Different Every Time</h3>
Using a password manager removes the need to reuse passwords on multiple sites &ndash; something all too many people do for the sake of their sanity. Whenever a website&rsquo;s password database is exposed online, the first thing many hackers do is check whether the same user credentials will work on other websites, often ones involving more sensitive account data. There&rsquo;s no way most people can remember a different login for every site, but with a password manager it&rsquo;s not an issue.
<h3>vC7!lI0~jN4? - Snappy, Huh?</h3>
A password manager can generate and remember secure passwords. That means longer passwords that use a mix of letters, numbers and symbols, avoiding recognisable words. In turn, anyone trying to &ldquo;crack&rdquo; the password will take exponentially longer to do so. They&rsquo;ll also be unable to use a dictionary attack, which aims to shorten the process by trying words rather than random strings of characters. Don&rsquo;t worry if a site has particular requirements about password length or character case: many password managers let you easily set the relevant criteria before they create a password.
<h3>Secure By Design</h3>
You get peace of mind because you don&rsquo;t have to worry about the password manager provider being hacked. Most password manager provider are physically unable to access your password details because this is only possible with a master password which you set and which never leaves your device. This set-up is dubbed a zero knowledge approach because the operator literally doesn&rsquo;t ever know your master password and so can never expose it.
<h3>Put Your Pens Down</h3>
As long as you can remember your master password, you don&rsquo;t need to write any login credentials down, whether in a notebook, on a sticky note, or anywhere else. That means no worrying about burglars or nosy staff getting their hands on your details.
<h3>A Unique Approach</h3>
If you decide to choose your your own passwords, or you import existing details you&rsquo;ve used over many years, it can be almost impossible to keep track of whether you&rsquo;ve reused a password. A good password manager can warn you whenever you&rsquo;ve got the same details for multiple sites and let you quickly change them.
<h3>Typing Turmoil Terminated</h3>
Once you&rsquo;ve typed in your master password, you&rsquo;ll never need to fill in login forms again. No more typing your email address over and over. No more fiddling about trying to figure out how to access symbols on a mobile device keyboard. No more trying to remember whether you used your name, a nickname or an email address for a particular site. And no more trying to figure out if you used an alternative email address for that sneaky second go at a free trial period.
<h3>Cards On The Table</h3>
Some password managers give you the option to store payment card details in a secure &ldquo;wallet.&rdquo; As long as you keep your master password completely secure, you get the benefit of automatically filling in forms so you can pay straight away, without the worry of your card number and security details being accessed by scammers.
<h3>No Phishing Allowed</h3>
A password manager has the added benefit of being an early warning sign for scam phishing sites. These look like popular web services and try to trick you into typing in your login details from the real thing. As the password manager won&rsquo;t auto-fill on the rogue site, you&rsquo;ll see a blank form and know straight away that something might be up.
<h3>A Timely Warning</h3>
Your chosen password manager may have a security alert feature. This will regularly check your passwords and the list of sites you use against public databases of leaked and stolen login details. It can then warn you if you need to change your password, often before the website concerned gets in touch with to sound the alarm.
<h3>Be The Boss</h3>
Business owners can use specialist password managers to control exactly what access staff have to enterprise services. You can make sure people working for you can get on with their job without constant requests for login details or reminders to change and reset credentials. On the flip side, you can dramatically reduce the opportunity and risk for corporate espionage or for departing staff to continue accessing your data or using your social media accounts.

Now you know why a password manager will make your life easier, it&rsquo;s time to see why TeamPassword is your best option. Find out today by starting <a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bcms#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">our free 14-day trial.</a>

</div>
</div>
</div>

Weak passwords are a leading cause of data breaches. Here are ten ways a secure password manager can make your life easier and safer.

Using a password manager removes the need to reuse passwords on multiple sites – something all too many ...

Why Do I Need A Password Manager?

Using a password manager removes the need to reuse passwords on multiple sites – something all too many people do for the sake of their sanity. Whenever a website’s password database is exposed online, the first thing many hackers do is check whether the same user credentials will work on other websites, often ones involving more sensitive account data. There’s no way most people can remember a different login for every site, but with a password manager it’s not an issue.

One of the top tips for password creation is to make a complex password with a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols that would be difficult to guess. However, the most secure password doesn't stand a chance if anyone on your team falls prey to something called <a href="https://www.csoonline.com/article/2124681/what-is-social-engineering.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social engineering</a>. There are several social engineering tactics that fool employees into giving out sensitive company information, including passwords to your business's most important assets.
<h2>What is Social Engineering, Exactly?</h2>
With this tactic, fraudsters use psychology against their targets to gain access to information or physical spaces. In opposition to hacking, it uses actual interaction rather than technical skill to get access to the desired information. One might simply call it manipulation or trickery. Scammers usually use either a threat or some kind of reward to trick people into giving them what they want.
<h2>Types of Social Engineering</h2>
<h3>Phishing</h3>
<a href="https://www.csoonline.com/article/2117843/what-is-phishing-how-this-cyber-attack-works-and-how-to-prevent-it.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The phishing scheme</a> has been around since the beginning of the internet. Phishers send out e-mails that appear to be from a legitimate institution, like your bank or even your employer. They try to appear trustworthy - using the same branding.&amp; graphics as the business they are trying to copy. They use this trust to try to get you to give them information like passwords or essential data. Sometimes, phishing attempts try to get users to click a link or download a file that will then install a virus. However, many times they just try to get the user to tell them the information.
The word phishing sounds just like fishing, because that's basically what it is. Hackers put out thousands of lines and see who bites.
<h3>Spear Phishing</h3>
<a href="https://www.csoonline.com/article/3334617/what-is-spear-phishing-why-targeted-email-attacks-are-so-difficult-to-stop.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spear phishing</a> is basically the same as phishing. However, in regular phishing, hackers send out thousands of untargeted e-mails. Even if just a few people bite, they may still get a big payout. With spear phishing, hackers heavily research one targeted victim, usually an executive or someone with a high profile.
<h3>Vishing</h3>
<a href="https://www.csoonline.com/article/3411439/smishing-and-vishing-how-these-cyber-attacks-work-and-how-to-prevent-them.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vishing</a> brings together the words "voice" and "phishing." It is a phishing attempt that happens via a phone call. One common example these days is a call from the "IRS" stating that you're in big trouble in the taxes department. Then they ask for your social security number. However, there are many different types of vishing calls one may receive.
<h3>Smishing</h3>
Put together "SMS" and "phishing" and you've got smishing. It is a phishing attempt performed via text message. Scammers use similar tactics as they do in e-mail and voice attempts. They may send a link to the victim's phone to receive a prize, or track a fake package. When the user clicks on the link, they may be brought to a page that asks them to put in sensitive information or simply a payment method that will then be charged.
<h3>In Person Attempts</h3>
Most of these types of attacks are performed online these days. However, they can also be done in person. It may be as simple as someone holding a heavy package asking you to hold the door for them to gain access to a restricted space. Most people have been taught to be nice and hold doors for people holding heavy objects, and these social engineers exploit that quality. In-person social engineers may also try to impersonate someone trustworthy, going as far as getting the right uniform or badge, and doing a lot of research to sound like they are who they say they are.
<h2>How to Help Employees Avoid Social Engineering</h2>
This all sounds scary, right? Con artists are very skilled at gaining access to information, and there are so many attempts performed daily. Luckily, there are ways to reduce the likelihood of a social engineering attack exposing your passwords and company data.
<h3>In-Person Training</h3>
You can bring a trainer into the office for a day of education. This type of class will teach your teams what to look for to verify that messages, calls, and e-mails are from who they say they are. They will also teach employees what type of information they should never give out. Social engineering training may also give your colleagues an idea of what an in-person attempt might look like.
<h3>Online Classes</h3>
Online training reaches the same goal as in-person, except employees can do it on their own time. It doesn't take away a whole day from the business, and workers can break it up into smaller chunks to absorb the information in a way that best suits their learning style.
<h3>Testing</h3>
After training, an important component of social engineering training is testing. You can hire a specialist to send out e-mails, messages, or phone calls to employees to see if they have absorbed the lessons. Once the testing is complete, the specialist will go over the results with you and your team, and see where the weak points are, to help avoid the same mistakes in the future when a real attempt occurs.
<h2>Why It's Worth It?</h2>
This type of hack has led to some expensive mistakes. In 2016, Hillary Clinton's e-mail account famously got exposed through a <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-phishing-email-that-hacked-the-account-of-john-podesta/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spear phishing scheme performed on John Podesta</a>, the campaign's chairman. More recently, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/twitter-breach-exposes-one-tech-s-biggest-threats-its-own-n1234076" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter had a huge breach</a> in which someone took over several high profile accounts, including those belonging to Elon Musk &amp; Joe Biden, to send messages to get people to send them Bitcoin. It was revealed that this breach happened because access to Twitter's "God mode" was gained through social engineering.
The average cost of a successful phishing attack on a <a href="https://smallbiztrends.com/2019/07/phishing-statistics.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">small business is over $50,000</a>. Nearly 1% of all e-mails sent are phishing attempts. As these attempts get more sophisticated, more and more of them break past spam filters, exposing your employees to scammers no matter how secure they make their passwords. Using a secure password manager like Team Password is just one way to reduce risk of a breach. Make sure to also inform your teams about social engineering so your information stays safer.
<h2>Are You Protecting your Passwords and your Team?</h2>
<article class="single-article">
<div class="single-article-content">
<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/">TeamPassword</a>&nbsp;is here to protect and defend you from these types of cyber attacks. Our simple, secure password manager, designed from the ground up with security and best in-class encryption in mind can protect your company from data breaches and your passwords from hackers. For training and other cybersecurity needs, check out our partner <a href="https://strontium.io/" rel="follow">Strontium.io</a>.
Get TeamPassword today!&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bcms#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">Try our free 14-day trial.</a>
</div>
</article>
<aside class="sidebar">
<section class="search"></section>
</aside>

Learn how hackers use social engineering rather than technical skill to get access to critical information.

One of the top tips for password creation is to make a complex password with a combination of ...

Your Passwords Are Only As Secure As Your Teams

One of the top tips for password creation is to make a complex password with a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols that would be difficult to guess. However, the most secure password doesn't stand a chance if anyone on your team falls prey to something called social engineering . ..

The world ground to a halt this spring, but that didn't stop the cybercriminals who capitalized on the pandemic. As businesses closed their doors, and more people worked from home, these criminals exploited the coronavirus &mdash; and passwords were their biggest target. Now, as the world slowly reopens, the World Economic Forum (WEF) is making the case for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/covid-19-is-a-reminder-that-its-time-to-get-rid-of-passwords/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">identity and access management tools</a>&nbsp;that improve security, increase usability, and lower costs.
 
The world has changed these last few months, and now businesses have to manage two threats: A new health emergency and an ongoing cybercrime crisis. One in four organizations predicts that more than&nbsp;<a href="https://cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/corporate-news/70-firms-see-half-of-their-workforce-to-be-digital-post-covid-19-survey/76504261" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">80 percent</a>&nbsp;of their workforce will be "digital" post-COVID, so companies need to utilize password authentication technologies to implement successful and seamless work-from-home programs.&nbsp;
 
<h2>Cybercrime During a Pandemic</h2>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/B3dQdj4OThCymVpK4s2q" width="456" height="714" />
Cybercrime has always been a significant threat to business owners. Before COVID, experts predicted that cybercrime would cost&nbsp;<a href="https://cybersecurityventures.com/hackerpocalypse-cybercrime-report-2016" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$6 trillion worldwide</a>&nbsp;every year by 2021, while the average cost of a data breach totaled an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ibm.com/2019-07-23-IBM-Study-Shows-Data-Breach-Costs-on-the-Rise-Financial-Impact-Felt-for-Years" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$3.92 million</a>. Business leaders believed cybersecurity risks were on the rise, with data theft and cyberattacks among the top 10 biggest risks for CEOs in the short- and long-term, according to the WEF's 2020&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wef.ch/risks20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Risks Report</a>.
 
Post-COVID, the problem has got worse. It seems nothing stops cybercriminals. Certainly not even a global health crisis.&nbsp;
 
<ul>
<li>In Germany, fraudsters launched a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/food-delivery-website-in-germany-targeted-by-ddos-attackers" target="_blank" rel="follow noopener">DDoS attack against a German online food delivery app</a>&nbsp;that services 15,000 restaurants. The attack affected thousands of customers who relied on the app after the German government implemented stay-at-home orders.&nbsp;</li>
<li>In the United States, the amount of cybercrime escalated, with many fraudsters targeting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.itproportal.com/news/cybercriminals-double-down-on-covid-19-attacks/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stimulus checks and relief payments</a>.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Technologies like Zoom, which have increased in popularity over the last few months,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tomsguide.com/uk/news/zoom-security-privacy-woes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">could have significant security weaknesses</a>.</li>
<li>"Cyberthreats are constantly evolving in order to take advantage of online behavior and trends. The COVID-19 outbreak is no exception,"&nbsp;<a href="https://www.interpol.int/en/Crimes/Cybercrime/COVID-19-cyberthreats" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">says Interpol</a>.</li>
</ul>
 
During this crisis, passwords have been extremely vulnerable to cyberattacks. Research shows that&nbsp;criminally-funded attacks on passwords around the world have increased by a massive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defenceonline.co.uk/2020/05/07/covid-19-passwords-weak-link-video-conferencing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">667 percent</a>. It's no wonder, then, that the WEF is urging businesses of all sizes to take action now and implement "<a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/covid-19-is-a-reminder-that-its-time-to-get-rid-of-passwords/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">critical applications that will streamline productivity and collaboration while enhancing security</a>."
 
Recommended reading:&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/6-steps-to-using-a-team-password-manager-for-your-small-business" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">6 Steps to Using a Team Password Manager for Your Small Business</a>
 
<h2>Why the Problem Will Get Even Worse</h2>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/4xuiCliRDCZTiQNuvG6k" width="598" height="399" />
 
 
With government restrictions still in place and millions of people working from home, cybercriminals will continue to exploit the pandemic. The problem is, many workers at home lack the infrastructure and critical programs that protect data, which creates new opportunities for cybercriminals who want to steal passwords and other sensitive information.&nbsp;&nbsp;
 
"The increased numbers of employees working remotely presents an opportunity for cybercriminals,"&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/cybercriminals-are-exploiting-the-covid-19-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">says the WEF</a>. "Companies must be vigilant and maintain proper controls on their data and finances. Leaders, IT departments, and staff must work together to prevent vulnerabilities."
 
The WEF hopes that new password technologies will allow businesses to scale and integrate various business processes as the world recovers from the economic fallout of COVID-19. In particular, the organization recommends password management technologies that support widely-accepted security protocols such as Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML).&nbsp;
 
Recommended reading:&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/why-all-businesses-should-use-a-team-password-manager" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why All Businesses Should Use A Team Password Manager</a>
 
<h2>The Benefits of Password Management Post-COVID</h2>
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/nM0kbX8RD60p3UJnSvOs" width="684" height="456" />
Unfortunately, cybercriminals show no signs of slowing down. Incorporating password management technologies into your organization might sound like an unnecessary expense, especially during the current economic climate, but doing this could provide you with a significant return on your investment.&nbsp;
 
Here are some of the benefits of team password management tools:
 
Share logins/passwords
 
If you want to successfully implement work-from-home programs, employees need quick access to data and programs. This is where a good team password manager comes in. Employees can use these tools to share logins and passwords safely without compromising personal and sensitive information. This way, you can encourage collaboration and protect data at the same time.&nbsp;
 
Protect your information
 
With so many password breaches over the last few months, you need to crank up your security credentials. A secure password manager controls access to your valuable assets, so only the people you trust can view, edit, and share information.&nbsp;
 
Save time
 
Research shows 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%20Their,And%20Then%20Go%20For%20Reset!&amp;text=It%20won't%20be%20wrong,these%20days%20rely%20on%20passwords." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">78 percent</a>&nbsp;of people forget their passwords, and this can slow down business operations significantly. A password manager keeps passwords safe so employees can access information when they need it.&nbsp;
 
Recommended reading:&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/the-risks-of-storing-your-passwords-in-google-sheets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Risks of Storing Your Passwords in Google Sheets</a>
 
<h2>How are Cybercriminals Stealing Passwords During COVID-19?</h2>
 
Cybercriminals steal passwords in a variety of ways, but the increase of remote work programs during the pandemic has made it easier for them. When employees work from home, passwords are more vulnerable to cybercriminals because of the following reasons:
 
<ul>
<li>Employees might not change their passwords as frequently as they would in the office. Home devices might not utilize password "time out" technologies or other security features.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Employees might use passwords that aren't strong enough. Passwords might not contain enough characters, upper and lower case letters, numbers, etc.</li>
<li>Employees might use computer systems or mobile devices with security vulnerabilities or without proper protection.</li>
<li>Managers aren't around to encourage employees to strengthen password security.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
 
Recommended reading:&nbsp;<a href="https://teampassword.com/blog/are-your-passwords-hacker-proof-a-checklist-to-help-you-decide" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Are Your Passwords Hacker-Proof? A Checklist to Help You Decide</a>.
 
<h2>Final Word</h2>
 
Despite a global health and economic crisis, cybercriminals are still causing destruction. Passwords, in particular, are vulnerable to fraudsters, who will go to any length to steal your company's valuable data. As you open up (or adapt) your business in response to the coronavirus pandemic, investing in a team password manager will keep your sensitive information safe.&nbsp;
 
TeamPassword helps you safeguard access to apps, services, and tools in your organization during the current crisis and beyond.&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">Click here to sign up for a 14-day free trial</a>.&nbsp;

The world ground to a halt this spring, but that didn't stop the cybercriminals who capitalized on the pandemic.

The world ground to a halt this spring, but that didn't stop the cybercriminals who capitalized on the ...

Best Practices for Managing Passwords During COVID

The world ground to a halt this spring, but that didn't stop the cybercriminals who capitalized on the pandemic. As businesses closed their doors, and more people worked from home, these criminals exploited the coronavirus — and passwords were their biggest target. Now, as the world slowly reopens, the ...

Why Businesses Should Implement Password Management Technologies Post-COVID

<div>
<div>
<div>
<div class="block-editor-block-list__layout is-root-container">
<p aria-label="Paragraph block" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-ae08535a-5406-4db1-9108-ac07fa0e45b9" data-block="ae08535a-5406-4db1-9108-ac07fa0e45b9" data-type="core/paragraph" data-title="Paragraph" tabindex="0">Over the last few years you&rsquo;ve probably heard all about the importance of using strong, unique passwords for your online accounts. But have you actually practiced doing so? Perhaps you aren&rsquo;t worried about a data breach or hackers targeting you, because they only go after big companies, right?
<p aria-label="Paragraph block" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-fabcb0f2-7527-4822-8d0e-1508978351be" data-block="fabcb0f2-7527-4822-8d0e-1508978351be" data-type="core/paragraph" data-title="Paragraph" tabindex="0">Wrong. Very wrong. In fact, cybercriminals target thousands of small businesses and individuals on a daily basis. But whether you&rsquo;re running a Fortune 500 company, a small business, or if you&rsquo;re an entrepreneur or a contractor working from a home office, there is one thing all cybersecurity experts recommend and agree on &mdash; using unique passwords for all online accounts.
<p aria-label="Paragraph block" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-0a7d4c38-7a82-4007-a4e6-674df18ea6a9" data-block="0a7d4c38-7a82-4007-a4e6-674df18ea6a9" data-type="core/paragraph" data-title="Paragraph" tabindex="0">A strong, unique password is a strong deterrent to cybercriminals, but unfortunately, many organizations still fail to encourage their use. The main hindrance is that it can be difficult to remember different strings of random letters and numbers for the multitude of accounts we all have. It&rsquo;s so much easier to simply use a few words or a phrase that&rsquo;s easy to remember, for each and every account.
<p aria-label="Paragraph block" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-7e0609ae-b7cb-4007-9428-9f024dfc1445" data-block="7e0609ae-b7cb-4007-9428-9f024dfc1445" data-type="core/paragraph" data-title="Paragraph" tabindex="0">But that is exactly what cybercriminals count on.
<h2 aria-label="Write heading&hellip;" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-13578f3c-3bf0-4eab-921b-979534f32cfe" data-block="13578f3c-3bf0-4eab-921b-979534f32cfe" data-type="core/heading" data-title="Heading" tabindex="0">How Strong, Unique Passwords for Each Account Help Prevent Data Breaches</h2>
<p aria-label="Paragraph block" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-66614481-d9e3-4045-ba73-19ca79a4d5dd" data-block="66614481-d9e3-4045-ba73-19ca79a4d5dd" data-type="core/paragraph" data-title="Paragraph" tabindex="0">While hackers can employ a number of sophisticated methods for acquiring usernames and passwords, such as malware, phishing emails, and keyloggers, the old-fashioned way of simply guessing still works.
<p aria-label="Paragraph block" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-ab1a0a59-a4df-4054-9de6-2d84e163b84d" data-block="ab1a0a59-a4df-4054-9de6-2d84e163b84d" data-type="core/paragraph" data-title="Paragraph" tabindex="0">Hackers will run a program that will try thousands of commonly used passwords per second, and often manage to access a computer network or account in this manner. And if the same password is used for multiple accounts, then a hacker now has access to a significant amount of personal information and sensitive data.
<p aria-label="Paragraph block" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-a89a7de3-4b0f-4b32-b889-4b08b57fc1d7" data-block="a89a7de3-4b0f-4b32-b889-4b08b57fc1d7" data-type="core/paragraph" data-title="Paragraph" tabindex="0">A cybercriminal can cause serious financial trouble or steal the identity of an individual, or steal thousands of data records from companies.
<p aria-label="Paragraph block" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-5c5d8335-da73-4e6b-91be-34519efd7ce6" data-block="5c5d8335-da73-4e6b-91be-34519efd7ce6" data-type="core/paragraph" data-title="Paragraph" tabindex="0">But a single, strong, unique password for each account can prevent cybercrime and protect your data and personal information.
<p aria-label="Paragraph block" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-5cb72ffc-e625-4d4c-897e-47bb64293428" data-block="5cb72ffc-e625-4d4c-897e-47bb64293428" data-type="core/paragraph" data-title="Paragraph" tabindex="0">Many cybercriminals manage to acquire at least one username and password via a phishing email. In fact, phishing accounts for 90% of all data breaches. But if an individual were to use different passwords for each account, the cybercriminal would only have succeeded in infiltrating one account, rather than all of them.
<h2 aria-label="Write heading&hellip;" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-31528a5f-60c0-42d6-9916-249853d3d26b" data-block="31528a5f-60c0-42d6-9916-249853d3d26b" data-type="core/heading" data-title="Heading" tabindex="0">What is a Strong Password?</h2>
<p aria-label="Paragraph block" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-c26f2f75-a604-4a23-b472-de9538766ea8" data-block="c26f2f75-a604-4a23-b472-de9538766ea8" data-type="core/paragraph" data-title="Paragraph" tabindex="0">A strong password is considered to be a string of at least 10 random upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters such as a question mark. Many organizations now require you to create passwords conforming to these guidelines, which is good. However, many still use the same strong password for multiple accounts, which is definitely not recommended.&nbsp;
<h2 aria-label="Write heading&hellip;" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-90ea80cd-7409-4c38-8939-03bb84d860e3" data-block="90ea80cd-7409-4c38-8939-03bb84d860e3" data-type="core/heading" data-title="Heading" tabindex="0">So How Do I Remember All These Passwords?</h2>
<p aria-label="Paragraph block" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-838ab3be-232f-42c6-8e34-7cafe81184a9" data-block="838ab3be-232f-42c6-8e34-7cafe81184a9" data-type="core/paragraph" data-title="Paragraph" tabindex="0">Many computers come equipped with a password manager, or you can download password manager apps that keep track of all your passwords for you. You will, of course, need to at least remember a unique password for the actual password manager.
<p aria-label="Paragraph block" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-f294ca3c-6c89-4fae-9b3d-d25a2e135344" data-block="f294ca3c-6c89-4fae-9b3d-d25a2e135344" data-type="core/paragraph" data-title="Paragraph" tabindex="0">In an organization, keeping track of individual and group-shared passwords can be a more difficult task. Thankfully, password managers exist for teams as well. Many businesses utilize a team password manager aptly named&nbsp;<a rel="follow noopener" href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bcms#signup/testimonial" target="_blank">TeamPassword</a>, a fast, easy, and secure way for team members to share and access logins and passwords.
<p aria-label="Paragraph block" role="textbox" class="block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-text block-editor-rich-text__editable wp-block" aria-multiline="true" id="block-53945973-0835-488f-9ec1-d4ee5df0784a" data-block="53945973-0835-488f-9ec1-d4ee5df0784a" data-type="core/paragraph" data-title="Paragraph" tabindex="0">Ideal for teams of all sizes, TeamPassword helps to ensure a consistent flow of productivity while also ensuring protection of valuable and sensitive data. Visit&nbsp;<a rel="follow noopener" href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bcms#signup/testimonial" target="_blank">TeamPassword</a>&nbsp;today to learn more about how this intuitive password manager can help you.
<div class="block-list-appender" tabindex="-1"></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

How Strong, Unique Passwords for Each Account Help Prevent Data Breaches

Over the last few years you’ve probably heard all about the importance of using strong, unique passwords for ...

The Importance of a Strong Password For Each Account

Over the last few years you’ve probably heard all about the importance of using strong, unique passwords for your online accounts. But have you actually practiced doing so?

The state of password security is best illustrated by looking at the rise in credential stuffing attacks. By combining login software with proxy servers, hackers bombard targets with username and password combinations harvested from previous data breaches. The attacks are usually successful because people tend to re-use weak passwords between online services.
While most of these attacks focus on ecommerce and gaming websites, a similar technique known as password spraying is commonly used against smaller businesses. Hackers compile a list of usernames for a target system and test each one against a set of common passwords. Employees with weak passwords end up becoming a gateway for hackers to breach a network.
Let's take a look at how password managers can mitigate these risks and how to choose the right option for your business.
Weak passwords are at the center of many data breaches and the solution is simple &mdash; a password manager.
<h2 id="why-use-a-password-manager">Why Use a Password Manager?</h2>
Most employees are aware of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2019/03/11/how-to-manage-your-small-business-passwords/">password security best practices</a>, but most employees don't follow the rules. Of course, the problem is that creating a unique password for each service and remembering them is challenging &mdash; especially when the passwords need to be changed on a regular basis! But, it only takes one weak link to compromise an entire network.
Password managers are essentially a password book that's locked with a master key that only the employee knows. Instead of remembering 147 different passwords (the average number for a small business team), they only have to remember a single password. The password manager handles the rest by recalling passwords and even auto-filling them in browsers.
In addition to managing passwords, password managers can easily generate random 20-character passwords on demand. Even with a fast hashing algorithm like MD5, a genuine 20-character password would take an enormous amount of time to crack using brute force methods. Passwords can even be customized to meet unique password requirements for various web services.
Password managers aren't perfect. In fact, a recent audit found that several password managers exposed some passwords in a computer's memory when the apps were in "locked" mode, which could enable a hacker to access them. Despite these vulnerabilities, experts and ethical hackers agree that using a password manager is always a better bet.
<h2 id="comparing-password-managers">Comparing Password Managers</h2>
There are many different commercial and open source password managers out there. In addition, some operating systems have started to build password managers of their own. MacOS' password manager uses the laptop's password, fingerprint or facial recognition authentication methods to unlock web passwords that can be used with Safari's built-in support.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/pxarcM7iTHKVhO2WsEUq" alt="" width="610" height="227" />
<hr />
<a href="https://mailchi.mp/jungledisk.com/whats-the-best-small-business-password-manager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Download our free Small Business Password Security Checklist to determine how secure your passwords are and come up with a strategy to improve them.</a>
<hr />
The most popular commercial password managers include:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.dashlane.com/">DashLane</a>&nbsp;is one of the most popular password managers thanks to its support for Linux, ChromeOS and Microsoft Edge browsers, as well as its ability to bulk-change passwords.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.lastpass.com/">LastPass</a>&nbsp;is well-known for its feature-rich free version and extensive two-factor authentication options, while supporting a wide range of popular platforms.</li>
<li><a href="https://keepersecurity.com/">Keeper</a>&nbsp;has some of the best security when it comes to password generation and encrypted storage, as well as browser extensions and a web interface.</li>
<li><a href="https://1password.com/">1Password</a>&nbsp;provides some of the best categorization options to keep passwords organized, as well as strong form-filling capabilities that support many browsers.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.enpass.io/">Enpass</a>&nbsp;is a popular option for people looking for a free desktop option that keeps data off-line.</li>
</ul>
In addition to these paid options, there are many open source password managers available.&nbsp;<a href="https://keepass.info/">KeePass</a>&nbsp;is one of the most popular options that's licensed under the GPL. While it's not quite as user friendly as commercial password managers, it offers strong security that's backed by its open source nature that enables anyone to view the source code.
<h2 id="personal-vs-business-password-managers">Personal vs. Business Password Managers</h2>
Password managers are a great way to manage each employee's passwords, but they fall short when it comes to sharing passwords between employees. While it's possible to simply share a password and have each employee save it, the process breaks down when the password is changed and that change needs to persist across all of the employees that use it.
<hr />
<a href="https://mailchi.mp/jungledisk.com/whats-the-best-small-business-password-manager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Don't forget to download our free Small Business Password Security Checklist to determine how secure your passwords are and come up with a strategy to improve them.</a>
<hr />
Many companies use password-protected spreadsheets to share passwords, or even worse,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2018/10/12/risks-storing-passwords-in-google-sheets/">Google Sheets</a>&nbsp;that are protected only by an obscure URL. If an attacker gains access, these spreadsheets can quickly turn into a massive data breach impacting every online service on the list. Therefore, these solutions should be avoided at all costs.
Jungle Disk's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/password-manager/">TeamPassword</a>&nbsp;enables team members to create, access and share passwords in a secure way with many of the same features as individual password managers.

<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/6EawHE1GTHGW1etJDoCG" alt="teampassword-groups.png" />
Some of the key features include:
<ul>
<li>Group management tools enable you to share logins and passwords with a subset of team members, external collaborators or the entire team. By using "least privilege", you can minimize the odds of a data breach.</li>
<li>Logging and reporting let you see which logins are being used, which ones aren't, and when your shared logins are being updated to quickly spot any abnormalities. You can also receive email notifications for any important actions.</li>
<li>Two-step authentication using Google Authenticator adds another layer of security. You can also generate backup codes to ensure that you're never locked out. And of course, all passwords are fully secured in a PCI/DSS compliant way.</li>
<li>A password generator enables you to quickly create secure, randomized passwords on the fly, while a browser plugin makes it easy to use the passwords with minimal effort.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/password-manager/">Sign up for a free 14-day trial</a>&nbsp;(no credit card required) to see how TeamPassword can improve your team's credential management and minimize the odds of a data breach.
<h2 id="the-bottom-line">The Bottom Line</h2>
The dramatic rise in credential stuffing and password spraying attacks is a sign that password security is woefully inadequate. For every high-publicized data breach, there are countless other quiet data breaches impacting small businesses &mdash; and many businesses don't survive them. Password management is critical to maintaining cybersecurity.
Jungle Disk provides a comprehensive cybersecurity suite that's specifically designed for small businesses. For an affordable per employee per month price, you can access active network protection, encrypted cloud backup, password management and other critical cybersecurity infrastructure to keep your business safe without breaking the bank.
<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/get-started/">Sign up today</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/request-demo/">request a free demo</a>&nbsp;to learn more!

Most employees are aware of password security best practices, but it only takes one weak link to compromise an entire network.

The state of password security is best illustrated by looking at the rise in credential stuffing attacks. By ...

What’s the Best Small Business Password Manager?

The state of password security is best illustrated by looking at the rise in credential stuffing attacks. By combining login software with proxy servers, hackers bombard targets with username and password combinations harvested from previous data breaches. The attacks are usually successful because people tend to re-use weak passwords between online services.

In one word,&nbsp;yes.&nbsp;Absolutely. Attackers are often seeking to gain access to payment card details or to make fraudulent purchases. But that is sadly, only the beginning. Many of the records stolen during data breaches are sold and bundled into a nefarious, growing marketplace for personally identifiable information (PII) on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2019/04/11/the-dark-world-of-cybercrime/">dark web</a>. Your password and login credentials are simply a means to an end, a key that unlocks the house to your personal data. If this doesn&rsquo;t concern you yet, keep in mind that fully packaged data or &ldquo;<a href="https://www.investopedia.com/fullz-definition-4684000" rel="follow noopener" target="_blank">fullz</a>&rdquo; for one person can&nbsp;<a href="https://qz.com/460482/heres-what-your-stolen-identity-goes-for-on-the-internets-black-market/">sell</a>&nbsp;from less than $1 to around $450 based on factors such as your credit score.
The truth is data security has never been more critical in our society than it is today. By 2020, it is estimated that&nbsp;<a href="https://cybersecurityventures.com/300-billion-passwords/">300 billion passwords</a>&nbsp;will be at risk. While accounts at financial and military institutions might be the most coveted information by hackers, any business that requires a log-in to access services will become a target.
Take food-service delivery giant, DoorDash, for example. On September 26, they&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.doordash.com/important-security-notice-about-your-doordash-account-ddd90ddf5996#46h35gr24e">announced</a>&nbsp;that an unauthorized third-party gained access to user data on over 4.9 million consumers this past May. Among the type of data accessed alongside profile info, emails, home addresses and phone numbers were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.techopedia.com/definition/28546/password-salting">salted passwords</a>. What does this mean for DoorDash, the&nbsp;<a href="https://adage.com/article/digital/postmates-and-uber-eats-use-doordash-tipping-fallout-opportunity-build-trust-customers/2186231">market leader</a>&nbsp;in its category with approximately 27.6 percent of market share?
Fortunately, having salted passwords for users, which involves appending an additional password to the original before hashing the entire string of characters, is a good practice to keep. Unfortunately, this data breach runs the risk of demoralizing a significant number of the company&rsquo;s early adopters. Beyond disappointing loyal and trusting users and potentially losing &nbsp;status as the market&rsquo;s top dog, the lack of data security here will have to become their number one priority.
Last year, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.idtheftcenter.org/2018-end-of-year-data-breach-report/">2018 End-of-Year Data Breach Report</a>&nbsp;from the Identity Theft Resource Center, hackers stole 447 million consumer records containing personally identifiable information (PII). This came at a 126% jump from 2017, so we can only expect that the increase in data breaches and exposed consumer records will continue to see annual growth at alarmingly exponential rates.
<h2 id="how-hackers-steal-your-password">How Hackers Steal Your Password</h2>
<h3 id="credential-stuffing-list-cleaning-or-breach-replay"><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/leemathews/2018/07/20/heres-what-hackers-do-with-all-your-stolen-passwords/#609c5bb82d99">Credential Stuffing</a>, List Cleaning or Breach Replay</h3>
Hackers test databases and stolen credentials against multiple accounts in search of a match. Again, your password is the key to your data. So these databases are &ldquo;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/leemathews/2018/07/20/heres-what-hackers-do-with-all-your-stolen-passwords/#609c5bb82d99">a key ring</a>&rdquo; increasing the possibility of breaking into your account. This type of attack accounts for more than&nbsp;<a href="https://qz.com/1329961/hackers-account-for-90-of-login-attempts-at-online-retailers/">90% of global login traffic</a>&nbsp;on e-commerce sites, making it one of the largest threats.
<h3 id="social-engineering"><a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2016/10/26/human-hacking-and-social-engineering-cyber-talk-radio-episode-5/">Social engineering</a></h3>
Social engineering or human hacking is most commonly thought of as phishing. It refers to personal and direct attempts that trick users into supplying confidential information voluntarily. Whether by phone, SMS or impersonation via&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2018/09/19/common-phishing-attacks/">spear-phishing emails</a>, over&nbsp;<a href="https://healthitsecurity.com/news/hackers-exploit-urgency-personalization-in-phishing-attacks">70%</a>&nbsp;of cybercrimes begin with this type of attack.
<h3 id="password-spraying">Password Spraying</h3>
Similar to credential stuffing, minus the database and paired credentials, password spraying involves testing a list of user accounts against the most commonly known passwords. While this sounds manual and might create false hope that hackers are up against an impossible task, remember that hackers can automate most of this work and that overly-used passwords such as 123456 make this tactic quite common.
<h3 id="keylogging">Keylogging</h3>
Keylogging malware records the keystrokes you type on your keyboard and into your machine. While this requires a hacker to have access to your hardware first, hackers don&rsquo;t need to have direct physical access to your computer to infect it with malware.
<h3 id="brute-force-and-password-cracking">Brute Force and Password Cracking</h3>
Hackers run algorithms against encrypted passwords until they crack open. Although this is the most widely known method of hacking seen in media, it is also one of the least common in real life. Due to the nearly infinite number of permutations that exist and best practices like encrypted, hashed and salted passwords, this is one of the least frequented tools in a hacker&rsquo;s toolbox.
<h3 id="local-discovery">Local Discovery</h3>
This final method is the least sophisticated technologically, but still very common, unfortunately. Local discovery happens when you leave your password open in public. That&rsquo;s right, we&rsquo;re talking about that sticky note on your desk.
<h2 id="the-bottom-line">The Bottom Line</h2>
<h3 id="are-you-protecting-your-password">Are you protecting your password?</h3>
We hope by this point that you understand and agree with us. Yes, people really are trying to steal your password everyday. But don&rsquo;t let this knowledge cause you fear; instead let it inspire you to action. For starters, you can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2019/07/11/can-your-passwords-be-hacked/">hacker-proof your passwords</a>&nbsp;and review these&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2019/06/10/your-passwords-arent-safe-unless-youre-taking-these-5-steps/">5 steps</a>&nbsp;to further enhance password security. If you&rsquo;re looking for inspiration, here&rsquo;s the quickest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2019/06/06/how-to-make-a-secure-password/">read</a>&nbsp;on how to make a secure password. Be sure to also check out website services that can<a href="https://haveibeenpwned.com/">&nbsp;inform and notify</a>&nbsp;you whether or not your email or password has been breached before.
Ultimately though, if you want to position yourself, your business and your passwords with the greatest line of defense, consider investing in a password manager. Not only would this investment ramp up your cybersecurity efforts, a password management tool can also solve<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2019/09/12/7-signs-you-need-a-password-manager/">&nbsp;a variety of pain points</a>&nbsp;like having to remember all your newly crafted 16-character passphrases.
<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/">TeamPassword</a>&nbsp;is here to protect and defend you from these types of cyber attacks. A simple, secure password manager, designed from the ground up with security and best in-class encryption in mind can protect your company from data breaches and your passwords from hackers.
Get TeamPassword today!&nbsp;<a href="https://app.teampassword.com/dashboard?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bcms#signup/testimonial" rel="follow">Try our free 14-day trial.</a>

Learn how hackers steal your password and what you can do to stop them.

TeamPassword's founder Brian Sierakowski walks through the ways hackers steal passwords and what you can do to stay ...

Are Hackers Really Trying to Steal Your Password?

TeamPassword's founder Brian Sierakowski walks through the ways hackers steal passwords and what you can do to stay safe.

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!

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

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

What To Do If You Forgot Your Old Facebook Login

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

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

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

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

TeamPassword Blog

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

Most popular articles

Password Management

June 1, 2021 ∙ 5 min read

Top 5 Dangerous Ways to Store Your Passwords

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

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

What is password encryption and how does it work?

Password Management

November 5, 2020 ∙ 4 min read

Why Do I Need A Password Manager?

Password Management

September 21, 2020 ∙ 6 min read

Your Passwords Are Only As Secure As Your Teams

Cybersecurity

July 28, 2020 ∙ 7 min read

Why Businesses Should Implement Password Management Technologies Post-COVID

Password Management

July 18, 2020 ∙ 4 min read

The Importance of a Strong Password For Each Account

Password Management

October 21, 2019 ∙ 6 min read

What’s the Best Small Business Password Manager?

Password Management

October 3, 2019 ∙ 5 min read

Are Hackers Really Trying to Steal Your Password?

The Password Manager for Teams

Product

Support

Channels

Legal