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!

<h2 id="what-s-the-best-way-to-make-a-password">What&rsquo;s the best way to make a password?</h2>
The best way to make a password is to randomly generate it and save it into your favorite password manager. The reason this is a good idea is because your passwords are constantly at risk of getting leaked by the company you trust to protect them, so if the password you used for Yahoo in 2013 was the same password you used for your email or your bank, you&rsquo;d be in pretty big trouble!
<h2 id="unique-complicated-and-randomized-passwords-are-best-">Unique, complicated and randomized passwords are best.</h2>
Next to using a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/?utm_source=jungledisk&amp;utm_medium=blog_post">password manager</a>, the next thing I&rsquo;d recommend is using some sort of pattern for the service you&rsquo;re using. For example, you could create a pattern like [website name][special character][first name][numbers].
So, if your name is Mary and you want to create a Twitter password, you could create a password like &ldquo;Twitter$$$Mary9987,&rdquo; and if you wanted a password for Facebook it&rsquo;d be &ldquo;Facebook$$$Mary9987.&rdquo; This is way worse than using a randomized password, but, it&rsquo;s way better than just reusing a weak password like &ldquo;rover123&rdquo; on every service.
Finally, length is really important for security, the longer a password is the harder it would be for someone to either guess or derive from some fancy math, so adding a long random selection of letters and/or numbers to your password can help, something like &ldquo;nmjkioNMJKIO,&rdquo; which is just a collection of upper and lowercase characters in a pattern up that section of your keyboard, but adds an extra 12 characters to your length, which isn&rsquo;t bad for something that&rsquo;s easy to remember and fast to type.
Ultimately, a randomized password generated from a manager like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/?utm_source=jungledisk&amp;utm_medium=blog_post">TeamPassword&nbsp;</a>is the best option to keep your passwords secure.

What’s the best way to make a password? The best way to make a password is to randomly generate it and save it into your favorite password m

What’s the best way to make a password? The best way to make a password is to randomly ...

How to Make a Secure Password

What’s the best way to make a password? The best way to make a password is to randomly generate it and save it into your favorite password manager. The reason this is a good idea is because your passwords are constantly at risk of getting leaked by the company you ...

Over the years I've spent working for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/?utm_source=teampassword&amp;utm_medium=blog_post" rel="follow">TeamPassword</a>, I've heard quite a few incorrect assumptions about password managers when talking to people who don't quite understand how they work. Today, I'm going to dispel those rumors! See below the most common password manager myths and misconceptions. &nbsp;
<h2>What are the five key myths and misconceptions about a password manager?</h2>
<h3 id="myth-password-managers-don-t-actually-increase-security-they-just-make-it-faster-to-get-access-to-your-passwords-">Myth: Password managers don&rsquo;t actually increase security, they just make it faster to get access to your passwords.</h3>
Password managers let you create a long, unique, secure password for every tool you use, doing the maximum to increase you password security. Without a password manager, teams would need to remember hundreds of different randomized passwords, which is too much to ask, so the alternative is falling back onto their usual 2&mdash;3 standard passwords. Using a password manager lets people log in to one account and access all the random, unique, secure passwords that they need.
Also, you&rsquo;re no longer typing passwords when you&rsquo;re in public! If you&rsquo;re working in a co-working space of coffee shop, you won&rsquo;t have to worry about who&rsquo;s looking over your shoulder.
<h3 id="myth-it-isn-t-secure-to-store-all-of-you-login-information-in-a-single-password-manager-because-it-could-get-compromised-">Myth: It isn&rsquo;t secure to store all of you login information in a single password manager because it could get compromised.</h3>
The people who run TeamPassword can&rsquo;t see your passwords, so even if someone hacks our information, yours still won't be visible. Everything is encrypted in your browser, sent to us encrypted and then transmitted back to your browser encrypted, and only then is decrypted into plain text.
Since it&rsquo;s natural that people on the team will need access to more than one tool, most passwords are all stored in the same place by companies. Otherwise, teams may resort to storing passwords somewhere like a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2018/10/12/risks-storing-passwords-in-google-sheets/">spreadsheet</a>, which both collects all your passwords in one place and makes it really hard to limit access within an organization.
Also, a lost or stolen master password isn&rsquo;t the end of the world! Each team member will be limited to the passwords that they need, so this doesn&rsquo;t mean that all your passwords will be at risk. We allow you to authenticate with&nbsp;<a href="https://developers.google.com/identity/" rel="follow">Google Sign-In</a>&nbsp;using your work email, making it easier to use a super long, complicated password for your TeamPassword, but still have the convenience for one click sign in.
<h3 id="myth-when-choosing-a-password-manager-you-should-look-for-one-that-hides-anyone-from-seeing-the-passwords-stored-because-it-s-more-private-that-way-">Myth: When choosing a password manager, you should look for one&nbsp;that hides anyone from seeing the passwords stored because it&rsquo;s more private that way.</h3>
It&rsquo;s important to know that if a password manager fills in form fields for you, it&rsquo;s possible (and pretty straightforward) for anyone with access to see that password by revealing the password field. If the password manager doesn&rsquo;t let you know the password, then that means that anyone at the password manager company could see your passwords.
TeamPassword makes it really easy to limit who has access to what, and we generally find that you should trust your team more than you trust your password manager, meaning that the password manager should have no way to know which usernames and passwords they&rsquo;re encrypting and storing.
<h3 id="myth-it-s-more-added-steps-to-use-a-password-manager-">Myth: It&rsquo;s more added steps to use a password manager.</h3>
Yes, it takes time to get&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2018/09/05/steps-using-password-manager-for-your-small-business/">set up</a>, but TeamPassword saves tons of wasted time down the road. For a small one-person company, it might work to do everything manually, but as your team grows, one person is quickly elected as the &lsquo;password manager,&rsquo; and whenever someone needs to log into something that person will get a tap on the shoulder.
It&rsquo;s also nicer for new employees to know where they look for the usernames and passwords they need to do their job. It can be an awkward time starting a new job since you&rsquo;re eager to prove your worth to the company, the last thing you want to do is constantly nag your boss to help you get logged into tools.
To save you some of that initial startup time, we have an importer for companies to use, and everyone invited can add logins, so you can make the &lsquo;get passwords in&rsquo; stage a team sport. Also, this stage may have you realizing that you use the same password for 25 different services, or that a lot of your passwords are weak, so that so-called long setup time can be constructive if you&rsquo;re also updating and improving your passwords as you go. It&rsquo;s security debt you&rsquo;re paying down.
<h3 id="myth-the-password-manager-in-my-browser-is-good-enough-">Myth: The password manager in my browser is good enough.</h3>
While a browser&rsquo;s built-in password manager can totally get the job done, it really only works for one person. As soon as you have a service that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2019/03/11/how-to-manage-your-small-business-passwords/">more than one person&nbsp;</a>needs to log into, the team can quickly get out of sync.
If you're looking for a way to amp up your password security and efficiency, look no further than TeamPassword. Sign up for a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/?utm_source=jungledisk&amp;utm_medium=blog_post">free 14-day trial here.</a>

Real answers to the rumors and questions about how password manager tools  work. Learn how they improve security and workflow efficiency.

Over the years I've spent working for TeamPassword , I've heard quite a few incorrect assumptions about password ...

Debunking Password Manager Myths and Misconceptions

Over the years I've spent working for TeamPassword , I've heard quite a few incorrect assumptions about password managers when talking to people who don't quite understand how they work. Today, I'm going to dispel those rumors! See below the most common password manager myths and misconceptions. Myth: Password managers ...

Imagine that you receive an email from your work email provider requesting that you log in to review recent activity. You click on the button in the email and try to login to your account. The first login attempt oddly fails, but the second attempt works just fine and you&rsquo;re into your account.
You must have mistyped your password the first time, right?
The reality is that you may have just had your password stolen. The attacker sent an authentic-looking phishing email and the website that you initially reached as a fake. After you submitted your password, the attackers simply redirected you to the actual website to try again without knowing any better.
With these credentials in hand, the attacker can easily read through all of your work emails, reset passwords for other accounts, and wreak havoc on an enterprise network.
In this post, we will take a look at how to avoid these kinds of risks using a password manager and other best practices.
<h2 id="why-passwords-are-important">Why passwords are important</h2>
Passwords are still the default authentication mechanism for the web. Biometrics (e.g. fingerprints and facial recognition) have replaced some passwords and two-factor authentication has enhanced security, but almost every web application and most devices still require a password.
More than 80 percent of data breaches were caused by weak or stolen passwords, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ictsecuritymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017-Data-Breach-Investigations-Report.pdf">Verizon</a>. With a valid password in hand, attackers can leverage the user&rsquo;s account to gain access to their other accounts or even protected network resources. Passwords are often the weakest link in enterprise security.
Despite the importance of passwords, most people fail to develop secure passwords or even use different passwords for different accounts. Nearly one-fifth of Internet users create the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/763091/us-use-of-same-online-passwords/">same password</a>&nbsp;for most of their accounts, while the average password was&nbsp;<a href="https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/beyond-password-length-complexity/">less than 10 characters</a>&nbsp;long.
<h2 id="what-makes-a-password-secure">What makes a password secure?</h2>
The difference between a weak password and a strong password comes down to the number and predictability of characters.
<hr />
<a href="https://mailchi.mp/jungledisk.com/guide-to-training-employees-on-cybersecurity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Download our free guide to training employees on cybersecurity best practices, including password management.</a>
<hr />
The amount of time that it takes to break a password with a brute force attack depends exclusively on the number of possible combinations (e.g. password length). The password &ldquo;my awesome car is on fire&rdquo; is exponentially more difficult to crack than the password &ldquo;@y23k3!34&rdquo; for a computer.
<img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/FLmMkxpaTfyxH4DwMq7u" alt="xckd-comic.png" />
Source: XKCD
Of course, some attackers attempt to guess passwords rather than crack them with software. They might look for public information, such as a pet&rsquo;s name, and guess the password. You shouldn&rsquo;t use passwords that contain pet&rsquo;s names, sports teams or predictable sequences for these reasons.
The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.passwordrandom.com/most-popular-passwords">most common passwords</a>&nbsp;tend to violate both of these rules &mdash; they are short and easy to guess. For example, some of the top 100 passwords include &ldquo;password&rdquo;, &ldquo;123456&rdquo;, &ldquo;qwerty&rdquo;, &ldquo;letmein&rdquo;, &ldquo;baseball&rdquo;, &ldquo;mustang&rdquo;, &ldquo;abc123&rdquo; and &ldquo;trustno1.&rdquo;
The most secure passwords are both lengthy and random &mdash; and that often means a password manager is necessary.
<h2 id="how-to-manage-your-passwords">How to manage your passwords</h2>
The problem with long random passwords is that they are difficult to remember. Even worse, the average person has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/survey-says-people-have-way-too-many-passwords-to-remember">nearly 30</a>&nbsp;discrete online logins. That&rsquo;s a lot of passwords to remember &mdash; especially if you don&rsquo;t use the same password multiple times!
Apple recognized these issues and built a password manager into its Keychain for iOS and MacOS devices, as well as an auto-suggest feature for passwords into Safari. Google Chrome introduced a similar password suggestion feature, and there are ways to store credentials securely in Windows.
The problem is that these passwords only exist in personal accounts. Many companies need to share passwords with multiple users and devices. Some password managers solve these issues by sharing passwords, but it&rsquo;s important to evaluate their features and security before choosing one.
Independent Security Evaluators (ISE)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/critical-vulnerabilities-uncovered-in-popular-password-managers/">recently published</a>&nbsp;a scathing password manager assessment that found major vulnerabilities. In one case, the master password used to access a password manager was stored in PC RAM in plaintext, making it easily accessible to attackers!
<h2 id="how-teampassword-can-help">How TeamPassword can help</h2>
Most password managers are built for individuals. In some cases, password managers have expanded to target businesses, but few began with an initial focus on businesses. This means that they lack many of the features that businesses need on a day-to-day basis, such as the ability to manage access.
<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/password-manager/">TeamPassword</a>&nbsp;was developed from the ground up with a focus on small business password management. Over the past several years, we&rsquo;ve talked with business customers to find out exactly what they need and built a solution that&rsquo;s ideal for them &mdash; all with AES 256-bit encryption.
Some core features include:
<ul>
<li>
Secure password generator:&nbsp;The built-in strong password generator creates secure, randomized passwords on-the-fly for private or shared logins.
</li>
<li>
Two-factor authentication:&nbsp;Google Authenticator provides a second layer of security to access stored passwords, while backup codes ensure you&rsquo;ll never get locked out.
</li>
<li>
Group management:&nbsp;Groups lets you quickly share logins and passwords with subsets of team members, external collaborators, or the entire team.
</li>
<li>
Browser extensions:&nbsp;Chrome, Firefox, and Safari extensions make it easy to access passwords in a quick and convenient way without having to retype them.
</li>
<li>
Account logging:&nbsp;TeamPassword&rsquo;s activity logs enable administrators to see who&rsquo;s using what passwords and when shared passwords are updated.
</li>
</ul>
If you&rsquo;re interested in trying TeamPassword,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/password-manager/">sign up</a>&nbsp;here!
<h2 id="how-to-train-employees">How to train employees</h2>
Password managers are just one step of ensuring password security. After all, they don&rsquo;t prevent a compromised password from being used to access protected resources. It&rsquo;s equally important to implement the right best practices and ensure that employees are properly trained.
<hr />
<a href="https://mailchi.mp/jungledisk.com/guide-to-training-employees-on-cybersecurity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Don&rsquo;t forget to download our free guide to training employees on cybersecurity best practices, including password management.</a>
<hr />
Some best practices include:
<ul>
<li>
Train new users:&nbsp;Employees should be trained on how to properly use password managers. With TeamPassword, we automate a lot of the onboarding by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2018/08/24/teampassword-onboarding-new-employees/">walking them through</a>&nbsp;each step of the process.
</li>
<li>
Expire passwords:&nbsp;Passwords should be periodically changed in case they were unknowingly compromised. With TeamPassword, the process is a breeze since the new password can be updated organization-wide with a few clicks.
</li>
<li>
Other measures:&nbsp;All employee devices should have the proper antivirus and anti-malware installed to avoid attackers from gaining access to their computer, and therefore, the password manager.
</li>
</ul>
Employees should also be trained on how to spot and avoid viruses, malware and phishing attempts.
<h2 id="the-bottom-line">The Bottom Line</h2>
Passwords are a critical part of any company&rsquo;s cybersecurity plan. With more than 80 percent of data breaches arising from password issues, companies should invest in a password manager that both ensures that passwords are protected and makes it easy for employees to use them.
In addition, it&rsquo;s important to set up the proper protocols and training procedures to avoid common password attack vectors, such as phishing emails or malware.
If you&rsquo;re interested in trying TeamPassword with a 14-day free trial,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teampassword.com/">sign up</a>&nbsp;here!

Imagine that you receive an email from your work email provider requesting that you log in to review recent activity. You click on the butto

Imagine that you receive an email from your work email provider requesting that you log in to review ...

How to Manage Your Small Business’ Passwords

Imagine that you receive an email from your work email provider requesting that you log in to review recent activity. You click on the button in the email and try to login to your account. The first login attempt oddly fails, but the second attempt works just fine and you’re ...

If you&rsquo;ve been keeping up with the news, you are more than aware that the internet is essentially the Wild West right now. Hackers and career criminals make a fortune exploiting computer users, and extort them for ransom, paid in bitcoin. Just like in the real world, criminals can attack at any time. But also just like in the real world, you can become more streetwise, gain some spacial awareness and make yourself safe when surfing and working on the web.
For most average people,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2018/04/23/what-makes-a-password-strong/">the weakest link in their security is simply their password</a>. In 2018, the phrase &ldquo;password&rdquo; is even a bit of a misnomer. It&rsquo;s much better and much safer to use passphrases. There are a few strategies to write good passphrases that I recommend. Start by choosing a few of your favorite things. For example, I will start with my favorite band, Guided by Voices. I will also use one of my favorite songs from them, like &ldquo;Echos Myron.&rdquo; Take some words from each of your sources, and mix it up with maybe some meaningful numbers to you.
Let&rsquo;s give it a shot:
VoicesJMY6ASMyron7988Liberty
This password is constructed of the third word from the name of the band, a license plate number for a car, the second word from the song title, part of a phone number, and a standout word from the song. Since you built this phrase yourself, you should be able to remember it easily, and you now have a 28-character password! Passphrases can be super powerful because it makes it very easy to remember a long string of characters that would make very little sense to anyone else but you. If you build all of your passphrases like this, your passwords will be nearly impossible for another human to guess. You can take it another step further by substituting letters or numbers for symbols. For example in the password above, you can replace all the &lsquo;i&rsquo; characters with the &lsquo;!&rsquo; symbol. This will break most of the dictionary words in your password making it even more impenetrable, while being just as easy to remember!
Also, our new password manager,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2018/03/06/jungle-disk-acquires-teampassword/">TeamPassword</a>, offers a password generation tool with options to specify password length and character sets. This makes it easy to generate and save secure passwords for any service you use. Additionally,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2018/07/11/did-you-meet-teampassword/">TeamPassword</a>&nbsp;encrypts all passwords with a master key that you set before sending them to their servers, so no one is able to read them unless they have your master key.
See how well that works? And it&rsquo;s easy. Go have some fun updating your passwords, and remember to change them frequently!

For most average people, the weakest link in their security is simply their password. It’s much better and much safer to use passphrases.

For most average people, the weakest link in their security is simply their password. In 2018, the phrase “password” ...

Let’s Talk About Password Complexity

For most average people, the weakest link in their security is simply their password. In 2018, the phrase “password” is even a bit of a misnomer. It’s much better and much safer to use passphrases.

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

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

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

Password or P@55w0rd?

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

In our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jungledisk.com/blog/2016/12/21/importance-of-good-password-management/">last blog post</a>, we wrote about the importance of having strong passwords to make it more difficult for cyber thieves to access your personal information. Today, I will focus on why you should use a &ldquo;Password Management Software&rdquo; tool such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lastpass.com/">LastPass</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dashlane.com/">Dashlane</a>&nbsp;just to name a few.
It is often said that we should have&nbsp;different&nbsp;passwords for each website or account that we use. If that is the case, how many of us really take the time to have multiple passwords (each with different password requirements)? The challenge of trying to memorize those passwords can be daunting especially if it is recommended to change your passwords every 30 - 180 days. Unfortunately, even changing passwords does not completely mitigate hackers from stealing your login information. In fact, how many of us reuse the same password for multiple websites and a leak in one site could give access to more than one account?
Long story short, wouldn&rsquo;t it be great not to have to worry about memorizing &ldquo;passwords&rdquo; for all of your frequently used accounts? You can simplify and protect your passwords by installing a Password Management Software that manages your passwords with a Primary Account that encrypts your database of your usernames and passwords.&nbsp;You only need to remember the ONE master password!
<h4 id="key-benefits-of-using-a-password-management-tool">Key benefits of using a password management tool:</h4>
<ol>
<li>Store unlimited number of passwords (Encrypted)</li>
<li>No need to remember &ldquo;all&rdquo; your usernames and passwords</li>
<li>Auto-login (Some of the password management tools also allow you to sync your passwords across all of your devices or even share a log-in)</li>
<li>A few of the tools are free</li>
<li>User friendly</li>
</ol>
As you install and utilize a password management tool, keep in mind some best practices like not sending &ldquo;cleartext&rdquo; to an authentication site, do not store in &ldquo;cleartext&rdquo; in case password file is compromised and lock accounts after pre-determined fails to prevent brute force attacks on accounts.
Hope these tips simplify your digital life and help you maintain a secure password management posture!
In fact, how many of us reuse the same password for multiple websites and a leak in one site could give access to more than one account?
Long story short, wouldn&rsquo;t it be great not to have to worry about memorizing &ldquo;passwords&rdquo; for all of your frequently used accounts? You can simplify and protect your passwords by installing a Password Management Software that manages your passwords with a Primary Account that encrypts your database of your usernames and passwords.&nbsp;You only need to remember the ONE master password!
<h4 id="key-benefits-of-using-a-password-management-tool">Key benefits of using a password management tool:</h4>
<ol>
<li>Store unlimited number of passwords (Encrypted)</li>
<li>No need to remember &ldquo;all&rdquo; your usernames and passwords</li>
<li>Auto-login (Some of the password management tools also allow you to sync your passwords across all of your devices or even share a log-in)</li>
<li>A few of the tools are free</li>
<li>User friendly</li>
</ol>
As you install and utilize a password management tool, keep in mind some best practices like not sending &ldquo;cleartext&rdquo; to an authentication site, do not store in &ldquo;cleartext&rdquo; in case password file is compromised and lock accounts after pre-determined fails to prevent brute force attacks on accounts.
Hope these tips simplify your digital life and help you maintain a secure password management posture!

Learn about the key benefits to using a password management tool.

It is often said that we should have different passwords for each website or account that we use. If that ...

Simplifying Password Management to Keep Your Data Secure

It is often said that we should have different passwords for each website or account that we use. If that is the case, how many of us really take the time to have multiple passwords (each with different password requirements)? The challenge of trying to memorize those passwords can be daunting especially if it is recommended to change your passwords every 30 - 180 days. Unfortunately, even changing passwords does not completely mitigate hackers from stealing your login information. In fact, how many of us reuse the same password for multiple websites and a leak in one site could give access to more than one account?

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.

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

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

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

10 extremely successful freelancers and what they do

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

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. ...

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