LastPass Teams is a great entryway to enhancing your organization&rsquo;s security, but are you getting the most out of it?&nbsp;&nbsp;
Understanding the key differences between Teams and Business is crucial to finding the right solution that fits your needs &ndash; both present and future. &nbsp;
<h2 class="p3" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;">Coverage &amp; Scalability&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>
LastPass Teams is a great way for a small group of employees to manage their work credentials. However, there is a limitation: you can only have 50 seats.&nbsp;This can lead to friction when it comes to coverage scalability across the entire organization. And when passwords are pervasive, only offering Teams to a segment of the organization leaves security gaps. &nbsp;
LastPass Business, on the other hand,&nbsp;offers a comprehensive password management solution that extends coverage across your entire organization. A Site License allows you to purchase seats for all employees at your organization at a set rate. You can then add seats as your company grows.&nbsp;&nbsp;
LastPass Business also offers a complimentary LastPass Families account to protect both their professional and personal digital lives. Families can increase adoption within your organization by encouraging users to take advantage of a free Families subscription. &nbsp;
When onboarding a new employee, have them take advantage of the Families benefit so that they create a LastPass account their very first day. &nbsp;
<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://info.lastpass.com/Take-LastPass-Teams-to-the-Next-Level_LP.html" target="_blank">Watch the on demand webinar to see this in action</a>.
<h2 class="p5" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;">Policies &amp; Reporting&nbsp;</h2>
With&nbsp;LastPass Teams you can generate three report types to see a high-level view of user activity, admin activity, and security reports. This is a quick and easy way for you to identify users with easily guessable master passwords. &nbsp;
You can also check on different security strengths and password scores to assess overall security posture. Get insight into the number of active licenses and total licenses with user reports while inviting, reinviting or disabling users. &nbsp;
Once you have that high-level overview,&nbsp;you&rsquo;ll&nbsp;want to enforce&nbsp;security best&nbsp;practices. This is possible through the 25 policies available in Teams. Some are on by default, and a few are customizable. We recommend ensuring that the default ones make sense for your organization. Two we recommend turning on to encourage end user control and to add an extra layer of security are: 1) Enforce MFA and 2) Master Password requirements.&nbsp; &nbsp;
With LastPass Business, you have access to everything in Teams along with additional reporting capabilities at your fingertips. There is a more extensive list of events that you can pull from based on your needs in addition to the standard admin and end user reporting. You can also automate your reports, removing the need to login and manually pull them, and have access to security reporting.&nbsp;&nbsp;
With LastPass Business, there are over 120 policies available to configure to meet your business needs. You can apply these policies to individual users, groups, or to your whole organization.&nbsp;&nbsp;
You can also access data visualization tools that help highlight enrollment. With our adoption dashboard, you can get insight into how many licenses have been consumed, how many have enrolled, and how many are active. There are also clickable widgets where you can view inactive users and re-invite them with the simple click of a button.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://info.lastpass.com/Take-LastPass-Teams-to-the-Next-Level_LP.html" target="_blank">Watch the on demand webinar to see this in action</a>.
<h2 class="p5" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;">User Management&nbsp;</h2>
LastPass Teams recognizes users individually. In your admin console, you can activate user licenses, manage settings, re-invite, and disable users. However, this is all on a one-to-one basis and for only up to 50 users. When onboarding and offboarding, it&rsquo;s important to note you will have to manually go in and add/remove users and change any policies assigned specifically to them.&nbsp;&nbsp;
With LastPass Business, you can still manually load users into Business, but you can also add them via your Active Directory.&nbsp;&nbsp;This will allow a more automated way to provision users, onboard, and offboard. Everything you do in your identity provider environment will sync directly with LastPass. This way you won&rsquo;t have to duplicate steps or make updates in LastPass. It&rsquo;s all done automatically.&nbsp;&nbsp;
You also can sync any groups built into your identity provider &ndash; like IT, marketing or HR &ndash; and apply specific policies and other settings to groups instead of just individual users. &nbsp;
It&rsquo;s important to think about offboarding here too. If you have an automated process setup, you won&rsquo;t have to worry about employees taking sensitive company information with them when they leave. If you are manually adding users instead of going through and IdP, ensure that this is a step in your offboarding process.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://info.lastpass.com/Take-LastPass-Teams-to-the-Next-Level_LP.html" target="_blank">Watch the on demand webinar to see this in action</a>.
<h2 class="p5" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px 0px 10.7px;">Support&nbsp;</h2>
There are a few different support options available to LastPass Teams customers:&nbsp;
<ul class="ul1" style="color: #000000;">
 <li class="li6" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px;">Support Center&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<ul class="ul1" style="color: #000000;">
 <li class="li6" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px;">LastPass University&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<ul class="ul1" style="color: #000000;">
 <li class="li6" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px;">Community Forum&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<ul class="ul1" style="color: #000000;">
 <li class="li6" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px;">Video Library&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
With LastPass Business, you get all the resources listed above, plus:&nbsp;
<ul class="ul1" style="color: #000000;">
 <li class="li6" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px;">24/7 Phone Support &amp; Cases Portal&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<ul class="ul1" style="color: #000000;">
 <li class="li6" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px;">Dedicated Customer Success Manager*&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
*qualifying customers can receive support through a CSM. For customers who do not qualify, training hours can be purchased.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://info.lastpass.com/Take-LastPass-Teams-to-the-Next-Level_LP.html" target="_blank">Watch the on demand webinar to see this in action</a>.&nbsp;
As you can see, there are a few key differences between our Teams and Business plans. Ultimately, though, LastPass Business provides more flexibility, policies, and can grow with your business. &nbsp;
If you are an existing customer who is interested in LastPass Business or just considering which product is the right fit for you, please <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/contact-lp-sales">Contact Us</a> to discuss how LastPass can help your organization scale its security.&nbsp;&nbsp;

LastPass Business vs Teams Finding a Solution That Scales

Understanding the key differences between Teams and Business is crucial to finding the right solution that fits your needs

LastPass Business vs Teams: Finding a Solution That Scales

While students clear their desks,&nbsp;fire up their laptops,&nbsp;and prepare for a new academic year, IT teams&nbsp;across K-12 and higher education&nbsp;are fast at work to ensure their schools are prepared to support an incoming class.&nbsp;With the increase in remote working and learning comes an increase in responsibility and risk. IT teams must select the appropriate IT stack to provide simple tools and resources that users at all levels can engage with to be productive, efficient, and&nbsp;secure.&nbsp;Read on to see how&nbsp;LastPass can help you ace cybersecurity&nbsp;this semester&nbsp;as we head back to school.
&nbsp;
<h3 class="p3" style="color: #101010; margin: 0px 0px 14px;">Convenient, simple password storage and sharing across campus </h3>
Generate unique passwords, easily save and fill credentials, and utilize secure and flexible sharing for collaborative teams &ndash; from IT to the marketing department, even those external to your organization, such as students and alumni &ndash; all while maintaining accountability. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h3 class="p3" style="color: #101010; margin: 0px 0px 14px;">Gain control of employee-student hybrid environments &nbsp;</h3>
When most IT departments include student employees, it&rsquo;s important to use the intuitive and centralized Admin&nbsp;console to gain greater insight into your working environment. By using generated passwords and revoking access in real time, LastPass ensures that your institution&rsquo;s data doesn&rsquo;t depart each semester with staff and students. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h3 class="p3" style="color: #101010; margin: 0px 0px 14px;">Flexible to your institute &nbsp;</h3>
We know it&rsquo;s not one size fits all, and you&nbsp;may&nbsp;have different requirements, needs and budget. Through scalable, automated integrations with user directories, LastPass simplifies employee onboarding and offboarding by providing seamless integrations for Microsoft Active Directory, Microsoft Entra, OneLogin, and Okta. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h3 class="p3" style="color: #101010; margin: 0px 0px 14px;">Trusted by your peers in&nbsp;academia&nbsp;</h3>
LastPass&rsquo; password manager is trusted by your peers in academia, with over 1,200 higher education customers and counting. LastPass helps IT employees, faculty, staff, and students secure credentials across a variety of platforms to keep sensitive institution and personal data safe.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h3 class="p3" style="color: #101010; margin: 0px 0px 14px;">Share&nbsp;Families benefits, however you define the term&nbsp;</h3>
LastPass Families gives&nbsp;users&nbsp;and five family members, friends,&nbsp;or roommates&nbsp;their own private vault to store and access credentials and specify those meant for sharing.&nbsp;They can&nbsp;store everything from passwords to passports and collaborate easily with the ability to access that&nbsp;shared streaming account, log in to pay shared bills, and never be locked out of any personal or shared account again. Increase control and visibility with a password manager that is easy to manage and effortless to use &ndash; for your&nbsp;school&nbsp;and&nbsp;your family.
&nbsp;
Graduate&nbsp;to better password security with LastPass. Start your free trial&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lastpass.com/enterprise_trial.php" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;

Graduate to Better Password Security This School Year 

See how LastPass can help you ace cybersecurity this semester as we head back to school.

Summer deals are here, and with so many sales just a click away, it&rsquo;s crucial that when you&rsquo;re searching for the best discounts online, you&rsquo;re doing so securely. Good password behavior is foundational to online security &ndash; and savings!&nbsp;
LastPass is here to help. Here are five ways you can stay safe online as you peruse and purchase online this summer. &nbsp;
<h3 class="li3" style="color: #0f374e; margin: 0px;">1. Use a Password Manager&nbsp;</h3>
When it comes to snagging outstanding deals as an online shopper, mere seconds can make the difference between buying an item and being too late because it's just sold out. LastPass saves time without sacrificing security. Not only does it offer encrypted storage for login credentials, but it also stores credit cards and address details. LastPass allows users to <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/autofill">fill in forms</a> with one click. This way, you don't have to take the time to type in your shipping or payment details and check them for errors.&nbsp;&nbsp;
It also simplifies creating new accounts when shopping at new websites. It even <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/password-generator">auto-generates a strong password</a> for you. Plus, because passwords get safely stored in a person's LastPass vault, there's no need to go through the frustration of forgetting passwords or resetting them while trying to shop.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3 class="li5" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px;">2. Shop at Reputable Sites&nbsp;</h3>
Online shopping has become so common that we sometimes don&rsquo;t check to make sure the sites we are shopping on have good security practices. Be sure to stick to vendors you know and avoid obscure looking sites that don&rsquo;t follow the format of well-known retailers, as bogus websites are likely to pop up with only the intent to steal personal and payment information. If it&rsquo;s your first time shopping with a vendor, conduct some research to ensure it&rsquo;s a legitimate seller.&nbsp;
<h3 class="li3" style="color: #0f374e; margin: 0px;">3. Enable MFA&nbsp;</h3>
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires people to have more than one proof of verification when logging into a website. For example, in addition to providing a password, they also might receive a code via text or email that they have to enter before proceeding.&nbsp; No matter where people go online, using MFA is more critical than ever for protecting accounts and the information within from cyber criminals. Hackers prey on people who don't have thoroughly secured accounts. MFA offers extra safeguards.&nbsp;
<h3 class="li3" style="color: #0f374e; margin: 0px;">4. Sign Up for a Credit Monitoring Service&nbsp;</h3>
Sometimes, the first red flag that a cybercriminal has attacked is a strange charge on a credit card bill. Credit monitoring takes another step by allowing people to know about changes in their credit reports. Some credit card companies offer monitoring to their clients. However, individuals can also participate in credit monitoring from specialty companies. Depending on the service, identity theft insurance might be available, too.&nbsp;
<h3 class="li3" style="color: #0f374e; margin: 0px;">5. Stay Vigilant of Phishing Attempts&nbsp;</h3>
Shoppers should also be aware that in the haste to grab a good deal that common sense and standard security practices don&rsquo;t go out the window. Unsolicited texts, calls, emails or social media messages could be an attempt to get you to hand over an account login or credit card information, so be cautious of anything that sounds so good that it&rsquo;s unbelievable from vendors you don&rsquo;t know.&nbsp;
Phishing emails can be extremely convincing, but they&rsquo;re often identifiable by typos, spelling, and grammatical errors. And LastPass won't autofill on sites that aren't legitimate. You can also always launch sites from your LastPass vault to ensure you are getting to the correct website.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Ready to shop &lsquo;til you drop? Shop, log in, and share passwords safely and easily with LastPass. Between now and August 5, new customers get 20% off Premium, Families, Teams, and Business products. 
<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href=" https://www.lastpass.com/lp/summer-promo" target="_blank">Start shopping with LastPass today</a><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href=" https://www.lastpass.com/lp/summer-promo" target="_blank">.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;

Summer Savings and Staying Safe Online With LastPass

Here are five ways you can stay safe online as you peruse and purchase online this summer.  

The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are right around the corner. Over two weeks of the best athletes in the world competing in everything from taekwondo to table tennis for that elusive gold medal. Whether you&rsquo;re heading to the French capital or traveling in the spirit of global competition, keeping your digital life secure on-the-go shouldn&rsquo;t take a backseat with the rest of your luggage.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
By following these five steps, you can focus on seeing the sights, watching the athletes, and enjoying that well-deserved PTO.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h3 class="p3" style="color: #0f374e; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0px;">1. Use a password manager&nbsp;</h3>
Don&rsquo;t get stuck at the back of the line because you forgot your password. With LastPass, you don't have to worry about remembering the right passwords for your favorite apps when you&rsquo;re out and about. Before you go, make sure to add all the passwords for your favorite apps and services to your <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.lastpass.com/password-vault" target="_blank">password vault</a>. Then, enable <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.lastpass.com/autofill" target="_blank">form autofill</a> so that your credentials automatically are entered in the required fields. Buy tickets and reserve tickets quickly and efficiently &ndash; before they sell out!&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h3 class="p3" style="color: #0f374e; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0px;">2. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA)&nbsp;</h3>
Set up <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.lastpass.com/solutions/authentication" target="_blank">multi-factor authentication</a> (MFA) on your accounts before you depart. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to provide another factor of authentication, like a push notification, or a biometric such as a fingerprint scan. You&rsquo;ll be notified if a login attempt is underway, giving you the chance to reset your password quickly in the event of any suspicious activity. You can also go <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/solutions/passwordless-access">passwordless</a> using the LastPass Authenticator app, gaining instant access to your accounts.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h3 class="p3" style="color: #0f374e; background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0px;">3. Store your important travel documents in Secure Notes&nbsp;</h3>
Securely store travel documents, hotel reservations, plane ticket numbers, and ID information in <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.lastpass.com/features/secure-notes" target="_blank">Secure Notes</a> before you go to ensure a safe and smooth trip. Travel documents contain valuable personal information, and you wouldn't want them to fall into the wrong hands. It's also handy to have them securely stored in the cloud so you don't have to keep these sensitive documents on your person.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h3 class="p4" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px;">4. Avoid public WiFi&nbsp;</h3>
Although public Wi-Fi can be handy, it's also insecure. Hackers routinely monitor public Wi-Fi traffic to steal usernames, passwords, and other private information. For this reason, it's better to use a private Wi-Fi link or a cellular hotspot.&nbsp; If you're unable to use cellular data and the only available WiFi is public (think, arriving at the airport or at a large stadium), use a VPN to secure your data. You can download a VPN app that you&rsquo;ll turn on when using public WiFi. The VPN will route your internet traffic, keeping your online activity private &ndash; and safe.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h3 class="p4" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px;">5. Backup your data&nbsp;</h3>
Far from home, you lose your phone. Dropped in a fountain, swiped by a savvy thief, or left on a bus, a good data backup is critical in this kind of situation, helping you get back up and running as quickly as possible. If you don't yet have a cloud data backup in place, now's the time to arrange one.&nbsp; Whatever backup tool you end up using, make sure it encrypts your data. That way, hackers won't be able to see what's inside your data backup.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Once back home, it&rsquo;s good to still stay vigilant and check up on any accounts you used while abroad:&nbsp;
<ul class="ul1" style="color: #000000;">
 <li class="li4" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px;">Watch for unusual account activity, especially if you used unsecured WiFi or public computers on your trip. Look for unusual credit card charges, unprompted login alerts, password reset emails or account lockout emails.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<ul class="ul1" style="color: #000000;">
 <li class="li4" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); margin: 0px;">Use <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/features/dark-web-monitoring">dark web monitoring</a> to also monitor for credentials leaked in data breaches. Follow the instructions LastPass provides in any alerts you receive.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Passport, tickets, luggage, LastPass. This summer, whether lucky enough to witness the 2024 Summer Olympics in the City of Light or traveling in the spirit of global camaraderie, use LastPass (and these tips) to keep your information secure. Bon voyage!&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lastpass.com/create-account.php?premium=" target="_blank">Try LastPass Premium today</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Safe Travel and the 2024 Summer Olympics

Stay safe while traveling by using LastPass. 

2024 Summer Olympics: Stay Safe Traveling With LastPass

Sharing passwords has become&nbsp;a critical&nbsp;component&nbsp;of the increasingly hybrid work environment, where teams are not only spread out across different organizational functions but&nbsp;separated by&nbsp;time zones&nbsp;and&nbsp;countries.
But are your employees&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.lastpass.com/features/password-sharing" target="_blank">sharing these passwords securely</a>? Is collaboration coming at the expense of the security of your data?&nbsp;With&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.verizon.com/business/resources/reports/dbir/?cmp=knc:ggl:ac:ent:ea:na:8888855284_ds_cid=71700000082347933_ds_agid=58700006959920338&amp;utm_term=verizon%20dbir&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_campaign=GGL_BND_Security_Exact&amp;utm_content=Enterprise&amp;ds_cid=71700000082347933&amp;ds_cid=&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwh4-wBhB3EiwAeJsppGEeLxPgY3ZEPkVo8eOgCwwscC6zAVn862FZY8h9bI-HpN2FTkcIjBoCd7cQAvD_BwE&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank">86% of breaches</a>&nbsp;involving the use of stolen credentials, if you&nbsp;can&rsquo;t&nbsp;answer these questions definitively, then&nbsp;it&rsquo;s&nbsp;time to&nbsp;look into&nbsp;investing in a password manager.
Let&rsquo;s&nbsp;dive into the&nbsp;challenges that may arise when sharing passwords,&nbsp;and why the best way to share passwords with your team is a password manager &ndash; enabling&nbsp;employees&nbsp;to&nbsp;collaborate more&nbsp;synchronously and more securely.
<h3>Challenges of sharing passwords</h3>
With countless apps, databases, and subscriptions, employees are already overwhelmed with the sheer amount of credentials they&nbsp;have to&nbsp;remember to get their work done.&nbsp;Add onto that the need to share passwords&nbsp;with colleagues&nbsp;to&nbsp;facilitate&nbsp;effective collaboration, and you have a&nbsp;formula&nbsp;that equates not only to reduced productivity but&nbsp;also puts your&nbsp;company&rsquo;s sensitive data&nbsp;at risk.&nbsp;Passwords are a fact of work&nbsp;life,&nbsp;but&nbsp;Excel files, emails, and&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.lastpass.com/posts/2024/03/sticky-notes-arent-for-passwords" target="_blank">sticky notes</a>&nbsp;just&nbsp;don&rsquo;t&nbsp;cut it.&nbsp;So, what can you do to ensure productive and secure collaboration between teams?
<h3>How a password manager can help</h3>
A password manager not only remembers employees&rsquo; passwords for them but also allows them to share these credentials in a way that keeps your&nbsp;business&rsquo;s&nbsp;data safe and&nbsp;their sanity in check.
Stronger, safer collaboration
With a password management tool,&nbsp;password sharing is quick and convenient, no matter how many logins need to be&nbsp;used across teams.&nbsp;And a&nbsp;password manager automatically creates&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blog.lastpass.com/posts/2024/01/the-perils-of-employee-password-reuse" target="_blank">new passwords&nbsp;for each site</a>, meaning that employees are always using (and sharing) strong, unique passwords&nbsp;when accessing sensitive business data.&nbsp;These passwords are also stored in an encrypted password vault, keeping them out of sight and out of reach of bad actors.
Someone on the team changed their password? Sharing through a password manager means that shared credentials&nbsp;sync&nbsp;automatically,&nbsp;ensuring&nbsp;no one loses access after a password update.&nbsp;Secure sharing means less time searching for&nbsp;a&nbsp;colleague&rsquo;s password and more time&nbsp;spent on the work that counts in your&nbsp;employee&rsquo;s&nbsp;day-to-day.
Oversight and customization
For IT, secure sharing through a password manager means that&nbsp;admins have&nbsp;oversight of team accounts&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;knowing&nbsp;who has&nbsp;access to what and when, tying activity back to the individual user&nbsp;through reporting logs. Admins can&nbsp;also&nbsp;restrict&nbsp;at the site level&nbsp;or&nbsp;per user&nbsp;to&nbsp;maintain&nbsp;control, depending upon the nature of the data protected by the password.&nbsp;Admins are also able to create customized, enforceable security policies through the password manager, preventing, for example,&nbsp;users from sharing credentials outside the organization.
No matter where or when your employees work, the best way to share passwords with your team is through a password manager. A password management tool, like LastPass,&nbsp;keeps employees&nbsp;in sync, connected, and makes collaboration easier&nbsp;and more efficient, all while prioritizing security&nbsp;through encryption and admin controls&nbsp;to reduce the risk of a breach.
Interested in getting started with LastPass? Start your free trial&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lastpass.com/enterprise_trial.php" target="_blank">here</a>.

Sharing passwords has become&nbsp;a critical&nbsp;component&nbsp;of the increasingly hybrid work environment, where teams are not only spread out across different organizational functions but&nbsp;[..]

The Best Way to Share Passwords With Your Team? A Password Manager

<a href="https://www.lastpass.com/contact-sales" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://www.lastpass.com//-/media/ad468d263ffb444281d28fe7a183680b.jpg" style="height:2560px; wi[..]

Sticky Notes Aren’t For Passwords

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You’ve Been Phished. Now What?

The future is passwordless, and businesses are already making the transition. According to <a href="https://blog.lastpass.com/2023/10/the-2023-workforce-authentication-report-embracing-the-passwordless-future/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The 2023 Workforce Authentication Report</a>, 92% of businesses have or plan to move to passwordless technology. Ninety-five percent of them are currently using a passwordless experience in some form. That said, passwords aren't in the rear view mirror just yet. 

Passwords, as troublesome as they are, will still be a part of our login experience today, tomorrow, and for a while to come. Given this reality, the key to a good password[less] strategy – which involves fewer passwords in general – is to make sure that your employees can embrace the future while keeping an eye on the present. 

Can passwords and passwordless authentication live in harmony? We think so. It just means developing a strategy to embrace the hybrid now. These three steps will help you get started.
<h3 aria-level="4">1. Set your employees up for success</h3>
Your employees will need extra support during the transition to passwordless authentication. After all, going passwordless is still going to involve a learning curve, even if it happens gradually. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do now to <a href="https://blog.lastpass.com/2023/09/how-to-prepare-your-employees-for-passwordless-authentication/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prepare your employees for passwordless authentication</a>. 

First, take a look at your current tech stack and determine where it makes sense to integrate passwordless authentication. Review how all of your users log in, where they are located, and what kinds of devices they use to access their accounts. Consider what their authentication process looks like today and how it might change in a passwordless scenario. If you already take advantage of biometric authentication, for example, then it might be logical to use biometrics when you implement passwordless authentication since users will already be familiar with them. Also investigate how the account recovery process will work, so your employees won't find themselves in a bind if one of their devices is lost or stolen.

Another great way to set your employees up for success is by educating them on the basics of passwordless authentication, how it happens, and what it involves. If you plan to use biometrics or hardware keys, explain why these tools are effective and how people use them to securely log into their accounts. Also show your employees what logging into their accounts will look like down the line, when they're using fewer passwords (and, say, <a href="https://blog.lastpass.com/2023/08/how-will-i-use-passkeys/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">using passkeys</a> instead). That way, your employees will be able to visualize what the experience will be like when it comes time to embrace passwordless authentication.
<h3 aria-level="4">2. Keep enforcing password best practices</h3>
It goes without saying that as long as your employees are still using passwords to log in, you'll need to keep enforcing password best practices to keep your critical business data safe. At a minimum, make sure each of your employees uses a strong, unique password for each of their accounts. The <a href="https://blog.lastpass.com/2024/01/the-perils-of-employee-password-reuse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">perils of employee password re-use</a> are well documented, so you'll also want to prohibit that practice. Otherwise, your business may find itself the victim of costly and damaging data breach.

<a href="https://blog.lastpass.com/2022/10/the-importance-of-mfa-for-smbs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Multi-factor authentication (MFA)</a> is another password best practice worth adopting during the transition to passwordless authentication. As the name suggests, MFA lets you add another factor, or form, of authentication to the login process. That way, you won't be relying solely on passwords to secure employee accounts and the business data they access. You can even choose to implement passwordless technologies such as fingerprint scanning or facial recognition, which are beginning to show up in the consumer devices your employees use in their personal lives. 

Also consider how your employees share passwords with one another. This often happens in organizations where there is only one license for an application or service that multiple employees need to use, for example. Although it's not best practice for users to share such passwords via email or other unencrypted messaging channels, they can do it securely with a password manager.
<h3 aria-level="4">3. Use a password manager</h3>
A password manager will give your employees helpful tools for embracing passwordless authentication while still using passwords. They can use a password manager to securely store each of their current passwords in an encrypted vault. Once the passwords have been safely tucked away in the vault, your employees can access them from anywhere using the devices they already rely on to get work done at the office, at home, or on the go. 

As you begin rolling out passwordless technologies like passkeys, your employees can use the same password manager to store them in much the same way. And, just as with passwords, they will be able to access those passkeys from the devices they already use. This way, it won't be quite so challenging to navigate the changes involved in going passwordless.

A password manager can also help you implement password best practices while the transition to passwordless is happening. Your IT team can use it to set and enforce policies that keep critical business data safe, for starters. You can also leverage a password manager to adopt MFA – a key step on the way to going passwordless. Your employees can also use a password manager to securely share credentials with their colleagues, keeping the work moving while protecting the business. 
<h3 aria-level="4">Create a password[less] strategy for your business</h3>
Our passwordless future is on the way, but it isn't here yet. Passwordless experiences are already becoming more common, but businesses still have to manage the risks involved with using passwords for now. Fortunately, there's a way to achieve harmony between passwords and passwordless. You can do it by developing a password[less] strategy that helps your employees begin using passwordless technologies while still following password best practices. This way, your business will be in a far better position to enjoy all of the benefits that passwordless offers without having to worry nearly as much about the risks that passwords pose.

Discover how LastPass' <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/features/passwordless-authentication" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passwordless vault login</a> frees your business from password pains and risks.

Developing a Password[less] Strategy for Your Business

The future is passwordless, and businesses are already making the transition. According to <a href="https://blog.lastpass.com/2023/10/the-2023-workforce-authenticatio[..]

Whether on a plane or seated al fresco, work is wherever you want it to be. And to get work done between boarding passes and breadsticks, employees are connecting to public WiFi. But are they aware of the dangers of public WiFi? Is it safe to use open WiFi for work? And if you do find yourself logging on to a new network, what can you do to secure your — and your employer's — data while you work?
<h3>Do use password-protected WiFi</h3>
A secured WiFi connection that requires a password to use is safer than public, unsecured WiFi. It may be more convenient to connect to an open network instantly. But a private network hosted by a café or hotel eliminates the risk of a hacker offering free WiFi to lure in cyber victims. So, always check if there is a private WiFi network, and ask for the password.
<h3>Don't send sensitive data in cleartext</h3>
Attackers can set up man-in-the-middle attacks or other methods of cyber espionage on public WiFi. To reduce risk, avoid handling or sending sensitive data whenever possible. That means steering clear of financial data, PII, credentials and passcodes, and any restricted or confidential information until you're back on a secured network.
<h3>Do use a VPN</h3>
A virtual private network, or VPN, allows you to establish a secure, protected connection to a corporate network. Even if you're on public WiFi, the VPN provides an extra layer of security and makes it more difficult for cybercriminals to snoop. Many businesses have a VPN for employee use, but you can also download one yourself.
<h3>Don't auto-connect to public WiFi</h3>
Auto-connecting to WiFi can feel convenient. An instant connection wherever you go! But, it comes with hidden dangers, so turn off auto-connect for both WiFi and Bluetooth. Then, each time you're in a new location, you can intentionally choose which network you want to use.
<h3>Do connect with HTTPS</h3>
HTTP and HTTPS are similar protocols that display web data on your device. But, there's one crucial difference: HTTPS is a more secure, more advanced version. It keeps passwords private and is a safer connection so that other confidential information stays, well, confidential. So, when you are on public WiFi, check if the website you're using is HTTPS. If it isn't, wait until you're back on a secured, private network before logging in or sending any data to that website.
<h3>Do use a password manager and SSO</h3>
Passwords are so mundane that we forget how critical they are to our online security. Unfortunately, public WiFi can expose us to attacks that allow cybercriminals to steal passwords. That's why it's essential to use a different password on every single website. <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/premium-password-manager">A password manager</a> simplifies the creation and management of strong passwords for all of your online accounts. Plus, if your company uses SSO, secure protocols like SAML protect against attacks and eliminate passwords for hackers to steal.
<h3>Don't neglect device security</h3>
Security at the individual device level is essential, too. Keep software, browsers, and apps up-to-date. Updates have important security and bug fixes, so apply an update when one is available. Also, run anti malware software to spot malicious activity on your device. Don't click links or open attachments from people you don't know or seem out of character. And if you think you've spotted some unusual activity, alert your IT team immediately.

With a few simple precautions, you can safely and conveniently work while on the go, even when public WiFi is the only connection available. <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/premium-password-manager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get a password manager</a> to start beefing up your password security and use our steps above to work safely from anywhere.

The Dangers of Public WiFi: Important Do's and Don'ts

Whether on a plane or seated al fresco, work is wherever you want it to be. And to get work done between boarding passes and breadsticks, employees are connecting to public [..]

With the NFL Super Bowl drawing closer, football is everywhere. Surprisingly, there are strong parallels between defense strategies in football and the rigors of protecting a company from bad actors. If you want to refresh your company&#8217;s cybersecurity defense, take lessons from winning football teams that prioritize teamwork, adaptability, and continuous improvement. Here&#8217;s what security leaders can learn from the NFL teams this Super Bowl season.
<ol>
<li aria-level="2">
<h3> Master the fundamentals with cybersecurity education</h3>
</li>
</ol>
In football, teams excel when players master the fundamentals. From passing to blocking, tackling to kicking, these basic moves form the foundation for more complex plays. Through rigorous, recurring team practices, football players rehearse plays to perfection so they can react on pure instinct during live games. Every player on the field also understands their role and how to play their part in helping the team succeed.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:1,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> 
In cybersecurity, mastering the basics is also crucial. Strong password hygiene and comprehensive cybersecurity education form a robust foundation. Training programs can educate employees about the latest cyber threats, phishing attacks, and the importance of staying alert to potential dangers. <span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:1,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> 
Security education isn&#8217;t just a one-time event; reinforcing the basics and regularly testing employee knowledge will ensure that secure online behaviors become automatic. When employees thoroughly understand the basics of online security, the company&#8217;s overall cybersecurity defense strategy is far more effective. <span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:1,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> 
<ol start="2">
<li aria-level="2">
<h3> Empower IT teams as defensive linemen</h3>
</li>
</ol>
In football, coaches often say, &#8220;Defense wins championships.&#8221; Meaning that the team that defends the best is usually the winner. Linemen create a formidable barrier against opposing teams. With a solid line of defense, defensive players can better block plays, intercept passes, and prevent the offense from scoring. <span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:1,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> 
Football teams also have other players with specialized roles like quarterback and wide receiver that help to optimize performance and make meaningful contributions to the team. To be successful, players must communicate, coordinate, and trust each other. With exceptional teamwork, winning is much easier.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:1,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> 
Similarly, the IT team&#8217;s linemen play a crucial role in safeguarding their digital turf from cyber threats. They need robust defense mechanisms like firewalls, antivirus, and intrusion detection systems to help prevent attacks and protect sensitive information. They need tools like <a href="https://blog.lastpass.com/2023/07/pervasive-password-less-protection-the-solution-to-the-compromised-credentials-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a team password manager to eliminate poor password security</a> and multifactor authentication to thwart unauthorized access. With proper training, adequate budget, and leadership support, IT teams can proactively defend against cyber adversaries. <span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:1,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> 
Cybersecurity teams may also have specialists (like analysts, ethical hackers, and incident responders) who bring unique skills to address specific threats. A diverse and skilled IT team enhances overall protection, and they must collaborate with other employees and leaders to create a cohesive cybersecurity defense. When IT teams coordinate and work well together, and each team member understands their role, businesses are more likely to succeed in building a winning cybersecurity strategy. <span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:1,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> 
<ol start="3">
<li aria-level="2">
<h3> Adapting to unpredictable plays with incident response plans</h3>
</li>
</ol>
Football games can be unpredictable. Injuries, poor weather, controversial calls &#8211; it&#8217;s anyone&#8217;s guess what obstacles may appear at any time. Teams have to adapt to changing game scenarios and opponent strategies. Successful football teams have contingency plans for these unexpected events, pivoting immediately to offset any adverse conditions. <span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:1,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> 
Off the field, football teams are constantly improving, too. They review game footage, analyze their performance, and strategize for improvements at the individual and team levels. In summary, flexibility on or off the field and a dedication to continuous progress create a winning strategy for professional football teams.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:1,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> 
Similarly, unforeseen cyber incidents can seriously derail business operations. A documented and thorough incident response plan is crucial to getting things back on track quickly and with minimal damage. With an outline of how to contain the incident, mitigate harm, and recover swiftly, the incident response plan helps businesses prepare for a wide range of potential security scenarios. With advance practice, IT teams can better coordinate with employees and leadership to respond effectively to security incidents. <span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:1,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> 
As threats and attack vectors evolve, businesses must adapt their strategies and defenses to stay ahead. Regular assessments, penetration testing, and analysis of security incidents are essential for continuous improvement in cybersecurity. Learning from past incidents helps organizations strengthen their cybersecurity defenses in the future.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:1,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> 
<h3 aria-level="2">Taking a page from the NFL for cybersecurity defense<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;134245418&quot;:true,&quot;134245529&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:468,&quot;335559739&quot;:195,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}"> </h3>
As the NFL Super Bowl delights audiences with thrilling plays and strategic maneuvers, IT and security leaders can take inspiration from the football field to improve their cybersecurity strategies. Mastering the fundamentals, empowering team players, and preparing for unpredictable incidents will help businesses craft a winning cybersecurity defense against today&#8217;s greatest threats.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:1,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> Want to learn more about game-changing cybersecurity defense strategies?Watch the on-demand webinar <a href="https://info.lastpass.com/Game-Changing-Cybersecurity-Defense-Strategies.html?utm_source=owned&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=feb_webinar_2024">here</a>.

Applying Football Lessons to Cybersecurity Defense 

With the NFL Super Bowl drawing closer, football is everywhere. Surprisingly, there are strong parallels between defense strategies in football and the rigors of protecti[..]

Cyber risk has never been more expensive. The average cost of a data breach is <a href="https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$4.45 million</a>, and it's still rising. For a SMB with limited resources, a single breach could mean the end of the business. No one can afford to pretend the risk doesn't exist, as <a href="https://blog.lastpass.com/2023/10/doing-nothing-could-mean-losing-everything/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">doing nothing could mean losing everything</a>. 

Fortunately, there are common-sense steps you can take to improve your company's cyber security without breaking the bank. These five password best practices can help your SMB prevent cyber threats and reduce the likelihood of a data breach.
<h3 aria-level="4">1. Create complex, unique passwords</h3>
According to the <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/resources/ebook/psychology-of-passwords-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Psychology of Passwords 2022 Report</a>, 69% of people say they would create a stronger or more complex password to secure their financial accounts, but just 33% of them say the same when it comes to their work accounts. If you don't require your employees to create complex and unique passwords for each of the accounts they use on the job, now is the time to begin doing so. Otherwise, you are potentially putting your business and your customers at major risk for a data breach. A password manager can automatically generate complex passwords for each of your employees whenever they need them, taking the guesswork out of the process.
<h3 aria-level="4">2. Never re-use passwords</h3>
When there's an overflowing list of things to do and only so many hours in the day to do them, it's tempting for a busy employee to cut corners on password security. While asking themself, "<a href="https://blog.lastpass.com/2023/09/who-wants-your-passwords-and-why/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Who wants my password</a>, anyway?", they might decide to use the same password across multiple work accounts just to get things done a little bit faster. As the Psychology of Passwords 2022 Report found, 89% of knowledge workers are aware that using the same password or a variation of it is a risk, but 62% of them go ahead and do it anyway.

The problem with <a href="https://blog.lastpass.com/2024/01/the-perils-of-employee-password-reuse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">employee password re-use</a> is that if a cyber attacker manages to steal, guess, or even buy that one password (yes, you read that right – malicious actors are known to buy and sell packages of passwords on the dark web), then that means they have full access to not just one but all of the employee's accounts. A security issue that could have been limited to just one area of your business infrastructure has now become a far larger and more serious threat. For this reason, it's a good idea to prohibit your employees from re-using passwords on multiple accounts.
<h3 aria-level="4">3. Securely share passwords</h3>
Password sharing is pretty commonplace at most companies. According to the <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/resources/reports/password-benchmark-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3rd Annual Global Password Security Report</a>, a business uses 185 shared folders on average. Sometimes employees share passwords because their department or team only has one or two licenses for a service that multiple people need to use. Other times, they may need to share certain applications or resources with external contractors or organizations. 

Although these are understandable reasons for sharing passwords, it's essential to make sure this happens securely. A password manager can help your employees share passwords simply and safely using secure, team-based shared folders. This way, your business can keep work humming along without having to worry about an important password falling into the wrong hands.
<h3 aria-level="4">4. Use a password manager</h3>
Employees have too many passwords to manage on their own. As the 3rd Annual Global Password Security Report points out, someone who works at a small business (defined as a company with 1 – 25 employees) has 85 passwords to keep track of on average, while their counterpart at a large firm (defined as a business with 1,001 – 10,000 employees) only has to deal with 25 passwords. 

With this many passwords to stay on top of, it's no wonder that employees come up with workarounds like re-using passwords. But there's a better, more secure way to handle this typical problem. A password manager gives each of your employees their own personalized, easy to use vault for storing all of their passwords. It also comes with a robust admin dashboard that makes it easier for your IT team to manage password security for the entire business. 
<h3 aria-level="4">5. Add MFA</h3>
Even if you implement all of the password best practices listed above, you won't be able to fully secure your business data using passwords alone. If someone manages to get a hold of just one of your employees' passwords – and, unfortunately, that's only a matter of time – your company could fall victim to a devastating data breach before it even realized what was going on. 

<a href="https://blog.lastpass.com/2022/10/the-importance-of-mfa-for-smbs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Multi-factor authentication (MFA)</a> adds another layer to the authentication process, significantly reducing the chances that a bad actor will be able to cause mischief even if they nab one of your employees' passwords. MFA introduces a second form of authentication that verifies a user's identity before granting them access. Your IT team can set it up using convenient mobile device push notifications; biometrics like face and fingerprint scans; voice recognition; SMS codes; and one-time passwords (OTPs). 

With MFA in place, a hacker will have a much harder time posing as one of your employees. If they do try to log into one of your employees' accounts and are met with an MFA challenge they can't pass, your employee will then have a timely heads up that something may be amiss. That way, they can promptly update their password and alert the IT team that something suspicious may be going on.
<h3 aria-level="4">Password best practices can help you reduce cyber risk</h3>
Data breaches have never been more expensive or more likely to happen than they are now, and that's cause for any SMB to be concerned. Just one data breach could spell the end of the company – something no one who works at a SMB wants to hear. These five password best practices can help your business reduce its current level of cyber risk, shielding employee work accounts and business data from opportunistic bad actors. That way, you and your colleagues can focus on driving the company forward rather than looking anxiously back at the rear view mirror.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:1,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}"> Learn more <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/contact-sales" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Password Best Practices to Prevent Cyber Risk 

Cyber risk has never been more expensive. The average cost of a data breach is <a href="https://www.ibm.com/reports/data-breach" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span [..]

The number of employees or annual revenue may classify your business as "small," but in today's digital landscape, organizations of all sizes handle valuable and sensitive information that cybercriminals want to get their hands on. Hackers seek easy targets to steal customer data, financial records, and intellectual property for monetary and material gain - and password reuse makes for easy targets. When your employees reuse passwords, cybercriminals view your small business as an attractive target with a high rate of return on their efforts. Small businesses may have more limited IT resources than large corporations, but understanding and addressing password reuse is feasible and will reduce the risk of data breaches and financial loss. 
<h3 aria-level="2">The human psychology of password reuse</h3>
Understanding the psychology behind password reuse is crucial to fixing it in the workplace. At this point, many people are aware that password reuse is a security risk. So, <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/resources/ebook/psychology-of-passwords-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">why are 62% of people</a> still reusing passwords? Most people mean well, but many factors converge to create risky password behaviors that need addressing.

Human memory is not optimized to remember long, random strings of characters. Our brains feel much more comfortable with familiar words, names, and patterns we can easily recall. Plus, with an explosion in the number of online accounts we have to keep track of at home and in the workplace, reusing the same password is much less mentally taxing. Password reuse is more convenient and reduces the overall cognitive load.

Some employees may lack awareness of the potential effects of weak password practices. If they have yet to experience negative consequences, they may be apathetic toward password security or overly confident in their cyber savviness. Nearly 80% claim their cybersecurity education - whether formal or informal - is adequate. Plus, humans are creatures of habit, and some people may resist adopting new security practices when it feels too challenging or disruptive.

Ignorance about the importance of strong, unique passwords can lead to complacency in the workplace. This apathy towards password security is a ticking time bomb that could compromise sensitive data and put the business at financial risk.
<h3 aria-level="2">The domino effect of password reuse</h3>
Unfortunately, humans can be susceptible to manipulation, unintentionally compromising their security. Cybercriminals often exploit human psychology through social engineering, phishing, and impersonation to trick individuals into revealing their passwords. There are also trillions of leaked account credentials on the dark web, which hackers can easily purchase or download.

When employees reuse passwords across different accounts, <a href="https://blog.lastpass.com/2021/09/breaking-the-cycle-of-password-reuse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">they inadvertently create a chain of vulnerabilities</a>. If a cybercriminal gains access to one compromised account, they can exploit this information to breach other accounts, both personal and professional. This domino effect increases the risk of unauthorized access to critical business systems, confidential information, and sensitive data.

IT personnel may also inadvertently expose the company to risk with poor password security. People often forget to change the default passwords provided by devices or platforms, a fact that is well-known to attackers and easily exploited. Not only do default passwords provide an easy way in, but the default accounts may have admin privileges, instantly giving attackers privileged access to company systems.

Employees often perceive password reuse as more manageable, so <a href="https://blog.lastpass.com/2023/03/take-5-steps-toward-better-password-habits/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">breaking the chain of vulnerabilities</a> requires offering an alternative that seems even more accessible and convenient. 
<h3 aria-level="2">Offering a convenient alternative to password reuse</h3>
Want to mitigate the risks associated with password reuse? Small businesses can turn to a simple yet effective solution – a password manager. A password manager is a secure vault that stores and organizes unique, complex passwords for each online account. Employees need only to remember one master password to access the password manager, eliminating the need to memorize multiple passwords.

Benefits of implementing a password manager include: 
<ul>
 	<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559683&quot;:0,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[9675],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Stronger passwords: Password managers generate and store strong, unique passwords for each account, reducing the need to use simple, guessable passwords.</li>
 	<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559683&quot;:0,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[9675],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Easier logins: Accessing accounts is simple and convenient when the password manager logs in. Password managers eliminate disruptive typos and login errors.</li>
 	<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559683&quot;:0,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[9675],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Centralized control: Administrators can monitor and manage employee passwords through a centralized system, enforcing security protocols and password requirements.</li>
 	<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559683&quot;:0,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[9675],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1">Secure sharing: Password managers can facilitate the secure sharing of credentials within a team, eliminating the need to write down, email, or otherwise insecurely send passwords.</li>
</ul>
By removing the burden of complex password requirements and frequent password changes, password managers encourage users to adopt more secure practices. Password managers offer a convenient and safe way to generate, store, and manage complex passwords, alleviating many burdens associated with traditional password practices. Telling employees about the importance of strong passwords is a start, but giving them a way to implement those best practices (with less effort) will significantly improve your business's cyber defenses. Implementing a password manager gets to the root of the human psychology contributing to risky password behavior so small businesses can protect sensitive data and preserve the integrity of their business operations. Learn more <a href="https://www.lastpass.com/contact-sales" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

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The number of employees or annual revenue may classify your business as "small," but in today's digital landscape, organizations of all sizes handle valuable and sensitive i[..]

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