Stop! Don’t email that password

Five reasons to be cautious when sharing credentials

Imagine this: You’re at work, juggling a dozen tasks, when a co-worker pings you.

“Hey, I need the login information for that shared account. Can you email it to me?”

It seems harmless enough. They’re a trusted teammate, and you’re just trying to help.

But here’s the problem—email is one of the least secure ways to share sensitive information.

Before you hit “send,” consider these five reasons why sharing passwords via email is a risky move:

1. Emails can be easily hacked
   Emails travel across multiple servers before they reach the recipient. Hackers can intercept them along the way.If you send login credentials, you’re essentially handing over the keys to your account on a silver platter.
2. Phishing scams are everywhere
   Cybercriminals can send fake emails that look like they’re from co-workers, banks, or service providers, tricking people into revealing sensitive information, including passwords.If you get into the habit of sharing credentials over email, you might not think twice about sending them to a hacker. By the time you realize it’s a scam, it could be too late.
3. Email accounts get compromised
   Even if you trust your co-worker, what happens if their email account gets hacked? If they have passwords stored in their inbox, a cybercriminal now has access to everything.Keeping passwords out of emails helps prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.
4. Emails can be sent to the wrong person 
   Ever emailed the wrong “John” or “Sarah” by mistake? It happens all the time. If that email contains login credentials, you’ve just given someone unintended access to your account.And once it’s out there, you can’t take it back.
5. There are safer ways to share credentials 
   If you absolutely need to share a password, use a secure method. Many work platforms also have built-in access controls so employees don’t need to share credentials. Alternatively, password managers allow you to share login details without revealing the actual password. Some widely recommended options include:
   • 1Password offers robust security features, ease of use and compatibility across various devices.
   • Bitwarden is an open-source password manager with strong security, secure sharing and a solid free tier.
   • Dashlane provides password management, secure sharing, and extras like a VPN and dark web monitoring.
   • NordPass is a user-friendly, cross-platform manager with strong encryption.
   • Proton Pass focuses on privacy with end-to-end encryption and secure password sharing across devices.

   By utilizing these password managers, you can securely share login information without exposing sensitive data through email.

Next time someone asks for a password over email, take a moment to consider the risks. A little caution now can save you from a major security headache later.