Business vs. Premium Comparison

LastPass Business is the campus standard for departments at UC Berkeley to securely manage and share passwords. LastPass Premium is for individual personal use only.

• Business: Integrated with CalNet SSO; allows team password sharing; departmental data remains with the university.
• Premium: Independent account; no sharing capability; intended for personal banking, social media, etc.

Activation and SSO Login

Most Business users are provisioned automatically via their department. Campus employees who are interested in using LastPass Business in their department can submit an online request form.  Find out if your department already has a LastPass Business account via our Administrators List.

To access your account:

• Check your email for an invitation or activation notice.
• Install the LastPass browser extension.
• Enter your @berkeley.edu email address in the login field.
• Redirect to the CalNet SSO screen when prompted (you will use your standard CalNet passphrase and 2-Step).
• Create a Main Password if prompted; this acts as your encryption key and must be at least 20 characters.

Families as a Benefit (Free Perk)

Every LastPass Business user is eligible for a free Families account (includes 5 additional licenses for family/friends).

• Open your Business Vault on a desktop.
• Select Account Benefits from the left-hand menu.
• Enter your personal email address to redeem the Families as a Benefit offer.
• Claim this perk to keep your personal passwords completely separate from your work vault.

Linking Personal and Business Vaults

You can link a personal Premium or Families account to your Business vault for convenience. Your department cannot see the contents of your linked personal vault.

• Click the LastPass icon and select Open my Vault.
• Select Account Settings > Linked Account.
• Enter your personal email address and your personal Main Password.
• Access both vaults simultaneously; if you leave the university, the vaults un-link and you keep your personal data.

Shared Folders and Team Access

• Create a Shared Folder in the Sharing Center to collaborate with teammates.
• Add users by their @berkeley.edu email address.
• Manage permissions: Read-Only (user can use the password but not see it) or Administrator (user can edit/delete).
• Avoid sharing individual passwords; always use a folder for better security and auditing.

Security Policies and Best Practices

• Never store your Main Password in a digital file or browser-saved password list.
• Enable Emergency Access: Nominate a trusted colleague to access your vault in the event of an emergency.
• Review your Security Dashboard regularly to identify weak or reused passwords.
• Report lost devices immediately so the IT Service Desk can expire your active sessions.

Off Boarding: Leaving the University

When you leave UC Berkeley, your access to the Business vault will be disabled. Before your last day, ensure you have moved any personal data to your linked personal vault. Shared folders owned by you should be assigned to a new Administrator within your department to prevent data loss.