PSPINC Official Company Blog

Our Pass Wizard Plans are Changing!

12月

20日

Starting next week on December 27th, we’ll be making the following adjustments to our Pass Wizard plans:

We will be changing our free plan to store up to ten passwords for new sign-ups. As an existing user, you will continue to store up to 30 passwords.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) will become an exclusive feature to Pass Wizard Pro.

For users purchasing in Yen, Pass Wizard Pro will be available for ¥250. But the price isn’t changing for those paying in US dollars. But the price isn’t changing for those paying in US dollars.

Our ongoing 50% off discount will only apply to free users upgrading to the Pro plan.

Adding additional members to your group plan will permanently become just $5 per year (a 75% discount). Combined with our 50% off discount, it’s even cheaper to upgrade to Pro and start sharing select passwords securely within a group.

What This Means for You

someone with pass wizard open on their laptop

As a loyal Pass Wizard user, rest assured you’ll still be able to store and manage up to 30 passwords. Even if you haven’t reached the 30-password threshold. You will continue to have access to your secure password generator and AES-256 encryption. If you want to take advantage of multi-factor authentication, you can upgrade to Pass Wizard Pro for 50% off using promo code PRO50.

Keeping your passwords secure has never been cheaper or easier, making Pass Wizard the most affordable password manager on the market.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

#aes256encryption #announcement #blog #business #businesstips #businesstools #cybersecurity #marketing #mfa #passwizard #passwordmanager #pspinc #sales #security #smallbusiness #softwaredevelopment #tech #technology #update #web #webdevelopment #website

AES-256 Encryption: The Strongest Encryption Standard

12月

14日

With cybercrime continually increasing, security measures tighten for products that store and manage sensitive customer information. When looking closer, you’ll see many of them boast the term “AES-256 encryption” in the description. AES-256 encryption, simply put, is a symmetrical encryption standard that secures sensitive information by scrambling it completely. It’s now become standard practice to use AES-256 encryption to secure personal data because of how secure it is.

To scramble data, it divides the data into blocks, replaces different bytes, shifts rows, and mixes columns. AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) refers to the encryption algorithm, while 256 refers to the key length size. It’s considered the gold standard in encryption because of how hard it is to crack. Even federal government entities like the National Security Agency (NSA) use AES-256 to encrypt sensitive government information.

How It’s Safer Than Alternatives

Unrecognizable Person in a Black Hoodie Typing

AES-256 encryption has a longer key length than other options, which makes it harder to crack. And possible key combinations only increase along with key size. To put this in perspective, a hacker would need to try out 2,256 different combinations of 78 digits to break through the encryption. So, with that in mind, it’s no surprise that it’s nearly impossible for successful brute attack attempts.

Examples of AES-256 in Use

With AES-256 being the strongest encryption standard, many devices, applications, and networks use it to encrypt data. In fact, many modern computers already have AES instructions built into them, specifically those that use Intel or AMD processors. Because the purpose of applications like password managers and VPNs is to store and manage sensitive data, most of them today use AES-256 encryption. Our password manager, Pass Wizard, included.

With cybersecurity becoming increasingly important, we can only expect that security standards will improve in the coming years. But, for now, AES-256 encryption is the strongest encryption standard out there. And it’s why so many devices, apps, and networks continue to use it to encrypt data.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

#aes256 #b2b #blog #business #businesstips #businesstools #cybersecurity #encryption #passwizard #passwordmanagement #passwordmanager #security #smallbusiness #softwaredevelopment #tech #technology #web #webdevelopment #webtools #whatsapp

Announcement: Pass Wizard Server Security Update

12月

10日

To increase Pass Wizard’s overall security, we’ll be updating the Pass Wizard server next week. Unfortunately, we expect there will be a downtime of around 15 minutes while we make this update. The schedule is as follows:

*USA Pacific Daylight Time
December 16th (Friday) 5:00 – 5:15am

*Japan Time
December 16th (Friday) 10:00 – 10:15pm

PSPINC provides services with uptimes of 99.9%.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 1-800-232-3989 or email us at support@pspinc.com.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

#b2b #blog #business #customerservice #cybersecurity #marketing #pacificsoftwarepublishing #passwizard #passwordmanager #pspinc #security #servermaintenance #smallbusiness #softwaredevelopment #tech #technology #update #web #webdevelopment #website

What’s New Newsletter Vol. 145 “Holiday Sales”

12月

9日

It’s officially holiday season, which means it’s also the sale season for small businesses. Generally, it’s best to prepare in advance so that your team has plenty of time to get everything ready. Especially since holiday sales seem to start earlier and earlier as the years go by. While big companies have a large budget to spend on marketing and promotions, a small business has the benefit of being a small business. With there being so much content and product out there today, many customers like knowing their money will support a small and independent business. And it’s largely why Small Business Saturday (the day after Black Friday) is so successful.

While we’re on the topic of holiday sales, you should know that our company’s currently running some. For starters, our password manager, Pass Wizard, is currently 50% off your first year when using the code PRO50! Plus, we’re now offering our web hosting service, Parcom Neo, for free! And our Parcom Plus and Parcom Deluxe plans are currently on sale for 25% off for your first two years to celebrate Parcom's 25th anniversary! So, if you want to support your fellow small business, we hope you’ll consider supporting ours.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

#b2b #blog #business #businesstips #businesstools #hosting #marketing #marketingdigital #marketingtips #newsletter #passwizard #passwordmanager #pspinc #pspincwhatsnewnewsletter #smallbusiness #technology #webdevelopment #webhosting #websites

What’s New Newsletter Vol. 144 “Advertising on Google”

12月

2日

For a small company, it can be hard to justify spending money on marketing. Especially when there are ways to promote your business for free through social media, email, and your own website. But there’s a reason why most small businesses use Google Ads. Organic posts will only get you so far. The biggest benefit that Google has to offer is brand awareness and reach. Sure, you can tell your family and friends all about your business. And share your website on social media. But it’s not enough.

There are billions of internet users out there, millions of which could be potential customers looking for what you have to offer. But they can’t purchase from you if you don’t know you exist. The best way to make sure that doesn’t happen is by advertising on Google. And it’s great for small businesses because it’s not super expensive like some other advertising avenues. So, even though you can market your business for free, it doesn’t mean you should.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

#advertising #blog #businesstips #businesstools #digitalmarketing #facebook #google #marketing #marketingdigital #marketingtips #newsletter #pacificsoftwarepublishing #pspinc #pspincwhatsnewnewsletter #socialmedia #tech #technology #web #websites

PSPINC is #17 on Puget Sound Business Journal’s Asian-Owned Business List of 2022

12月

1日

We’re so excited to announce that we’ve made it onto the Puget Sound Business Journal’s list of Asian-Owned Businesses of 2022 at #17! For 35 years, Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. (PSPINC) has been helping small businesses everywhere grow their business online with digital products and services. And we couldn’t be prouder of the work we’ve done so far.

To see how we can help your business with your online needs, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

#asianownedbusiness #award #b2b #blog #branding #business #businesstools #digitalmarketing #diversity #ecommerce #marketing #marketingdigital #pacificsoftwarepublishing #psbj #pspinc #pugetsoundbusinessjournal #smallbusiness #tech #technology #web

The Benefits of Authenticator Apps

11月

30日

For many online accounts, users can add an extra layer of security with two-factor authentication via authenticator apps. To do this, authenticator apps generate a six to eight-digit code every 30 seconds, which users will enter whenever they log into their accounts. According to Embroker, the pandemic has only accelerated cybercrime, as it’s increased by 600%. And it hasn’t only affected individuals, but small businesses as well. Therefore, multiple-factor authentication (MFA) methods have become more popular over the past few years. And some may argue they may become a norm in the next few years.

To use an authenticator app:

Sign up and install an authenticator app on your mobile device.

Go to any of your online accounts that support two-factor authentication (2FA).

Choose the option to use an authenticator app.

Tap on Add Account in your authenticator app.

Tap on Scan QR Code in your authenticator app and scan the code the website shows you.

Your authenticator app will add your account, giving your account a name and icon.

The next time you sign into your account, you will need to open your authenticator app to enter an access code, which will only last for about 60 seconds before a new code generates.

How Authenticator Apps Work

Authenticator apps use a time-based one-time password (TOTP), a standardized method that generates a routinely changing code based on a shared secret. When setting up 2FA with an authentication app, the server of whatever online account you’re using creates a secret key made up of random numbers and letters. Then, users can save this key by either scanning a QR code or manually entering the longer code into their authenticator app. Doing this then shares the secret key between the server and the user’s phone.

When logging into their account next time, the server asks for proof of this key by prompting users with an access code. Users will then have to open their authenticator app (be it Google, Microsoft, etc.) and enter a six to eight-digit access code to log in. This code, however, isn’t the secret key. Instead, the authenticator app uses a secure-hash function to mix the secret key with the current time to produce a temporary access code. To make it even more secure, the access code is only valid for about 60 seconds, making the code that much more unique.

Why Authenticator Apps Are More Secure Than Text-Based Verification

Another way to protect your online accounts can be through a text message or SMS verification. But SMS verification ties directly to a user’s phone number and SIM card. Ultimately, this means that anyone with access to a user’s phone and/or SIM card can log in with SMS verification. A cybercriminal can attain a user’s SIM card by convincing a mobile provider to send them a SIM card with your number. Or they can intercept your text messages, also known as a “man-in-the-middle” attack.

An authenticator app makes it harder for cybercrime to occur by constantly changing access codes after about 60 seconds. So, if thieves do manage to intercept both the access code and a user’s password, they have a very limited time to use it. And while there are still ways for criminals to hack your account, having 2FA in place for online accounts is still better than not having one at all. And it’s why our password manager, Pass Wizard, gives users the option to add 2FA to their account, either through SMS or one-time password (OTP) via an authenticator app.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

The term "QR Code" is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED.

#app #authenticatorapps #blog #business #businesstips #businesstools #cybersecurity #digitalmarketing #marketing #marketingdigital #marketingtips #mobile #security #smallbusiness #softwaredevelopment #tech #technology #web #webdevelopment #webtools

Get 50% Off Your First Year of Pass Wizard Pro!

11月

22日

The holidays are here early this year because we’re now offering 50% off your first year of Pass Wizard Pro, our secure password manager. Just use the code, PRO50, at checkout and you’ll see the price drop! When upgrading to Pass Wizard Pro, you can:

Securely store and manage as many passwords as you’d like, as opposed to just 30 with the free plan.

Generate strong passwords.

Add multi-factor authentication via SMS or an authenticator app.

Share passwords securely within a group, whether it’s family members, friends, or employees.

If you don’t already have a Pass Wizard account, sign up for free and upgrade to Pro by clicking on the banner at the top. Use the promo code, PRO50, at checkout to get 50% off your first year.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

#blog #business #businesstools #cybersecurity #passwizard #passwordmanagement #passwordmanager #promo #promocode #pspinc #sale #sales #security #smallbusiness #softwaredevelopment #tech #technology #webdevelopment #website #webtools

Why Your Company Website Might Need a Redesign

11月

16日

The end goal of every company website is to drive conversions, increase website traffic, and grow sales. So, it’s important for every company, regardless of industry or niche, to update its website regularly. But your business website could also use a complete redesign every two or three years to stay up to date with everyone else. If you don’t, you risk keeping website elements that not only fail to convert users but also cause your visitors to leave before exploring the rest of what your site has to offer.

Before you go about the redesign process, consider what goals you want to achieve. Some examples include:

Being more visually aligned with your brand

Improving navigation on your site

Keeping users from bouncing off your pages so quickly

What Goes Into a Company Website Redesign?

Blue Pen Beside Black Smartphone on White Paper

When looking at your current site, what works, and what doesn’t? To better determine this, take a closer look at your target audience and your competitor sites. The content on your site should cater to your target audience and highlight what you offer. And the design should revolve around that, making sure it’s easy for your users to navigate. Looking at competitor sites will give you a better idea of industry standards. Plus, they’ll likely have a similar target audience, so their designs influencing some of your design decisions isn’t such a bad idea.

After that, it’s much easier to create a list of requirements. Some will involve the basic elements of a website like a simple navigation bar. But others will include industry-specific or even niche-specific features or add-ons. The clearer you are on your overall vision for your business site, the easier it will be to redesign. Once you have all those, you can implement those changes. But it also comes with a certain amount of risk. To help reduce the risk, try testing those new features to see what helps your site’s website traffic and what hinders it.

Outsource Your Website Redesign

Woman Wearing Red Top Holding Silver Macbook

Unless you’re like us, website development and design are probably not in your wheelhouse. Luckily, there are professionals who can easily take on the task of redesigning. People like us here at PSPINC. We specialize in helping small businesses grow online as a software design and development company. And redesigning your entire business site is a big overhaul. Outsourcing to a company like ours gives you more time to focus on other efforts in growing your business.

If you're looking to update or redesign your website, let us know! We're experts at helping small businesses grow online. And that starts with having a great website for your business.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

#b2b #blog #business #businesstips #design #marketing #marketingdigital #marketingtips #pspinc #redesign #smallbusiness #tech #technology #update #webdesign #webdesigner #webdevelopment #website #websitebuilder #websitedesign #webtools

What’s New Newsletter Vol. 141 “Product Development”

11月

11日

When developing products for your business, it’s important to remember your audience. Regardless of what industry you’re in, customers regard you as experts. And you wouldn’t be running a small business if you didn’t have at least some kind of expertise. The product or service you create shouldn’t just serve you, but also your industry and your audience. Customers are smart, but don’t assume they know the same things you do. Because they don’t. So, don’t design your product in a way that requires them to know more than they do.

To make sure this doesn’t happen, it’s always a good idea to test your new product with someone who isn’t well-versed in your industry. As a tech company, we get our sales and marketing team to try out our new products. And it’s not only because they’re the ones who are trying to sell it. It’s also to see if there are areas where we could improve because if they don’t know how to use it, how can we expect our customers to know?

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.

1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.