Microsoft wants to help their users stay organized and get even more out of their day – and with their newest app, they plan to do just that. Meet To-Do, an intelligent task management app that’s currently available in Preview. Fully integrated with Microsoft Office 365, To-Do lets you create a list for anything, from work, to chores to groceries and more. Features include the capability to add reminders, due dates, notes, and personalization. Thanks to cloud integration, you can access your To-Do lists from mobile platforms, through web browsers, and of course, on your home computer. Even better, To-Do offers an “Intelligent Suggestions” feature, which uses To-Do’s smart algorithm to highlight overdue and upcoming tasks ahead of others on your list. From there, you add the tasks you want to My Day, keeping them all in one high priority place. Robust integration with Microsoft Office 365 currently allows users to automatically sync Tasks in Outlook with To-Do. Future updates will offer further features that come with integrating To-Do with other popular apps in the Office 365 suite. Thanks to its foundation in the cloud, To-Do also comes with the enterprise-grade security you’ve come to expect from Microsoft products, such as data encryption during transit and at rest, and data storage in hyper-scale, globally networked data centers. So be sure to give To-Do a try and see how it can change the way you tackle the day, both at home and at the office. For more information about getting the most out of Microsoft products, reach out to us at {phone} or {email} right away.

When it comes to social media marketing, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are no longer enough. Get an edge over your competition by mastering Snapchat now! Since all but taking over online communication, social media has become a viable business tool as well. Social media is easy and affordable to use, and it allows access to vast numbers of potential new customers. While Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube are being used liberally by today’s businesses, there’s one exciting platform that isn’t seeing as much traffic: Snapchat. Snapchat is one of the fastest-growing social media options with millennials. There are well over 100 million active Snapchat users, and over 70 percent are under the age of 34. Put quite simply, businesses looking to connect with this crowd should be on Snapchat. Easy to Use Snapchat works by providing an interface through which users can easily send photos and videos, or “Snaps,” to their followers. The media sent is only viewable for up to 10 seconds (the user gets to determine the length of the display). Afterward, it disappears forever. Multiple snaps can be strung together to create a “story” viewable for up to 24 hours. Some other compelling Snapchat facts and stats include: Users are Highly Active. An impressive 65 percent of Snapchat users post new content at least once per day. You can do the same, and your business will stay active in the consciousness of potential customers. Ready to Buy. Nearly 60 percent of college students said they were very likely purchase a product using a coupon they received via Snapchat. Get More Personal with Users. Snapchat allows for showing current and potential customers a more casual, behind-the-scenes view of your company. Builds Trust. Trust in your brand will grow the more you post on Snapchat. Users will come to feel as if they “know” your company and be more likely to choose you over your competitors. Growing Your Snapchat Network Unlike Instagram and Twitter, hashtags aren’t enough to entice new followers. On Snapchat, users must find and add you. To add users, you must know their Snapchat names. Snapchat does not have native discovery capabilities. Gaining Snapchat followers requires using your company’s online presence – including your other social media accounts – to raise awareness about your Snapchat account. Here are some tips for getting the ball rolling: Promote Actively. Promote your Snapchat account name within your other social media profiles as well as in email signatures, blog posts and on your website. Use the “Add Me URL.” This feature allows for sharing a customized URL on other social media platforms. It lets users easily and rapidly connect with you. Use this link and replace “username” with your business Snapchat account name:https://www.snapchat.com/add/username Share Valuable, Compelling Content. Plan a content series that tells a story, teaches something new, allows users to play a game, or otherwise keeps them engaged. Use Snapcodes. Grab your Snapchat QR code image as a cropped screen shot and use it within your other social media account profiles. Getting active on Snapchat now can vault your business ahead of the competition on this fast-moving platform. If your company is ready to succeed on Snapchat, contact {company} of {city} at {phone} or {email}. We look forward to helping you succeed!

Ransomware is malware that either freezes your computer or locks it so you cannot access data and programs that your company normally uses. The criminal that is holding your system hostage, demands a ransom that is usually paid in Bitcoin. Imagine opening your business one morning, turning your computer on and reading a message that says something like: Attention – Your System is Locked. If you want your data and programs unlocked, you must pay a fee of $800. If you are a new business or a small one, $800 can be a lot of money. It is in effect a ransom payment and is the harbinger that your computer is a victim of ransomware. What is Ransomware/Malware? Ransomware is malware that either freezes your computer or locks it so you cannot access data and programs that your company typically uses. The criminal that is holding your system hostage, demands a ransom that is usually paid in Bitcoin. One thing about this kind of criminal is they believe in excellent customer service. Instructions are sent you about how to pay in Bitcoin. Also, the thief or gang of thieves usually do return your computer back over to you – otherwise, most people would not bother to pay the ransom. However, the ransom is only the beginning of your expenses relating to a ransomware incident involving your business. What Are the Other Costs of Ransomware? In 2016, the average cost of paying a ransom demand involving accessing a business’ computer programs and data was $679. It is expected to rise in 2017 to nearly $800. But, that is not the only, nor necessarily, the greatest expense. The other costs attendant to ransomware include: Regulatory Fines It is the duty of every business to safeguard the Personal Financial Information (PFI) and Personal Identifying Information (PII) of clients and customers. Regulatory authorities such as the US Department of Health and Human Services (HIPAA compliance) or the Federal Trade Commission for letting PII fall victim to a ransomware attack. Fines can be high (millions of dollars) but are usually not levied if there had been no other prior issues regarding confidentiality. For those firms who had previous breaches, fines can quickly add up to millions of dollars. A Lack of Productivity When a computer system is unreachable, your employees are undergoing downtime. Without your business data and programs, they are unable to work and are simply nothing more than another expense due to ransomware. Depending on the size of your workforce is how much this costs. A research study by the firm Vanson Bourne for SentinelOne reveals that it takes 38 man hours to recover from a ransomware attack. Loss of Customers/Lack of New Customers When a company is victimized by a ransomware attack, most states require that anyone whose data may have been breached must be advised of the possible breach. Doing so may lead to customers leaving you for another company. Likewise, it is harder to find new clients or customers. Loss of Employees/Inability to Hire Top Applicants The situation is similar when it comes to employee retention and new hires – employees want to know their employer has an excellent reputation that is unsullied by a successful ransomware attack. {company} in {city} is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest information technology tips, tricks, and news. Contact us at {phone} or send us an email at {email} for more details.

When a major business phone system provider shuts down, it’s important to check your own system to make sure there’s no problem! Big news from Toshiba is sending waves through the business community: The company is closing up its telecom branch permanently within the next few months. Specifically, Toshiba is going to be shutting down “TSD” or its Telecommunication Systems Division within the next two months. This division specialized in selling business phone systems and related services throughout North America and even recently announced new VoIP offerings for the United States. Obviously, a lot has now changed, so here’s what you need to know. Your Phone Services May Be At Risk Toshiba’s telecommunication products and services will not suddenly shut down, and people won’t immediately come for your business phones, so this limits the damage that this news can do up front. However, problems are developing for businesses that depend on Toshiba systems, so it’s important to find out if you use Toshiba VoIP services, or related solutions. The clock is now ticking on how long those services will be available. The problem is that your company probably hasn’t bought these services from Toshiba directly. Instead, the more common arrangement is that Toshiba uses more local resellers to package up and sell their services, which often appear under a different brand name. Toshiba’s name may not appear on any of your bills or software information (or at least, only in the fine print). That means it is time to contact your IT department or service provider and ask if any of your services will be affected by the TSD shutdown. Remember, this is even worse for the resellers than it is for their customers, because they are put in a very difficult position regarding service cancellation. Many resellers are responding by looking for other providers to sell services alongside: Some companies, like Zultys, have even stepped up and offer programs to resellers to help transition their current Toshiba packages to Zultys packages. If one of these deals works out with your provider, you may not need to lose services at all (although your bill may change). That’s why it is important to stay on top of the issue and find out what is going on. However, there is some good news too! If you want to switch to a new service ASAP to avoid any of these problems, Toshiba will be dropping early termination fees, so it won’t cost you any extra to switch. Hardware Support Will Probably Be Dropped Toshiba’s business phone systems were targeted at small to medium businesses, and included some hardware. Hardware is trickier to deal with than software, because it cannot easily be updated – especially if production has stopped. Typically, in these situations, companies like Toshiba offer limited support and replacement services for a year or two (or less), but then even this option dries up. If no one takes over production – and that doesn’t seem likely at this point – then any Toshiba TSD devices have a very limited shelf life. Find out if you depend on any TSD devices in your company, and start making plans to replace them with an alternative brand. It’s better to do this now than waiting until the last minute…or ignoring the problem and hoping that nothing ever goes wrong with your equipment. This is a Sign of Bigger Problems at Toshiba Toshiba is currently going through restructuring, which is one reason that TSD is shutting down. The source of the problem in this case appears to be one of Toshiba’s core divisions, Westinghouse Electric, which appears to be on its way to bankruptcy. Toshiba is under pressure to shut down or at least massively change WE, and this could be one of the first steps to doing just that. It may be worthwhile to see if you have any Westinghouse Electric devices or services as well, and note that its days are numbered. It’s Time to Rethink VoIP Toshiba was one of the last big digital business phone system providers in North America…and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Everyone else is busy switching to a primarily VoIP-focused model (Voice over Internet Protocol, a.k.a. routing phone services through internet connections and using computers to answer phones), for obvious reasons. Even compared to digital, VoIP services are more scalable, flexible, and cost-effective: There is less and less reason to avoid switching to VoIP, and Toshiba’s TSD shutdown is even more proof that the flexibility of VoIP is an ideal option. The Importance of Picking Providers Carefully Finally, this is an excellent example of why you should pick providers carefully. Even large corporations are not immune to change, so it’s important to look for providers and vendors that are in it for the long haul – and have the customer support to back that claim up. If a provider is going through restructuring or transition, it’s best to avoid them for now. For more answers about business communication and information management in {city}, {company} can help! Contact us at {phone} or send a message to {email} and let us know how we can help!

You have several options to protect your organization from malicious email attacks. Keep data secured through alternatives like cloud-based client portals. As more and more businesses are using email as their primary form of communication, it is of utmost important to keep networks safe. You may be relying on email to share confidential information with clients such as necessary documents they need to download and sign. Email security involves a range of issues, and there are different strategies employed to keep communications secure as well as private. Viruses and Email One of the most common issues regarding email security is the possibility of exposing your network to dangerous viruses. A virus can act as a small annoyance or can bring down an entire mail server. In many cases, the viruses are downloaded onto a network via email attachments. Besides viruses, other dangers lurk when users download attachments. For instance, ransomware often makes its way onto computer systems through attachment downloads. Ransomware has seen a rise in popularity because the attack has a proven successful track record. Hackers ask for a nominal fee and businesses often pay the price because getting their data back is crucial to resuming operations. One wrong assumption business owners often have is the idea email viruses are only delivered to inboxes via spam. Many viruses pop up in seemingly innocuous communications. The more significant issue with spam is the way these emails overload servers. Spam decreases workplace productivity while clogging up servers. Phishing Phishing is the cyber form of identity theft. Through email communications, criminals pose as legitimate institutions and ask recipients to share private financial information. Phishing scams look to lure individuals to websites where they are tricked into providing credit card details, passwords, social security numbers, bank routing details, and more. Phishing scams can also entice recipients to download infected attachments to their computers. Email Spoofing Email spoofing is a common scam among hackers. The hacker poses as another sender, sometimes using a legitimate sounding return address, to convince the recipient to send sensitive data. You may be asked to click on a link bringing you to an URL with a cloned website. What Can You Do? Email security doesn’t have to be a headache any longer for your company. Client portals are becoming an increasingly popular way to avoid the many problems associated with email exchanges. Within a customer portal, vital documents can be uploaded and shared with clients and colleagues. You can still use email to communicate, but instead of uploading documents or images, a link to the portal can be sent instead of an attachment. Client portals allow all communications to exist securely in the cloud and be accessible anywhere an online connection is available. Client portals are also time savers since you won’t have to encrypt attachments or set up individual passwords. Authentication through client portals are generated automatically and can be shared confidentially. A Full System Security Plan All areas of an email system need to have some form of security in place. Mail servers must have security patches updated and upgrades applied on a regular basis. An email security system can be implemented to scan incoming correspondence and flag any emails that could have malware attached. If your business consistently sends confidential information via email, an encryption program may need to be implemented. Firewalls may also help protect your mail servers from malware attacks. At the very least, you’ll want to perform regular testing on your email system to check for vulnerabilities. In the meantime, you should also back up any data found within your email servers to a cloud-based program. Email is an important communication tool but can expose a company to significant IT risks. Mitigate many of these risks by relying on a client portal to share and view relevant attachments. Client portals are cost-effective and are managed through cloud-based servers.

The internet has changed over the years, but people remain the same. See what’s different, what’s similar and how the past can define the future. There’s a famous clip from The Today Show in 1994 where the hosts try to figure out what the internet is. Millennials watch it and giggle as the stars puzzle over seemingly simple concepts like email and web pages. The hosts weren’t silly or stupid, they were only trying to come to terms with a disruptive technology that has since taken over practically everything we do. There are articles from experts in subsequent years that promise the internet would die off soon, much like Hula Hoops or flagpole sitting. We’ll look back at the results of a survey from the early days, and what the average person was doing when they used their precious phone line to connect. Email The Pew Research Center took a survey in late 1995 about how Americans were making use of the internet. People check their email on average 15 times a day in 2017, and some are always getting alerts as to every new piece of mail that pops into their inbox. But back in 1995, 29% of more than 4,000 people testified that they only checked their email once a day. On average, they sent three emails a day and received only about five. CD-Roms Vs. Internet If Americans had to choose between CD-ROMs at the time and the internet, it seems that people would choose CD-ROMs. Around half the people surveyed had CD-ROMs, and attitudes and usage patterns suggest that the web just wasn’t cutting it for them yet. Adult Entertainment Most people wanted to eliminate any type of adult entertainment from the internet entirely, though the margins were somewhat slim with a 52 to 41% vote for banning it. At the time, censorship seemed perfectly reasonable, much like the movies or television. Websites Only 1 in every 5 users had ever signed onto the web, even though the first website was already 5 years old. Survey participants appreciated connecting with strangers via chat and skipping postage costs via email, but the days of idle surfing weren’t quite here yet. Privacy Concerns The concerns over privacy have waned and waxed over the years, but it’s not a new concept. Half of the users admitted to worrying about someone invading their privacy in 1995. While that concern would filter out some in 2008 and 2009, it was revived again after Edward Snowden laid out the brutal truths he’d encountered in national security. Americans are more concerned about their privacy regarding businesses and government than they ever were before. Understanding the past is a good way to keep us moving forward — until the time another generation can ask questions that will seem obvious to the generation that follows. {company} is the trusted choice when it comes to staying ahead of the latest developments and can provide you with tips, tricks and news. Contact us at {phone} or send us an email at {email} for more information.

Don’t think a domain name affects SEO? Think again. Use these tips to make your domain relevant to local search engines. Domain names hold more importance to a business than most companies first realize. Domain names not only help your web pages get found by clients but also play a vital role in driving search engine traffic. When choosing a domain name for search engine optimization, you need to consider more than just relevancy. Page ranking and security will also need factoring in. Start at the Top A top level domain extension will be your website’s meet and greet for current and prospective clients. This is why you must aim to make a good first impression. Ideally, you want to choose a domain ending in .com, .co.uk, or .edu. Domains ending with .info or .biz are believed to be negatively affected by Google’s search engine algorithms. Newly developed domain names can also be detrimental to ranking. Be Keyword Friendly, Not Spammy Many new businesses make the mistake of trying to stuff their domain names with keywords related to their brand. If a keyword makes sense to your company then by all means, put it in your name. However, domain names like buyhighqualitycheaptiresnow.com are going to be recognized as spam by Google and will be associated with the low-quality content. Build your own brand recognition through your domain selection. When settling on your domain name, go for a memorable moniker your customers can easily remember without having to jot the name down. Try to avoid hyphens between words when possible as well. Too many hyphens decrease the chances of having clients finding your website quickly. If you do use keywords in your domain name, specific keywords will always perform better than their generic counterparts. For instance, people are more likely to click on a link titled racingscooters.com versus myscooters.com. Keep in mind too that generic website domains are also a less cost-effective choice overall for a business. Since a generically named domain is already likely owned, you’ll have to pay more to gain ownership. Brand significance will make the biggest impact when choosing an appropriate domain name. Even if you’re not yet well known in the industry, Google will eventually recognize your company page as a legitimate business and rank it as such. Even if your business has a common name, you can still rank high in search engines. For instance, type in “apple” and you’re not likely to come across any first page results related to the fruit. Keep in mind that the shorter the domain name you choose, the better. Ideally, your domain name will have no more than one or two words in total. Many of the top ranking domain names have fewer than 10 characters (not including the extensions). Subfolders Versus Subdomains Some developers have launched content on subdomains as a way to rank higher in SEO. An example would be blog.yourcompanyname.com versus www.yourcompanyname.com/blog. Research has shown subfolders will actually do better for your SEO than subdomains. The only exception to this rule seems to relate back to whether you have a foreign language version available on your website or not. In that case, a subdomain is preferred. Also, you will want to have a geo-specific extension for each of your websites. As an example, if you’re looking to target customers in Australia, your domain should end with .com.au. Security Considerations Phishing scams are a widespread problem. Cyber criminals create domains for the particular purpose of stealing valuable information from individuals browsing the web. The web developer will create content on the page to look strikingly similar to a legitimate provider. When choosing a domain, you want to steer clear of selecting an address with an URL that could easily be misspelled and land customers on a malicious website. Also, your IT security team should be responsible for keeping a look out for parked domains once your site goes live. A parked domain is a placeholder for future web content. By blocking parked domains, they prevent malicious content from going live. The biggest takeaway is to choose wisely before going live with your new domain name. The age of a domain will also affect SEO. Making a solid name pick beforehand helps you avoid changing the domain down the road and undermining your current SEO work.

Because Google always changes the algorithm that it uses to determine search engine rankings, your business’ website needs to stay on top of the current key features that can help move it to the top of Google’s search results. Many companies approach search engine optimization as a one-time challenge; once you have set up your company’s website with an eye to maximizing your Google search ranking, they think, you’re all set. In actuality, Google regularly makes changes to its algorithm that determines its search engine rankings. Keeping your business’ website at the top of Google’s search results requires constant attention to the changes in Google’s ranking factors and continuous tweaking of your site’s content. With that in mind, here are the four key features to utilize right now to improve your business’ Google search ranking. HTTPS Google first announced that HTTPS would be used as a factor in its ranking system back in 2014. MozCast, an online platform dedicated to tracking the changes in Google’s algorithm, has found that Google is keeping that promise; almost 46 percent of all of Google’s top ranking websites are HTTPS sites. Google has made this push based on their belief in the need for strong Internet security. Especially if your business offers any form of online shopping or information gathering features, moving to HTTPS is critical. Google AdWords While pay-per-click services like Google AdWords have not traditionally been a part of search engine optimization, MozCast has found a direct relationship between the two. Almost 53 percent of websites that appear on the first page of Google’s search results feature Google AdWords on the top of their pages. In short, paying for Google AdWords yourself won’t raise your search ranking, but becoming a part of Google’s advertising network and having ads embedded on your web page might. Reviews Google is upfront about the fact that it utilizes customer reviews in determining website rankings, so it should come as no surprise that almost 37 percent of businesses that reach Google’s first page of search results feature customer reviews. Indeed, Google itself now displays customer ratings right below text ads in order to connect customers with quality businesses. Knowledge Panels As MozCast has noted, approximately 38 percent of Google’s highest ranking websites have Knowledge Panels. Knowledge Panels appear as information boxes to the right of Google’s search results and are intended to help potential customers quickly find contact and other information for businesses. Unfortunately, you cannot directly put your business in a Knowledge Panel; Google itself makes the determination based on your company’s relevance to a potential customer’s search. However, you can influence the chance that your business will be included in a Knowledge Panel by increasing your business’ general prominence and local search engine optimization. Concerned that you’re not doing everything that you need to help get your business to the top of Google’s rankings? Contact us today at {phone} or {email} and we can introduce you to an expert from within our community of specialists.

Companies of all sizes are able to benefit from technology as a data-driven prescription for improvement in productivity. If you talk to many business professionals, there is a consensus that advancing technology is the future for successful firms and industries alike. Productivity and employee engagement are paramount to a company’s success, and emerging technologies are recognizing and capitalizing on these industry needs. In fact, the two often go hand in hand, with technology serving as a bridge between, as well as facilitating a more cohesive drive towards unified goals, within the organization. With the proper hardware and software tools in place, companies can identify specific organizational challenges and strategically plan for improved results. Businesses of all sizes are able to benefit from technology as a data-driven prescription for improvement. Let’s examine particular advantages of an increased tech presence in the workplace. Transparency Regardless of industry, company size, or goals for the future, transparency on every level is the most critical component to an organization’s success. Transparency offers management teams insight into which processes, business tools, and assets are working, which aren’t, and provides the data to back it up. It ensures every member of the workforce understands the company’s goals, and their role in ensuring those goals are met. Through technology such as software, hardware, and mobile devices, our business tools are now able to better communicate both with each other, and our workforce, ensuring our workers are supported both now and into the future. Collaboration Organizations striving for long-term success realize the value of teamwork and collaboration. “Teams are made up of individuals, but the synergy that a team can generate to become far greater than the sum of its parts is what makes great teams” ~John Bowen, Chair of BIFM’s Procurement Sig. For optimal fluidity in collaboration, there must be a consistent flow of information at all times. Fortunately, today’s management teams have access to a bevy of technological tools that not only enhance but inspire teamwork and collaboration. Successful business leaders must leverage such technology to empower their workforce and colleagues. Flexibility Your workforce should strive to be able to perform under adverse and changing conditions. Often the best preparation for such tasks is to have your team regularly work outside of the parameters of normal company office settings. With the addition of technology in the workplace, employee flexibility is at an all-time high, allowing workers to range outside of the office, while still sending and receiving vital information. With mobile employees, problems can be met literally face-to-face. Plus, the tenants of transparency and collaboration are greatly strengthened through increased, regular contact between team members, even when miles apart. This continual flow of ideas and solutions strengthens your team, the decision-making process, and the overall effectiveness of your business. Enhanced Employee Engagement A 2014 Global Workforce Study, “more than 60% of employees are unsupported, detached or disengaged”. With over half the workforce disengaged, management teams recognized the need to implement tools that achieved transparency, collaboration, and flexibility. Tech tools supply a much-needed switch to the typical office routines. With regards to the immediacy in which social media gives feedback, a similar workflow model is currently developing and growing amongst the professional business community. The end result – a more engaged and productive workforce. Improved Efficiency Equally as critical to an organization’s success is its access to relevant, real-time information. Recent advances in technology allow disparate software systems to communicate with each other. Management teams have a clearer understanding of how the facility’s space and assets are being utilized and maintained. Realistic goals are defined and tracked. Employee success is monitored, allowing employees to be redirected to different roles should their talents be better used elsewhere. With this kind of precise monitoring, employees also avoid needlessly repeating tasks while finding more time to complete specific tasks, adding to the overall enjoyment of the workplace environment. Tracking and Analyzing Performance One of the hidden gems of progressive management is to empower employee progress through their own system of goals. Technology allows employees and management alike to follow productivity trends for individuals, teams, and organizationally. In turn, individual goals can be tracked and, despite the staunchest opponent’s objections, we all want to compete on some level. With the ability to assist, monitor, and streamline workflow for maximized production, technological solutions have signaled the epoch of a new era in business. There is truly a new method of communicating, conducting business and interacting with customers, which is blossoming before our eyes. This tool must be used with planning and purpose, though, to avoid wasting such a valuable resource. Conduct thorough research, design the proper system for your specific needs and set your wheel in motion.

Broadcasting your password on national television may be the easiest way to invite hackers, but common password mistakes make it almost as easy for your data security to be compromised. Password safety may not be one of the most interesting topics in the realm of cybersecurity, but having a strong password is one of the easiest ways to protect your business’ data integrity. The importance of a robust password has been emphasized by many experts, yet often users who think that they are utilizing a secure password are actually opening themselves up to attacks. You may not be broadcasting your password on national television, but if your password falls into one of the following categories, you could be just as vulnerable to hackers. Short and Simple Short, simple passwords may be easy to remember, but they are also easy to guess. In general, the longer a password is, the harder it is for hackers to break it. Each additional character that you add to your password increases the possible combination of letters, numbers and symbols exponentially. Remember that hackers tend to go after low-hanging fruit, so any steps that you take to make your password harder to crack increases the likelihood that someone trying to break in will move on to the next target instead. Lacking in Numbers or Symbols Letters-only passwords may be more intuitive for you–but they are for hackers as well. Just as adding additional characters to your password exponentially increases the number of the possible combinations, so does using numbers and symbols in addition to letters. Just think about it: using letters, symbols and numbers means that each character in your password has almost twice as many options as if you only use letters. Based on Personal Information As highlighted in the clip from Jimmy Kimmel Live, using personal information such as a pet’s name or a birthday is incredibly common. Including personal details in your password, however, makes you very vulnerable to hacking. You may think that “Fido111379” is secure and difficult to guess, but blog posts discussing your dog or Facebook comments wishing you a happy birthday can broadcast your personal details to anyone who cares enough to look for them. Simplistic Patterns Being able to remember your password is, of course, necessary and utilizing a pattern might seem to be an easy solution to commit it to memory. Complex patterns that use letters, numbers and symbols within a long password are not a security risk. However, most people who use patterns in their password rely on overly simplistic ones, and this makes you vulnerable to hackers, particularly if your password is short. One particular type of pattern that you must avoid is keyboard-based patterns, such as “123qwe” or “1qaz2wsx.” Worried that your business’ data might be vulnerable to hackers? The experts at {city}’s {company} can help you evaluate your security procedures to see if you have any glaring holes. Contact us today at {phone} or {email} to learn more. Used by permission