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5 Essential Computer Habits Every User Should Know

James Tabor

In today’s digital age, where technology is an integral part of our daily lives, understanding good computer habits is crucial for a smooth and secure user experience. Whether you’re a casual user or rely on your computer for work, adopting these habits will not only enhance your
productivity but also protect your valuable data. Here are five essential computer habits every user should know:

  1. Regular Software Updates: Keeping your operating system, applications, and antivirus software up to date is paramount. Updates often include patches for security vulnerabilities and performance enhancements. Set your system to automatically update software whenever possible, or manually check for updates regularly.
  2. Strong Password Management: Your passwords are the keys to your digital kingdom. Create strong, unique passwords for each account, incorporating a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Consider using a reputable password manager to securely store and manage your passwords.
  3. Backup Your Data: Data loss can occur due to hardware failure, malware, or human error. Regularly back up your important files and documents to an external hard drive, cloud storage service, or both. This ensures that even if something goes wrong with your computer, your data remains safe and accessible.
  4. Practice Safe Browsing: Exercise caution when browsing the internet. Avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading files from unknown sources, as they may contain malware or phishing attempts. Use reputable antivirus software and enable browser security features like popup blockers and safe browsing modes.
  5. Be Mindful of Email Security: Email is a common vector for cyber threats such as phishing scams and malware distribution. Be cautious when opening email attachments or clicking on links, especially if they’re from unfamiliar senders or seem suspicious. Verify the legitimacy of emails before taking any action and avoid sharing sensitive information via email whenever possible.

By incorporating these five computer habits into your routine, you can significantly reduce the risk of security breaches, data loss, and other common computer-related issues. Remember, proactive measures such as regular updates, strong passwords, backups, safe browsing, and email security are essential pillars of a secure and productive computing experience. By staying informed and practicing these habits diligently, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the digital landscape safely and effectively.

Protecting Yourself From Scams

Megan Downum

Every day you get flooded with emails, but how do you tell if one is really from your boss or the bank? Scam emails are becoming an everyday occurrence, and no matter how much spam filtering you have, scammers are always going to be one step ahead and things are always going to get through. Below are two steps to help you navigate being able to differentiate scam emails versus legitimate emails:

  • Senders Email: Anyone can open a new email address and say their name is your boss, a colleague, or even use your name. What they often cannot do though is to mimic the actual email address. When you see an email, after the sender’s name, the email address is listed in <>.
    Example: From: Mr. Big Bossman
    When looking at emails, especially ones that may seem a little off, make sure you check the actual email address they are sending from, not just the name.
  • Always double check requests: Scam emails almost always contain a request, whether that be something like buying Amazon gift cards and sending the scammer the codes, to changing banking information, to logging into fake sites to gain your credentials. If the request is not something you were suspecting, reach out directly to whoever you believe sent the request. Do not reply to the email, but start a fresh new email, or call the person in question. If an email is asking you to log in somewhere because your account was compromised, reach out to the account or sign in without following the link in the email.

    • Not sure? That’s why we are here! Scammers get smarter and better every day. But do you know what they don’t have? M Cubed! We are here for you 24-7 if you ever need us to check an email. We are trained in spotting spam and can even test links to check and see if they are valid or not. Feel free to forward our team any emails you are not sure about, and we can let you know if they are safe or not.

Employee Spotlight

Pete James

Pete James, Account Manager in Lawrence Kansas was asked during this interview, “If someone were to write a flattering article about you, what would you want people to know?” Pete’s response, “I don’t do flattering articles.”
Pete, though simple in his responses, is complex in his abilities to provide consultative selling and premier customer service to M Cubed’s valued clients. When not working at M Cubed, Pete is a family man first and a diehard Chiefs and Jayhawks fan second. He and his wife Monica were recently blessed with a beautiful baby girl named Jacqueline, who is guarded by Dale the family dog. Pete’s best friend.