Bad Habits That Lead Your Computer to Potential Danger

If you’re one of those computer users with the following bad habits – even just one – then all you’re doing is bringing harm and danger to the computer. Your bad habits may even bring danger to your personal security if you frequently use the computer and Internet. All these bad habits may eventually and collectively risk the security of your machine, work, online accounts, and sensitive personal information.

Not Cleaning Your Computers

Desktops and laptops have air-intake vents for cooling and are the most affected when it comes to dust and grime. Dust generally won’t damage electronics, but it can clog fans, optical-drive mechanisms and other moving parts, which can lead to component failures and overheating if the fans stop working properly. Cleaning your computer isn’t hard, but it’s important to do so regularly before too much dust and grime build up significantly. Try cleaning out your PC just once a month using compressed canned air or desktop blower and a soft brush to remove dust that has been stuck. Be careful in cleaning around sensitive components.

Eating and Drinking Around the Computer

Many people are guilty of drinking, eating, or just snacking while working on the computer. This is not good for computers. Crumbs, oils, sticky spills and germs will build up on the device, potentially gumming up keys and mouse functionality. The worse thing that could happen is spilling your coffee or soda drink on your computer.

Smoking

Cigarette smoke isn’t just bad for humans but for computers as well. Dust and tar can build up in the unit and over time, the build-up causes the Central Processing Unit to overheat and fail.

Using One Password for Everything or Reusing Passwords Over and Over

You’d be surprised to know how most hackers get into your online accounts because they take advantage of weak passwords, and when they obtain one, they use it to log in to other vital accounts. Some users will argue that it’s not realistic to have different passwords for every online account they have. But that’s not true because many people can have several passwords and have never been hacked in their life. We suggest creating at least three types of passwords: A strong one for online banking and shopping, a moderately strong one for email and social media sites, and a generic one for non-financial or non-essential websites.

Failing to Back up Files and Data

You have a bad habit of not making copies of your files and other important data, so what do you do when your computer crashes and you lose everything? You can always start from scratch by reinstalling your OS and other programs, but you can’t reinstall lost files and data. So do back up your data. Any number of online backup services will sync your files automatically with a cloud-storage system, whether you use a PC, tablet, or laptop. Or you can physically back up files and data by saving on external drives or DVD’s.