The basics of what you need to do to keep your computer are covered in anti-virus software, keeping your web browser up to date, and using caution with email.

But you can also use common sense to keep yourself safe and secure.

First, bookmark Snopes. This website exists solely to debunk the stupid emails people send to you that sound ridiculous and most likely are. (If only Snopes had been around when the Pop Rocks urban legend started…)

Second, let’s talk about the Bcc field. BCC stands for Blind Carbon Copy. Using BCC simply means that no one user can see anyone else’s email address. If you are sending an email to multiple users who do not know each other, it’s polite to place their names in the bcc field. The only thing you need to remember is to place someone’s email address in the “To” field, or your message might get caught in the spam filters. (I usually use Michael’s email address for this, since he generally knows everyone I do.)

Third, password protect your computer. Yes, it’s a pain to type in a password every time you want to use your computer, but you’ve got important stuff in there, and if someone steals your laptop, you’re not just don’t several hundred dollars, the thief now has access to everything from all your email accounts to your bank information to the addresses and phone numbers of all your friends.

You can also use programs such as prey or locate my laptop for extra protection.