•First and foremost, make sure the operating system and any program you use are up to date with patches/updates, as mentioned previously.
•Always be wary of any strange e-mails, especially ones with attachments. When in doubt of the e-mail, you can always contact the sender and ask if their message was legitimate.
•When browsing the internet, always watch what you click and install. Do not simply click OK to dismiss pop-up windows. Also, make sure to read through the End User License Agreement (EULA) before installing; some malware actually list themselves in the EULA so that you legally agree to install them!
•Use a web browser other than Internet Explorer. IE has some inherent vulnerabilities that allow malware to be installed by just browsing a malicious website.*
•Install anti-virus software; scan and update regularly. It can, in most cases, remove and prevent viruses, worms, trojans, and (depending on the software) some spyware.
•Install anti-spyware/anti-adware; scan and update regularly. It will remove and (depending on the software) prevent future adware and spyware. Additional information regarding spyware can be found at http://www.antispywarecoalition.org/
•Follow the rest of the security recommendations to protect against root kits and other more severe attacks.