When most people get a new computer they setup a login or use the default login which usually have ‘administrative’ privileges.   With administrative privileges, you can install ANYTHING on your computer and this is also what gets people in trouble.  Most malware gains access to your system by tricking the user into installing their program.  A common mode of deception is the “you have viruses” approach where a windows pops up telling you that your system is infected.  Even if you know you’re looking at a fake and try to exit or shut down the program, the makers had the foresight to make the cancel button and the red ‘X’ close-window button into an install button.  That’s right, you think you’re getting out of a bad situation when you tell it to close you’re actually installing the malware.  One way to prevent the installation would be open the ‘Task Manager’ and end the process to kill the installation.  Another more proactive way to prevent malware for getting installed on your systems is to reserve administrative privileges for administrative tasks, such as program installations.

It’s a very easy concept to implement.  Create one account with administrative privileges and make the rest ‘limited’ users.  In order for malware to install itself into your system, it needs access to critical operating system files and directories.  By surfing the web with only ‘user’ privileges, you cut off malware’s ability to install in the background because the user security settings won’t allow it.  When you need to install a program you simply login to your ‘administrative’ account.