Protection From Malware (Windows Users)

[Tonus]

Aside from the method that I use, how would you go about "preventing" a Windows machine from being infected in the first place (assuming that the malware is undetectable on most commercial AV packages? Would you simply allow your machine to become infected and then endeavour to remove the virus(es) using Malwarebytes and TDSSKiller? I just do longer have a great deal of confidence in virus removal programs.

I don't know if it's possible to prevent an infection as much as try to avoid them. Cthulhu Dreaming covered the most pertinent steps. I try to avoid suspicious sites and files, and am cautious if I ever get a pop-up window or any sort of offer for toolbars and utilities that I don't recognize. I just checked the history on my MSE and it shows nothing. I know I've had an infection or two over the past ten years or so, but I discovered them quickly enough that they didn't do much more than inconvenience me.

One useful thing to do is add entries to your Hosts file. I only have a couple of entries in mine right now, but in the past I used the one from WinHelp. They are useful for keeping some of the more annoying sites from getting access to your computer, even if it's just for the sake of spamming you with worthless ads.