Run as Standard User, Not Administrator
Many of the vulnerabilities found in Windows and Mac operating systems can be prevented simply by running your computer in a limited Standard account.
Most of what you are doing on your computer right now (browsing the web, listening to music, watching videos) does not require the full access that an Administrative account has. So when you get a virus (hopefully you won’t, but it happens) the virus will not have enough privileges on your Standard account to spread across your machine. It won’t have access to multiply or to make harmful changes to your operating system.
Since the release of Windows Vista / 7, it has become a little easier to start doing the most sensible thing: Log in as a Standard User for normal operations.
In the event you do need administrative privileges (to install software, make system changes, etc), today’s latest OSes (Windows 7, OS X 10.6) will prompt you for an admin account password to quickly make that change, then return to standard account status.
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