WHAT "bad" websites?

[BobLewiston]

Please excuse my naïveté: exactly what types of websites am I supposed to steer clear of to avoid contracting malware infections?

[_Aerospace_Eng_]

Probably any torrentz sites, any warezs sites (pirated downloads). You could also stay away from sites that allow you to watch "shows" online unless they are trusted. Sites like hulu, nbc, abc, and the household names are usually okay.

[dniwebdesign]

Some torrent sites are okay as they have some strict moderators that usually are pretty good at cleaning them out, however... I agree with Aerospace. Stay away from any sites that offer illegal content or porn and you should be alright.

[oracleguy]

Only selectively loading ActiveX or Java applets is also a good idea.

[tdave]

I think it's save when visiting most of the sites,just beware when downloading files and Delete cookies, clear temporary Internet files and clean up registry.

[ffmast]

Basically, if you keep your windows + browser updated with latest security patches , you can go to any site.
You should not run any files from those sites, though.
If you are extra paranoid, disable active-x'es.
If you have a good anti-virus (I use Eset) , it helps too.

[wakayi]

I your website take virus to visiters, that looks malware infections

[Azzaboi]

You might as well say stay clear of 99% of all websites and put your browser on text-base only, no activeX, javascript, etc. Better yet don't use the net at all!

All you really need to be is ensure you have a quality up-to-date anti-virus and firewall is a security must (not the microsoft firewall which is useless). I use Kaspersky Internet Security 2010, which protects from viruses and trojans, as well as scripting, phishing sites, riskware, adware, malicous tools, registry changes, application control, spam, hack attempts, etc. It's a very good, recommended product, but it's not a free one. There's lots of other, more basic ones out there, some free, like AVG and ZoneAlarm.

Most infections come from porn sites, hacking sites, torrent downloads, advertising popups, msn and email. Just scan and be careful when running anything not trusted.

[drhowarddrfine]

You have no way of knowing which sites will have problems and some legitimate sites contract viruses themselves. You have no control so the best you can do is have an anti-virus program and avoid sites that are likely to have such things, as those mentioned above.

It's just like avoiding bad neighborhoods but that's no guarantee you will never get mugged.

[BobLewiston]

Only selectively loading ActiveX or Java applets is also a good idea.

Could you please explain this in a little detail?

[eu4ria]

Also, block adverts using either adblock or some other means. I have heard of 'good' sites infecting people because the company they use to serve ads was compromised and so they ended up serving compromised adverts themselves.

Also blocking ads makes the whole internet a much nicer experience in general :D

Also keep your Flash up to date, that is constantly having security holes found in it.

[arindra]

You can never know which site contains the virus and which don't...Stay away from all download options, stay away from porn sites and use a strong antivirus for your PC.You need to do just that to stay secure.

[tomcruisesky]

keep ur antivirus up to date n used nod32 for better results

[sentril]

It takes awhile to understand what bad sites are but if you are not comfortable with torrents stay away from them.

[BobLewiston]

Only selectively loading ActiveX or Java applets is also a good idea.
I'd still like an explanation of this if possible, please.

Also, block adverts using either adblock or some other means.
Do I need an ad blocker in addition to the following?

OS: Windows XP Pro (version 5.1) SP3
anti-virus: Avast Free 5.0.418
firewall: PC Tools Firewall Plus Free 6.0.0.74
anti-malware blocker: SpywareBlaster 4.2
anti-malware scanner / removers: Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.44 freeware & SUPERAntiSpyware freeware 4.35.1000
clean-up utility: Glary Utilities 2.20.0.831
browser: Internet Explorer 8

Windows user account with limited level (rather than administrative level) priveleges for going online

IE8 security settings:
I. Zone: Trusted sites
I.A. Security level for this zone: Medium-high
II. Zone: Internet
II.A. Security level for this zone: Medium-high
II.B. Custom Level button :
II.B.1. ActiveX controls and plug-ins:
II.B.1.a. Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
II.B.1.b. Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Disable
II.B.1.c. Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe for scripting: Disable
II.B.1.d. Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Enable
II.B.1.e. Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting: Enable
II.B.2. Miscellaneous:
II.B.2.a. Installation of desktop items: Prompt
II.B.2.b. Launching programs and files in an IFRAME: Prompt
II.B.2.c. Navigate sub-frames across different domains: Prompt

keep ur antivirus up to date n used nod32 for better results
What's "nod32"?

[brad211987]

My personal opinion. You are in really good shape with what you have, but I would switch browsers. Internet Explorer is not known for its security. By switching to Firefox or Chrome you will get a faster and more secure browser experience.