eluv8,
You can try to make your browser more secure. If you use Firefox, you can use add-on's like BetterPrivacy, AddBlockPlus, and NoScript to help avoid getting into the problem you just faced.
You should also be using a cleaner to clean your cache, temp. Internet files and do not store anything online (or preferably on your machine) for better security. Tools that many of us use here are:
CCleaner http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. There is a Slim version available as well at
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/builds. It removes unused files (cache, temporary Internet files, etc.) from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. Remember
when installing to uncheck the Yahoo toolbar.
An additional tool to remove temp. Internet cache, esp. in IE, is
TFC by OldTimer to your desktop.
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/files/file/187-tfc-temp-file-cleaner-by-oldtimer/· Please double-click
TFC.exe to run it. (
Note: If you are running on Vista, right-click on the file and choose
Run As Administrator).
· It
will close all programs when running, so make sure you have
saved all your work before you begin.
· Click the
Start button to begin the process. Depending on how often you clean temp files, execution time should be anywhere from a few seconds to a minute or two.
Let it run uninterrupted to completion.
· Once it's finished it should
reboot your machine. If it does not, please
manually reboot the machine yourself to ensure a complete clean.
In addition, surf carefully and use common sense. What Tarq57 mentioned in the post is relevent.
Using Avast as your AV, having a good FW, and having on-demand scanners like MBAM are also good lines of defense to improve your security.
Additionally, keep your MS Updates current as well as your software, which you can check for free at Secunia Security Inspector
http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/.