Please note that these are just personal recommendations, and this article was
written in 2014.

1.  Avoid bad websites.

2.  Have a good antivirus – Malwarebytes is pretty good.

3.  Use a DNS filter like open DNS.

4.  Have a good firewall if you have a front facing IP address.

5.  Use Linux

6.  Avoid less reputable program downloads

7.  Use a VPN on public networks

8.  Use a password manager for storing passwords

9.  Disable Flash

Linux
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Using Linux is not a guarantee way to prevent yourself from getting hacked.
However, the way the system partitions memory makes it harder for viruses to
gain root control. Nothing is preventing a virus from infecting a Linux machine,
especially if you were the one who downloaded it and gave it permission. The
likelihood of you stumbling on a Linux virus is less likely because most people
write viruses for windows machines. There is a ton of viruses on websites that
use JavaScript and Flash that can affect every operating system.

VPN
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Please be smart when using a VPN. Personally, I don’t trust any free VPN or
proxy since it opens the door for a man in the middle attack. If you are
genuinely concerned about your privacy I would use a personal VPN server is
hosted at a place like Digital Ocean.