Cybernetic mayhem is generally targeted at four kinds of things, i.e. windows itself, ms word, outlook, and the internet explorer. To the extent that you can avoid any of those things, you're safer and better off. I do all of my email and most of my web browsing on a linux machine, and avoid ie and outlook altogether.
Its due to a poor DRM design by Microsoft. Ironically, as Eric L. Howes has observed P2P users illegal MP3 files are more secure than MS's own WM files! Its a commentary on the state of the industry that no one wants to make DRM secure for consumers who browse to listen and watch on the web. Enough of these abuses and people may get turned off to multi-media content altogether.