So, I haven't been on these boards much mainly because I'm busy with work. I have a shop in a town that doesn't have a competitor, so I see a lot of systems. And I have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't work in regards to virus and malware, ransomware, encrpyted files, whatever. If you can think of it, some kid is going to find it and get owned like a bitch.
Anyway, here's some observations:
Windows 8 gets viruses. And it's a pain in the ass thanks to the limited boot options.
I recommend Norton or Kaspersky. Enable Boot Time Protection. I have seen every other av solution out there get infected, the worse offenders are the free ones. Theoretically every av is vulnerable though.
If you have Java installed, keep it updated. The majority of infections come through an old version of Java. And uninstall those old versions, too. Or just get rid of it completely.
Stop browsing the web as the administrator. The Limited Account User can find porn and warez just as easily.
Bleepingcomputer.com is a great resource for programs. Tweaking.com also makes an awesome program for getting things back in order after an infection.