I never worried on Windows about security as much as I should have, it just so happens I've been lucky to have never been hit with ransomware.
By the time...
TL;DR - About switching from Linux Mint to Qubes OS from among various other options
Clicking on things that look legit is a critical part of interaction with computers. Programs should not be installed unintentionally, so first and foremost Office Macros should not be enabled by default (and eventually Microsoft did disable them).
Recently I think the main avenue for malware is to send a PDF with a fake popup for an update, that links to a phishing site and prompts you to download an exe with malware. That kind of thing is a harder issue to solve, but at the very least an OS should probably not let that program update your BIOS.
Clicking on things that look legit is a critical part of interaction with computers. Programs should not be installed unintentionally, so first and foremost Office Macros should not be enabled by default (and eventually Microsoft did disable them).
Recently I think the main avenue for malware is to send a PDF with a fake popup for an update, that links to a phishing site and prompts you to download an exe with malware. That kind of thing is a harder issue to solve, but at the very least an OS should probably not let that program update your BIOS.