90% of all detections still relie on good old pattern matching…
True, we will still be one step behind the virus writters or script kiddies, trying to shoot a moving target.
Untill we start to target the methods of infection and replication as well as known patterns we will be slightly vulnerable. Heuristics may help, but this could lead to an increased number of false positive reports, if they aren’t up to much.
It is here that the human brain (common sense) should help. Don’t open strange email attachments, or click on links in suspect/unknown orign emails, or download supposed helper/assistant programs without exercising due care (check them out on google, etc.).
Any form of unsolicited email (should be run through your spam program of choice) perhaps from a friends infected PC, does the style of the subject or text seem different, these are clues. Don’t rely on their anti-virus security measures, rely on your own.