I'm an IT person so that colours my comments. I've supported various versions of Windows going back to version 3 (released 1990).
Windows XP met a great deal of resistance when it was released, but gradually it came to be accepted so well that its users did not want to give it up.
Windows Vista was a disaster. Windows 7 was Vista, fixed. But it was still slow to be adopted.
Windows 8 was also a disaster, but was somewhat improved with version 8.1. Windows 10 fixed the problems with version 8 and is possibly the best version of Windows Microsoft has produced. But Windows 10 is not a single version (the most recent version is the
ninth version and there have been issues with some of them. The length of support for each version of Windows 10 varies depending on a number of factors. This means constant upgrading of workstations in my workplace. It isn't fun.
The absolutely most important factor in avoiding malware is the user. Downloading and installing software without regard for the source? Visiting porn sites? Downloading the latest film which is still playing at the local cinemas? Downloading the latest music release of pop music? That's the equivalent of walking alone in the roughest area of a large city at three a.m. (stupid in the max)
Microsoft's anti-malware built into Windows 10 (Windows Defender) does a decent job protecting a PC. There are free anti-malware apps (Malwarebytes, AVG) that also do a decent job — as well as any paid app. (At one time, I used McAfee, but starting in the mid 1990s they went downhill and I dumped them.)
I use Windows 10 at work. At home, I use Linux.