You are browsing a website and suddenly a large window appears. It says your computer has been infected with a serious virus. It shows a countdown. It tells you to call a number immediately or your files will be deleted. Your heart rate goes up. This is exactly what the people behind the pop-up want. Understanding what is actually happening makes the whole thing much less frightening.
What Is Actually Happening When a Pop-Up Like This Appears ¶
The pop-up is a piece of code running inside your web browser. It has not scanned your computer. It does not know anything about your files. It is a webpage designed to look like a system warning. The countdown is fake. The virus alert is fake. The number you are told to call connects to a call centre where someone will try to convince you to pay for unnecessary software or to give them remote access to your computer.
What to Do When You See One ¶
Close the browser window. If the pop-up will not let you close it, press the keys Ctrl and W at the same time on a Windows computer, or Command and W on a Mac. If that does not work, close the browser from the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. Do not call the number. Do not click anything inside the pop-up. Do not download anything it suggests. Once the browser is closed, the pop-up is gone and nothing has happened to your computer.
Why These Pop-Ups Appear on Normal Websites ¶
Legitimate websites sometimes carry advertising from third-party networks. Occasionally, a malicious advertisement slips through the network's checks and delivers a fake pop-up to visitors. This is not the website's fault, and it does not mean the website itself is dangerous. It means one advertisement on that page was bad. Closing the browser resolves it completely.
How SafeNet Protect Handles These Pop-Ups ¶
SafeNet Protect identifies the code patterns used by fake virus pop-ups and blocks them before they appear on your screen. If a page you visit contains a known pop-up script, SafeNet Protect stops it from loading and shows you a small, calm notification at the top of your screen. You never see the alarming countdown or the fake warning. You just see a note saying a suspicious element on that page was blocked.
Fake pop-ups are designed to work on anyone who has not seen them before. Once you know what they are, they lose most of their power. If you would like SafeNet Protect to block them automatically, reach our support team and we can get you set up in a few minutes.