Don't Trust Pop-ups
Popup Image

Don’t Trust Pop-ups

If you’re known to dabble in a little online browsing, odds are you’ve encountered a pop-up once or twice. There are times when a user may think, “Wow, that’s a great deal!” and click on a pop-up. To those users: put down the mouse. Why? That pop-up could be malicious or dangerous.

There used to be a time when malicious pop-ups were only on questionable sites, but those days are gone. Hackers are smart and develop ways to inject malicious malware into pop-ups and online advertisements – even on the most trusted sites.

One of the most common attacks we see occurs when you visit a site and a pop-up appears that says, “Your computer is infected! Download our antivirus now!” If you click on this, a bogus virus scan will start. After the “scan” completes, you’ll be asked to pay for a full-version of the software or to call a helpline to connect with a support representative.

Spoiler alert: The software is not real and the fake support representative will take control of your computer to try and “fix” the issue, but end up causing more damage.

How to prevent pop-up attacks

Although hackers are smart, you can be smarter. Here are some tips to protect yourself from these types of attacks:

  • Avoid clicking on pop-ups.
  • Update your operating system regularly
 – don’t postpone or snooze updates!
  • Use web-filtering software to warn you before accessing potentially harmful sites.

Remember, these attacks are only successful if we fall for them. Stay alert and be cautious!


Stop, Look, and Think. Don’t be fooled.

Protect your network! Learn more about security awareness training for your team.

Like this article?

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Linkdin
Share on Pinterest

More Posts

Hacked Emails Phishing Cyber Image
The Latest Scams

Beware of Dropbox Phishing Scams

Protect Your Microsoft Credentials Dropbox is a widely used file-sharing service that many rely on to share photos, files, and documents. Unfortunately, cybercriminals are leveraging

Hologram Airplane Image
Cybersecurity

Beware of Fake TSA PreCheck Emails

Travelers rely on TSA PreCheck to breeze through airport security. This U.S. airport screening program streamlines the security process, allowing members to avoid long lines

Man Face Digital Disasters Image
Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2024

Prepare for Digital Disasters

Why Digitize Your Important Documents and Photos?Losing treasured family photos, tax records, or legal documents in a flood or fire is heartbreaking. Luckily, we live

SuperPod with WiFi 6E

Plume SuperPod WiFi 6E Specs

SuperPod with WiFi 6

Plume SuperPod WiFi 6 Specs

SuperPod

Plume SuperPod Secs