Have you received a pop-up message saying “Windows has detected some suspicious activity from your IP address” or a Safari alert saying that your browser might have been hijacked? Is it asking you to contact a certain number to fix the issue?
This “major security issue” is just a fake alert and you should not worry about receiving this kind of message. If you received this pop-up alert while browsing Safari, Chrome, or Firefox here are some tips to protect your computer from any suspicious activity.
1. Close your browser
The first thing to do is remove this alert from your browser. If the website will not let you leave, go to your computer’s task manager and select the “Applications” tab. There you will see an option to end the task of a specific page you are trying to close. Then reset your browser before using it again. When using Chrome, you can find this option under the advanced settings. For Safari, you can see this by going to the Empty Caches in the “Develop” option from your menu bar.
2. Use a great antivirus software.
A fake alert is not a computer virus. But your computer may have been compromised once you call any of these companies for help. A good antivirus software should have an option to completely turn off all those pop-ups and fake alerts before they even reach you. Check out this list of the best computer protection compared to get an idea of the best antivirus software in 2017.
3. Be extra-cautious when clicking links in email or on social networking sites.
Never click ads on the Internet nor links in emails that you believe are suspicious. Avoid using file sharing programs to download movies, games, and music. There is a possibility that these files were infected.
4. Enable the phishing protection settings on your browser.
Phishing protection keeps you safe from visiting malicious websites. Phishing scams are not limited to fake alerts. Scammers can also use email links to lead you to files that spread malicious software. You can find the Phishing protection feature in all kinds of web browsers including Safari, Chrome, and Firefox.
5. Familiarise yourself with the official virus page of your antivirus software.
There are fake alerts that are good at mimicking reliable antivirus vendors. They will tell you that your computer is infected and will offer an available software. These software will harm your computer rather than protecting it against malware. If you suspect the message did not come from your antivirus vendor, check their official webpage.
A fake alert is one of the intruder’s ways of stealing money or information. In case you received a suspicious message convincing you to download something from a website, immediately report it. If you fell for the scam, immediately inform your bank so they can put a fraud alert on your accounts. Change all your important passwords and disconnect your computer from the internet to keep the intruders from accessing your personal files.