E-Enable/Disable Browser Settings: Interactivity. Click each item below to learn more.

Popups

A laptop screen displays several popup icons.

Popups are windows that ‘pop up’ in your browser to bring information and resources to your attention. The popup may prompt you to click on a button or link or press play to start a video.

If the popup site is malicious, clicking on buttons or links within popups could automatically trigger a download that installs malware on your computer.

Doing this could also take you on a trip to a bogus website, where cybercriminals are waiting to steal your private and sensitive information.

Popups (Cont’d)

Popups continued.
Close-up of a person's hand holding a smartphone as a popup icon emerges onscreen.

To help protect against these threats, you may need to disable popups in your browser settings.

You can also adjust your settings to receive a notification whenever there is a popup window that would like to open in your browser.

At which time, you can decide whether to allow it to open or not.

Block pop-up windows

Extensions

Close-up of a person's hands holding a tablet as an extension icon emerge onscreen.

While their overall function is to make tasks easier to complete, browser extensions can also expose you to some pretty nasty security threats.

And since their code runs as a part of your trusted browser, it can be difficult for antivirus software to catch malicious extensions, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals.

Extensions (Cont’d)

Extensions continued.
A person is holding a tablet as several extension icons emerge onscreen.

Before installing a browser extension for work, make sure it is approved. Before installing a browser extension for home, go to the official developer's website to check its authenticity.

Read the description of the product to learn more about its security and permissions. Then, check the reviews to see if there are any concerns to be wary of (particularly tracking, data, and privacy issues).

If anything seems shady, just don’t download it.