Is this a virus?

Overview

You're not alone - we get lots of questions about pop-up ads and notification windows cleverly disguised as viruses. These pop-ups are generally benign - most of the time you can simply close or exit the window or restart your computer. These windows are designed to scare you into calling a phone number and giving up your personal information to malicious actors online. 

Other times, these pop-up notifications from various news or other websites are simply a nuisance if you have accidentally allowed them. 

Please note: It's always better to be safe than sorry! If you have any questions or doubts whatsoever, please contact the Help Desk. The issue can range from benign to severe and we'll definitely want to take extra measures to ensure the security of your account and your organization's data if there may have been a data breach. 

How to remove or prevent website ads and pop-ups

1. Open Chrome or Edge (they're both built on the same platform, so these instructions will be fairly similar for both). 
2. Navigate to the ellipses icon  and click Settings 
   
3. In the window that opens, click into the search bar and start typing pop
4. For Chrome users, click Site Settings. For Edge users, continue to the next step.
   
   
5. In the search results, the three options you'll want to check are Notifications, Pop-ups and redirects, and Ads:
    
6. Each of these pages are set up the same way: The page will list websites that are Allowed or Blocked. To the right of any listed websites, you'll see another ellipses menu icon. When you click that menu, you'll see options to Add, Block, or Remove. Your preferences save as soon as you select the options you desire. 

Chrome/Edge Extensions

Another place to check in addition to Site Settings is Extensions, which can also be notorious for creating phishing scam pop-ups:

1. Navigate to the ellipses menu
   1. In Edge, navigate to Extensions.
      
      In Chrome, navigate to More tools > Extensions
      
2. In the window that opens, you'll see any browser extensions that have been installed (though some may be active or inactive). To remove unwanted extensions, simply click the Remove button for that extension.

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Related:

• How do I allow pop-up windows in my browser?
• Privacy and Security Guidelines
• Is this spam, a phishing attempt, or a legitimate email?
• How do I report spam or phishing emails?