corrupt system says to renew Norton and McAfee and password leaked

Question

pop-ups with Microsoft Defender on, says to renew Norton or McAfee, and a corrupt system, and viruses, and password leaked etc.

Answer 1

Most likely this is just a tech support scam.

Please provide full details on those notifications you are seeing, where are they appearing, is that inside a web browser, and if so, does your system freeze up when that happens and is there a phone number indicated that you are meant to cal.

Or are those notifications appearing at the bottom right of your screen, and if so, is there a website listed on the notification.

Answer 2

Those pop-ups are almost certainly fake “scareware” notifications from malicious or scam websites, not real messages from Microsoft, Norton, or McAfee.

Do not click any “Renew”, “Fix now”, or “Call support” buttons or links, and do not provide payment details or passwords.

Take these steps:

1. Close and clear the browser
   • Try closing the tab/window:
     • Press F11 to exit full-screen if it’s stuck, then close the tab.
     • Press Alt + F4 repeatedly to close the browser window, or Ctrl + W to close the tab.
     • If that fails, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, open Task Manager, select the browser (Edge/Chrome/etc.), and choose End task.
     • As a last resort, hold the power button to turn the PC off, then restart.
   • After it’s closed, clear the browser cache:
     • For Edge, enter edge://settings/clearBrowserData in the address bar, select at least the first three options, then clear.
2. Remove fake notification permissions These scams usually abuse browser notifications.
   • In Edge or Chrome, open the browser settings for Notifications.
   • Look for strange or unknown sites in the Allow / Allowed to send notifications list.
   • Remove or block any site that you don’t recognize.
   • Optionally, turn off “Ask before sending” (or similar) to stop sites from requesting notification permission in the future.
3. Check for malicious extensions
   • In Edge or Chrome, open Extensions.
   • Remove any extension you don’t recognize or don’t remember installing (especially ones claiming to be “Adblock”, “PDF converter”, “Search assistant”, etc.).
4. Rely on Microsoft Defender, not the pop-ups
   • Windows 11 includes Microsoft Defender Antivirus, which is on by default. Keep it active and updated.
   • Make sure Windows Update is running so the system and Defender get the latest security updates.
5. If you clicked anything or entered passwords
   • Immediately change the passwords for any accounts you may have entered.
   • If a site claimed your password was leaked, treat that password as compromised and change it everywhere it was reused.
6. General malware protection
   • Be careful with links and attachments, and only install reputable apps from reputable providers.
   • Keep Windows and apps current with updates.
   • Always keep an active, up-to-date antimalware program running (Microsoft Defender Antivirus is sufficient for most home users).

If the screen ever locks again with a loud voice or a “call Microsoft support” message, treat it as a scam, close the browser as above, and do not call any phone number shown in the pop-up.

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References:

• Protect yourself from online scams and attacks
• How can I remove McAfee Norton Pop Ups on Windows 11? It is not showing up on Apps or Task Manager. - Microsoft Q&A
• possible virus, computer locked - Microsoft Q&A
• Microsoft resources and guidance for removal of malware and viruses
• Protect your online accounts using Password Monitor