Microsoft Edge pop-up problem

Question

When I searched for aura photo-taking cameras, two websites that I clicked on generated pop-ups saying the things in the attachment. The way I stopped it is to click on the crosses beneath the main one but they kept reappearing so I ran a full Norton 360 scan. Nothing was detected, so I deleted all of the Microsoft Edge History after that. Please note that the pop-ups must be closed.

Answer 1

Hi. I'm David, and I'm happy to help you.

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Since your Norton scan came back clean, your computer is safe. What you are experiencing are fake security alerts triggered by browser notifications rather than a malware infection.

To remove these pop-ups in Microsoft Edge, follow these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Edge;
2. Copy and paste edge://settings/content/notifications into the address bar and press Enter;
3. Scroll down to the "Allowed to send notifications" section;
4. Look for any unknown, suspicious, or unrecognized website domains;
5. Click the three dots (...) next to that domain and select "Remove".

(If you don't find it in this menu, let me know. Further investigation is needed.)

• Do not click on any links or buttons inside those pop-up windows.

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Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Answer 2

Those pop-ups are consistent with browser pop-ups or fake security scam pages, not proof of an infection. Since a Norton 360 full scan found nothing and the pop-ups had to be manually closed, the next steps in Microsoft Edge are:

1. If Edge becomes stuck on the pop-up, force-close it:
   • Right-click Start and select Task Manager.
   • Select Processes.
   • Under Apps, right-click Microsoft Edge and select End task.
   • Reopen Edge normally.
2. Make sure Edge is up to date:
   • In Edge, press Alt + F > Settings.
   • Go to About Microsoft Edge.
   • Let any update install, then restart Edge if prompted.
3. Turn off all extensions temporarily to test for interference:
   • Press Alt + F > Extensions > Manage extensions.
   • Turn off all installed extensions.
   • If the pop-ups stop, re-enable extensions one at a time to find the cause.
4. Block third-party cookies:
   • Press Alt + F > Settings.
   • Open Cookies and site permissions.
   • Select Manage and delete cookies and site data.
   • Turn on Block third-party cookies.
5. Clear browsing data if needed. History was already deleted, but cached data can also matter.
6. Turn on Microsoft Defender SmartScreen in Edge:
   • Go to Settings and more > Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
   • Under Security, turn Microsoft Defender SmartScreen on.
7. If a specific website keeps opening extra windows, check for ad-blocking or antivirus extensions and temporarily disable them.

Important limitation: some website advertisements are designed to look like pop-ups. Microsoft Edge can block many pop-ups, but it does not block website ads that mimic pop-ups, and it also does not prevent a pop-up if a button or link on a webpage was selected.

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References:

• How to close a pop-up window if Microsoft Edge isn't responding | Microsoft Support
• Use a screen reader to block pop-ups in Microsoft Edge | Microsoft Support
• Microsoft Edge Extensions: Frequently Asked Questions | Microsoft Support
• How can SmartScreen help protect me in Microsoft Edge? | Microsoft Support