IT Security Tip #4: If this type of alert pops up, DON’T click on it!

IT Security Tip #4: If this type of alert pops up, DON’T click on it!

 

How to handle popup notifications

You’re working at your computer when all of a sudden – BAM! – you get a pop-up notification that your PC is infected with a virus and you must “click here” to run a scan or install antivirus software.

This is a common scareware tactic used by hackers to get you to click and download a virus.

Often it will appear to be a system alert or a Microsoft operating system alert. Regardless of how legitimate it looks, NEVER click on the site or the pop-up.

The safest thing to do is close your browser; do not click on the X, “Close” or “Cancel” button in the pop-up or on the site because clicking on anything on the page or pop-up will trigger a virus download.

If that won’t work, bring up your task manager (hold Control + Alt + Delete on a PC, or Command + Option + Escape to “Force Quit” on a Mac) and close the web browser or application where it appeared.

Next, notify your IT department that this happened so we can double-check with a legitimate scan to see if your computer was infected.

Credits:

Video Design and Editing by Andrea Kalli – Video Editing Services
Voiceover provided by David Beroff of Awesome American Audio

Want access to our continually growing IT Security Tip videos? Here is the link – http://www.nssit.com/category/it-security-tips/

And if you want to subscribe to them via RSS – http://www.nssit.com/category/it-security-tips/feed/

Proudly Supporting Small Business Technology, Computers, Networks, and IT in the Denver area since 1992

North Star, Inc.
451 E. 58th Avenue Suite 4263
Denver, CO 80216
303-747-4024

Related Posts