Threat Database Browser Hijackers 'Critical-virus.info' Pop-Ups

'Critical-virus.info' Pop-Ups

By GoldSparrow in Browser Hijackers

Numerous computer users have been affected by the 'Critical-virus.info’ pop-ups. According to reports, these 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups appear trying to convince computer users to call an included phone number. The telephone number included in the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups has been linked to a bogus technical support tactic. The tactic associated with the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups tries to make computer users to believe that their machines have been infected with threats or is at risk of infection. When the computer users call, the people that answers will do everything in their power to obtain the PC user's credit card data as well as access to the affected computer. Computer users should refrain from calling the phone number linked to the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups. This is a known tactic that will try to take advantage of inexperienced computer users to generate revenue from credit card fraud, identity theft, and the sale of bogus security software.

The 'Critical-virus.info' Pop-Ups and Their Associated Tactic

Tactics similar to the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups are very common and have increased in number in the past few years. There is no truth to the content of the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups: the main purpose of these messages is to make money at the expense of inexperienced computer users. There are several elements of the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups that should be considered red flags, making it obvious that there is no truth to the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups:

  1. The 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups will contain material that will make it appear as if the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups are related to Microsoft or Windows Defender. There is no truth to these claims; legitimate software developers or security companies will never contact you in this way to sell you access to their technical support. Messages that do this are almost always related to known tactics.
  2. The 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups cannot be closed in the normal manner. Computer users attempting to close the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups may find that they may appear repeatedly, or cause additional pop-ups to appear. This is not the behavior of legitimate security notifications. In some cases, computer users may call the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups number in an attempt to stop these pop-up messages from appearing.
  3. The the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups may use alarming and convoluted language to appear legitimate. This language is designed to scare inexperienced computer users, making them believe that their computers are in imminent danger. Any supposed 'error messages' or 'error codes' are not real, and are merely there to give the message an official look.

Dealing with the 'Critical-virus.info' Pop-Ups

If the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups are appearing on your computer, this is either caused by poorly regulated advertising content on the website you are visiting or by a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Program) installed on your computer. It is easy to know which is the case: if the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups and other pop-up messages appear on your Web browser only when you visit a particular website, then the issue may be related to the website rather than to your computer. If the 'Critical-virus.info pop-ups appear on your Web browser regardless of the content you are viewing online, then it is more likely that your Web browser has become infected with a PUP.

PUPs associated with the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups are regarded as low-level threats that do not pose a real threat to your computer. However, pop-ups such as the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups that are linked to these PUPs may present a risk for a social engineering tactic. This is why PC security researchers strongly recommend that computer users use a reliable security application that is fully up-to-date to ensure that all PUPs on your Web browser are removed as soon as possible. In most cases, removing all PUPs and other unwanted content will stop the 'Critical-virus.info' pop-ups from appearing immediately. Since PUPs may be linked to threats, you should also ensure that no threats have been installed by performing a full, in-depth scan of the affected computer.

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