Warning Pop Up

[rsvp]

Three times in the last week I've had a pop up box telling me there's a problem with my computer - it appears to come from Microsoft and urges me to download some update saying I'll lose my files in 200 seconds if I don't. I'm unable to close the page or navigate away from it - the only recourse is to shut down , wait a few minutes then open everything up again. Have run complete scams and nothing untoward shows up. Obviously have not clicked on anything in the pop up box. Any ideas please? thank you

[Old_Geezer]

Obvious nonsense. Probably a malicious ad.
Try disconnecting the PC for 10 minutes then reconnecting & rebooting.
Scan with malwarebytes & superantispyware.
Consider clearing cache / history.
Make a note of websites you are at when it occurs.

[rsvp]

Thank you Old_Geezer -will do as you suggest - A/B was one of the sites . stay well

[Buenchico]

"Have run complete scams (sic) and nothing untoward shows up".

Er, what with? The type of malware that generates such annoying messages generally isn't detected by anti-virus programs and most security suites. You need to use specialist programs, such as those from Malwarebytes. (i.e. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free Edition or AdwCleaner):
https://www.malwarebytes.com/adwcleaner/

[Arksided]

Good answer from Buenchico and malwarebytes I well recommend.

If you've added a recent extension/Application it may have piggybacked along with that.

You may have to systematically got through them and disable one at a time, but start from the most recent obviously.

[rsvp]

thanks Buenchico - of course it should have read scan but am galloping towards my dotage at great speed! I'm running windows 8 using Defender, if I download your link will it interfere with anything? Thank you and just in case you've forgotten me......complete technophobe. stay well and hope the cats are still well.

[Buenchico]

>>> if I download your link will it interfere with anything?

Not at all. AdwCleaner is unusual in that, rather than needing to be installed (which involves changes to a computer's registry), it's 'ready to run' as it is. So, if anything, it's even safer than a 'normal' program.

Just download the file to a suitable location on your computer, such as your 'Downloads' folder, and double-click on it to run it.

Chequers, Biscuit, Moonbeam and Tablo all send their miaows to you and yours ;-)

[rsvp]

Thank you Buenchico - stay well

[rsvp]

Cleared cache and history and downloaded antispyware - ran a scan (which took all of 5 seconds) is that right? Nothing showed up.

[Buenchico]

Did you actually run the downloaded program, as well as downloading it?

[rsvp]

let me check! ......stop sighing theatrically

[Old_Geezer]

Can only wait and see.
Did any of the scans highlight issues than may be connected ?

[rsvp]

Items scanned 32,232 - no threats detected on your system +you may optionally run basic repair which will reset winsock and other settings to their default values -haven't run basic repair - should I?. Should add my computer had being playing up so about two months ago the computer doctor put one of these new hard drives in, took out windows 10 and put back windows 8 and apart from this latest hiccough it has run like a dream.

[Guilbert53]

Bit of background about how these dodgy "programs" (your pop up) work.

When you go to a web site EVERYTHING you see on the screen is downloaded to your computer, every bit of text, every image, every bit of video and so on.

These files that are downloaded from the internet are held in a folder called "Temporary Internet Files" (or similar name)

What some scammers do is "hide" small programs on web sites so when it is downloading the text and images and video it also downloads the dodgy program.

This dodgy program then runs and displays the message that you got, demanding money or they will delete all your files (or similar message)

So as has been said, they are NOT viruses so will not be found by an anti virus program.

However they are Malicious Software (often called Malware) so to find them you need to run a program that hunts for Malware (such as Malwarebytes).

There is another free program that is worth installing called CCleaner.

Whenever I get any of this malware I run CCleaner (free version) and this deletes all your temporary files and along with it any dodgy programs stored on your PC in a temporary folder.

It does mean you need to logon to various web sites again, but at least it means the malware will probably have been deleted.

CCleaner web site

https://www.ccleaner.com/

[rsvp]

Thank you for that very simple and clear explanation - very grateful and stay well.

[Old_Geezer]

Run ccleaner with care. Not used it for ages, but the settings can delete more than you wanted, as I discovered. Stuff you took for granted suddenly needs to be retyped in.

[rsvp]

Defender stopped working so had to uninstall both cc cleaner and the other one - will find out which one interfered tomorrow - suffering from brain block at the moment.