New Delhi, January 29: Microsoft has introduced a new feature called the scareware blocker, which is now available in preview in the Microsoft Edge browser. The tool is said to protect users from increasing scams that trick people into believing their devices are infected with malware.

During the 2024 Ignite conference held last November, Microsoft had announced scareware blocker for Microsoft Edge. The feature is used to serve as a primary defence against scams. It will help to protect users from fraud and is meant to enhance their online security. What Is ChatGPT Gov? All About OpenAI’s New Version of ChatGPT Designed for US Government Agencies Amid ‘Threat’ From Chinese DeepSeek AI.

What Is a Scareware Scam?

Scareware scams are a common form of tech support fraud. These scams often involve web pages that trick victims into believing that their computer has been infected with malware. The scammers create a sense of urgency and pressure people to call a fake tech support number. Once the victim makes the call, the scammers attempt to gain access to their computer, which can lead to further security issues and potential loss of personal information.

What Is a Microsoft Scareware Blocker and How Does It Work?

The scareware blocker uses a machine learning model to identify the common signs of scareware scams. The model operates on the user's device to compare full-screen pages against thousands of examples of known scams that have been shared by the scam-fighting community.

It does not save or transmit any images to the cloud for user privacy. If the scareware blocker detects a page that it suspects may be a scam, Microsoft Edge will take action to protect the user. It will exit full-screen mode, halt any audio playback, issue a warning to the user, and will display a thumbnail of the suspicious page. Grok Pro: Elon Musk’s xAI Reportedly Working on Pro Version of AI Chatbot, Likely Announcing Soon.

How To Enable Microsoft Scareware Blocker?

The scareware blocker is currently being rolled out as a preview feature for all Microsoft Edge users on Windows PCs. To enable the feature in the Edge browser, you need to ensure that your administrator has allowed previews and that the version of Edge is updated. Then, restart the browser to ensure that the preview feature is properly integrated into your Edge client. After that, you should be able to find the scareware blocker preview listed under the "Privacy, Search, and Services" section in the settings menu.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 29, 2025 02:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).