Pop Up Ads are More Dangerous Than Ever

Pop up ads have always been an annoyance to internet users. These days, though, they are also a danger that could compromise your computer’s security. Once you learn about the potential dangers of pop up ads, you will find that it is best to block them or, at least, avoid clicking on them.

Pop Up Ads and Clickjacking

The danger comes from a hacking technique known as clickjacking. Clickjacking takes an invisible frame and places it on top of your browser. Your screen might show a typical website with some text and pictures. What you don’t see are elements that unleash viruses or grab information from your computer.

You can find clickjacking attacks all over the Internet. Many hackers use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to spread clickjacked links. Another option, however, is to surprise the user with a clickjacked pop up ad. When the user follows the ad or attempts to close the window, they unwittingly give the website permissions to perform an action that could cause problems down the road.

Protecting Yourself from Clickjacking

Unfortunately, there is not a foolproof way to prevent all clickjacking attacks. Every browser has their vulnerabilities. You can, however, prevent pop up ads from showing up on your screen. Choose a reliable pop up blocker and enable it. This will prevent websites from displaying pop up ads on your screen, which means you are protected from clickjacking attacks executed through them.

You should also choose two antivirus programs that you trust. Use each on alternating days to make sure that you eliminate every possible piece of malware. For the best results, make sure that you use the most recent version of the virus protection software. Older versions might not recognize newly made malware, which could leave you vulnerable to attacks from clickjacked pages.