Combatting Intrusive Adverts and Pop-ups: Tips for a Safer Web Experience

In today’s online landscape, intrusive adverts and pop-ups can significantly disrupt user experience and pose security risks such as malware and adware. While these are often employed by website owners to boost revenue, they can compromise user safety.

Adware, short for ‘advertising-supported software’, bombards users with advertisements, while malvertising, originating even from legitimate websites, can cause more severe damage. According to Norton’s monthly blog report, malvertising can exploit users in multiple ways, including through pop-up clicks or merely loading the pop-up.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for these threats, implementing a combination of measures can help mitigate risks. Installing an adblocker, such as ‘uBlock Origin’, is a straightforward step. For Chrome users, visit the Chrome web store and add the extension, while Firefox users can do the same via the Mozilla add-on store.

Additionally, enabling ‘strict tracking protection’ in browser settings and considering DNS changes for system-wide protection are recommended. These steps collectively contribute to a safer browsing experience, reducing the impact of intrusive adverts and pop-ups on users’ online activities.