The feature, powered by a local computer vision model, now protects users from scam pop-ups long before traditional security systems can react. Scareware, the kind of scam that locks your screen with fake “Virus Alert!” or “Your PC is infected” messages, has plagued users for years. Edge’s Scareware blocker identifies these full-screen scam pages instantly, shutting them down before panic sets in. Microsoft says the model runs locally on devices with at least 2 GB RAM and four CPU cores, ensuring it won’t slow down browsing. Enterprise admins can also improve the feature or create allow-lists for internal sites. During preview testing, the blocker proved highly effective. Microsoft claims that users were protected hours or even days before those same scams appeared on global blocklists. Starting with Edge version 142, a new “scareware sensor” takes protection a step further. When Edge detects suspicious full-screen activity, it can immediately notify Microsoft Defender Smar...
I am a technology writer with a focus on cybersecurity. I cover topics such as malware, vulnerabilities, exploits, and security defenses, as well as research and innovation in information security.