- New Microsoft tool protects users from fake support popups and scams
- Edge’s new scareware sensor promises faster threat detection SmartScreen
- AI-powered Scareware Blocker Leverages Community Reporting and Real-Time Protection
Microsoft is expanding its protection tools in its Edge browser with the broader release of its scareware blocker and the introduction of a new scareware sensor aimed at stopping tech support scams before they reach users.
The update extends automatic protection to most Windows and Mac devices, combining AI, computer vision and SmartScreen threat intelligence.
The Scareware blocker, now enabled by default on devices with at least 2 GB of RAM and four CPU cores, uses a local computer vision model to identify misleading full-screen pages that trick users into thinking their computer is infected.
Protect clients from attacks
Once detected, Edge stops the scam before users are asked to call fake support numbers or make payments.
IT administrators can also manage Scareware Blocker settings via corporate policies and allowlists.
“AI-powered features like Scareware Blocker will forever change the way we protect customers from attacks,” Rob Franco, senior director of Microsoft Edge, Enterprise & Security, said in a blog post announcing the news, adding that the system can protect users from new scams “hours or even days before they appear on global blocklists.”
Microsoft says that when users report a scam through the blocker, it helps Defender SmartScreen add the threat to its overall protection list.
On average, during the first tests, a single report prevented around fifty other users from being targeted.
Reported scams went beyond simple “virus alerts,” including fake blue screens, counterfeit control panels, and even fraudulent messages from law enforcement demanding payments.
Microsoft Edge version 142 also introduces a new scareware sensor that alerts SmartScreen of potential scams in real time, without sending screenshots or additional data.
This feature is currently disabled by default, but will be enabled later for users with SmartScreen enabled.
Franco says the company is also upgrading the underlying pipeline to reduce response times and expand SmartScreen coverage more quickly once threats are reported.
“Even after a user reports a scam, it can continue to impact others before SmartScreen can begin blocking,” Franco explained. “We are working to reduce latency and provide faster protection against scams reported by scareware blocker users. »
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