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Microsoft’s Scary Windows Update—Change Your Settings Now After FBI Warning

Jan 30, 2025 - forbes.com
Microsoft has announced a critical update for Windows PC users, introducing a new "scareware blocker" feature in its Edge browser to combat scams that mimic tech support issues. This update is in response to the FBI's warning about scams costing victims over a billion dollars annually. The scareware blocker uses a machine learning model to detect and mitigate scareware threats by comparing full-screen scam pages to a database of known scams. It operates locally on the user's device, ensuring privacy by not sending data to the cloud. When a threat is detected, Edge will exit full-screen mode, stop audio playback, and alert the user, allowing them to regain control.

The scareware blocker is currently available as a preview for Edge users on Windows PCs. To enable it, users need to ensure their browser is up to date and that previews are allowed by their administrator. This feature is part of Microsoft's broader effort to enhance user security by leveraging on-device AI for real-time threat detection and prevention. The update aims to protect users from increasingly sophisticated scams that use social engineering and spoofing techniques to gain access to personal information and financial details.

Key takeaways:

  • Microsoft has introduced a critical update for Windows PC users to combat scareware scams, which are increasingly sophisticated and costly.
  • The scareware blocker in Microsoft Edge uses a machine learning model to detect and mitigate threats by comparing full-screen pages to known scams.
  • This update is part of a broader effort to enhance real-time protection against scams that often use social engineering and spoofing techniques.
  • Users can enable the scareware blocker in Edge by ensuring their browser is up to date and allowing previews under 'Privacy Search and Services'.
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