Internet nuisance: Immovable "advertisements" on your computer screen!

I just got rid of one of these! After seeking an answer to a topic via Google, I searched through the links offered for a suitable answer to my problem (does the law in California require interpreters in court?), I clicked on one I thought would meet my need.

However, not only did it have nothing to do with my need, it showed porno scenes, with a box in the middle purporting to contain a message from some “Microsoft” agency, with a phone number to call. Meanwhile a voice-over ordered me to follow their instructions and not turn off my computer. The “x” in red at the upper right would not function when I clicked on it. I had to shut off the computer, and wait about five minutes; that turned out to do the trick, along with me using Norton Utilities when I restarted the computer (without trying to go back online).

Has anyone else encountered this? (When I called Norton, on the advice of my Internet service, they said it is some kind of “advertisement” and not a virus.)

Have you tried to close the browser using Task Manager, then reopening the browser?

Or File->Exit?

I had that happen once. It is not exactly a virus but it does not conform to industry practice and is intrusive so is considered malware. It is an advertisement that tries to make you think that it is Microsoft; I think they call themselves Windows Support. It does hijack the browser; IIRC I couldn’t simply close it. It was a bitch to get closed but as I recall I was able to do it without a restart. I may have restarted the browser, maybe shut it down using Task Manager per Czarcasm. Can’t remember what I was doing when it happened but it was not looking at porn or seeking court interpreters.

Thanks, Cooking; I think I’ll try that the next time that sort of thing invades my screen.

If you ever get another malware ad like that again, don’t click anything on it, even the “x”. Any link on that could lead anywhere. Just use task manager to close your browser.

Yeah, just exit the browser. Make sure before you restart it that you haven’t got it set to open tabs from last session otherwise the hijack will occur again. If you have you can change the setting to start with your home page or whatever by using the browser’s safe mode.

These hijacks use Javascript which is why I never surf without Noscript, an extension which does not allow scripts to run unless they are given specific permission. It’s a simple matter to set it to allow scripts from all your regular sites, and for those you visit irregularly you can see a list of which scripts the particular site wants to run (right-click on any script in the list and you will be advised whether users have found it safe or malicious) and then choose which to allow. I used to get these irritating hijacks all the time but they’re a thing of the past now.