These chrome notification Virus Alerts are getting out of control!

[thecomputerguy]

Getting contacted multiple times a week, sometimes by the same person who has allowed some chrome notification that produces the usual McAfee/Norton VIRUS ALERT!!! OMG!!!

I login, remove all notifications, install uBlock Origin and explain that this doesn't happen on it's own. You (the client) are receiving a popup on some dirty website that is asking you to "Allow" notifications for this site and you are accidentally or inadvertently allowing this notification.

I explain that when you get the popup in the top left hand corner asking to allow this notification to be installed you are saying ALLOW. DONT DO THAT... EVER. Always Block.

Still ... a week later, same guy, new Chrome notifications... more virus alerts.

Do you know of any other way to solve this? Can you disable chrome from having the ability to show notifications permanently?

 

[thecomputerguy]

Never mind I'm an idiot I was using the wrong terminology when googling. I'll leave my OP up for future education. Moving forward any client that gets hit with Virus Alert notification spamming I'm going to add this to my process.

 

[Porthos]

I have always disabled notifications in every browser I install for all of my clients.

When someone posts the same symptoms on the Malwarebytes forum, this is my canned reply to it.

Please reference the below Malwarebytes Lab's article on Browser Push Notifications. See if that resolves the issue.
Look for the section "How do I disable them?"
Browser push notifications: a feature asking to be abused


Google Chrome:
Turn notifications on or off - Google Chrome


Mozilla Firefox:
Web Push notifications in Firefox


Microsoft Edge:
Manage website notifications in Microsoft Edge


Apple Safari:
Customize website notifications in Safari on Mac


Opera Browser:
Go to "Manage desktop notifications"
Web preferences


Brave Browser:
How do I turn off notifications in brave browser


References:

• Think twice before accepting notifications on Chrome: threats on the rise
• Malicious push notifications: Is that a real or fake Windows Defender update?

 

[Sky-Knight]

Never mind I'm an idiot I was using the wrong terminology when googling. I'll leave my OP up for future education. Moving forward any client that gets hit with Virus Alert notification spamming I'm going to add this to my process.


View attachment 16812

This... Kill the browser setting that allows notifications, and then double tap it by disabling notifications in Windows for all applications.

 

[Porthos]

and then double tap it

 

[timeshifter]

Is it possible to have a script turn off all the notifications on all browsers?

Also, are there any situations where someone would legitimately need a browser notification?

 

[Metanis]

Also, are there any situations where someone would legitimately need a browser notification?

I haven't found any.

 

[NviGate Systems]

Getting contacted multiple times a week, sometimes by the same person who has allowed some chrome notification that produces the usual McAfee/Norton VIRUS ALERT!!! OMG!!!

I login, remove all notifications, install uBlock Origin .

Some users can't be helped. I don't know the reason or cause but I think they have done research on those who are more prone to scams etc and there a number of underlying reasons. Sometimes it's early onset Alzheimer's et all, or it could be something else. Usually there are other aspects of life they struggle with. Side rant.

Also, I got a notification that uBlock will soon stop functioning, so Google has put the nails in the coffin. In the meantime I still use PopperBlocker, as it does a good job of riding pop ups, but can be aggressive so not good for average users.

I'm trying Brave out, which has something like uBlock built in.

Otherwise I may try DNS based filters.

 

[thecomputerguy]

Is it possible to have a script turn off all the notifications on all browsers?

Also, are there any situations where someone would legitimately need a browser notification?

The only use I have for it is calendar notifications from my Google calendar and text messages from Google messages.

But a lot of these people have allowed Facebook, YouTube and stuff like that and they just get popups all day.

Honestly notifications should be an option that should be disabled by default and you have to enable it... Not the other way around

 

[britechguy]

Also, I got a notification that uBlock will soon stop functioning,

From where, if I may ask?

That developer has generally always kept "one step ahead" of the next attempt to block ad-blocking and I hope he hasn't given up!

 

[britechguy]

Addendum: Straight from Raymond Hill

About Google Chrome's "This extension may soon no longer be supported"

It appears that uBlock Origin Lite will support Manifest v3, so there will be something similar to uBlock Origin that will work under Chrome. uBlock Origin will continue on for Firefox and other Chromium-based browsers that are not deprecating Manifest v2.

 

[Porthos]

Also, I got a notification that uBlock will soon stop functioning

Manifest 3 enforcement. Ublock Origin Lite is the compliant replacement.

I also install Malwarebytes Browser Guard which is now M3 compliant.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Manifest 3 enforcement. Ublock Origin Lite is the compliant replacement.

I also install Malwarebytes Browser Guard which is now M3 compliant.

The better compliant replacement is to just use Firefox.

 

[Porthos]

The better compliant replacement is to just use Firefox.

From what I have read, It is coming to Firefox. Don't ask for links, I did not save any.

 

[NviGate Systems]

I think DNS based filters are gonna be big, because there is no stopping that. The issue is the ones that work best are not paid but things like pi-hole which requires a bit of tech knowledge.

 

[Sky-Knight]

From what I have read, It is coming to Firefox. Don't ask for links, I did not save any.

I'd really love to know how you "heard" a complete violation of Mozilla's founding values. That's not just a feature to that org, it's literally the hill they are founded to die on.

@NviGate Systems, Sadly incorrect. DNS filtration only works when you have control of the DNS resolution path. All modern browser have DOH and DOT support, and as such they can silently and internally bypass your DNS resolution chain on demand. This process is also "secure" because TLS is involved, and therefore authenticating the resolution source.

DNS filters are already a lost game in Chrome, because Google hard pins certain certificates specifically to let the browser know when someone is pulling a MITM. DNS filters are caught, and silently bypassed by default today IF the browser is configured to do so. It's not "on" in the browser by default, but tomorrow it easily can be.

Google makes all its money on advertisements... they aren't going to give that up.
Mozilla is run by donations.
Microsoft is fueled by subscriptions.

Choose your poison.

 

[sapphirescales]

I haven't found any.

Uhhhhh... email notifications? Facebook notifications? Web based meeting/VOIP notifications? There are tons of legitimate uses for Chrome's notifications feature and when I disable it completely it p*sses a lot of clients off. I only turn notifications completely off for those problem clients that just can't seem to resist allowing every notification request that pops up, like OP's client.

 

[Metanis]

Uhhhhh... email notifications? Facebook notifications? Web based meeting/VOIP notifications? There are tons of legitimate uses for Chrome's notifications feature and when I disable it completely it p*sses a lot of clients off. I only turn notifications completely off for those problem clients that just can't seem to resist allowing every notification request that pops up, like OP's client.

The money is good either way.

 

[frase]

The better compliant replacement is to just use Firefox.

Firefox has removed UblockOrigin now.

 

[britechguy]

Firefox has removed UblockOrigin now.

Not on my instance of Firefox 131.0 it hasn't. It's still in place and running as usual.