Popups: They're Annoying and Sometimes Dangerous

Popups Can be Just Another Form of Advertising but They Can Also Hold a Secret Within Them!

What Are They

Popups... you see them everyday. They are those little (and sometime big) browser windows that appear out of nowhere on your computer screen.

Why They Are Used

These pop-ups usually contain advertising, and are proven to be very effective because they attract more mouse clicks than usual in-page banner ads. Their only problem seems to be that they are considered a nuisance by most computer users who do anything possible to block them.

So What's the Danger?

Being a nuisance isn't the only reason for blocking these annoying ads. Some of these popups can contain dangerous codes within them. These codes can eventually imbed themselves into your computer and steal your personal information.

Characteristics of Popups

• By many, these pop-ups are seen as annoying and interruptive
• Many are becoming aggressive, which means that they are programmed to open other popup windows. When pop up windows are closed, they open up other pop ups, making browsing impossible
• Depending on how many open at once, they can slow and even crash your computer
• An increasing amount of pop ups are using the "mouse trapping" method. That is, the pop up spans across the entire screen, offers no close button and usually offers no toolbars to close the window. This form is very annoying yet very effective at obtaining click-thrus.
• Depending on their purpose, some popups may contain malware and other malicious code

Forms of Popups

The System Pop-up

These are usually gray (or whatever color your Windows desktop is set to). I also call these 'system prompts'. They will ask you if you want to go through with certain actions.

For instance, "Are you really sure you want to delete this file". These are generated by your computers operating system. They occur as a response to something you clicked on, or something you tried to do and they are asking for confirmation.

These are generally harmless and shouldn't be blocked if you want to be able to use your system normally.

Browser Pop-ups

Thanks to technology and advances in the internet web pages have included codes and programs inside them that are designed to make web browsers more functional for all types of users.

Unfortunately, advertisers are able to use these ideas to put pop-up windows in your face in order to advertise whatever they are selling. If the popup only occurs when the web browser is open then it's a popup from a web site.

These are usually the most annoying and potentially dangerous types of pop-ups. These are the main target for Popup Nuker.

Messenger Popups

There is a function on the Windows Operating System called Windows Messenger and no, this is not referring to the MSN Instant Messenger application or AOL Instant Messenger. This special function in the Windows Operating system can allow a stranger to remotely control your computer.

Spammers have figured out how to abuse this function and can use it to their advantage by opening popup windows even when your browser is not open. The key to recognizing this form of popup is that they will open on their own even if you do nothing and all your programs and web browser windows are closed.

This is another target for Popup Nuker.

Spyware Popups

There are numerous pop-ups that have the ability to sweep onto your system and slow it down beyond belief. It seems that the majority of pop-ups today are beginning to come from spyware and adware.

Spyware is able to sneak onto your computers' registry when you install freeware, open certain forms of infected email, or surf the net. The most important thing I can stress at this point is to have solid protection on your system.

Thankfully though, Popup Nuker among other programs, can help stop these programs from executing.

How to Stop Pop-ups

To stop pop-ups you need a program to stop the pop-up code (usually JavaScript) from executing.

As of this writing I only found one pop up stopper that worked well enough for me to recommend to others. That program is Popup Nuker.

Read my report on Free Popups Blocking Programs before deciding to go down that route.