Edge's Scareware blocker uncovers notification abuse and now auto-blocks it

At a glance

Microsoft Edge has strengthened protection against scam notifications such as fake virus warnings. Starting with Edge 156, when a scam notification is detected, Edge automatically turns off notifications from the site that sent it. The notification permission prompt also gains a way to block and report a site on the spot.

Key points

1. 1

   Scareware blocker (a feature that stops scare-tactic scam pages) has been on by default on supported PCs for over a year, protecting tens of thousands of people a day.

2. 2

   User reports showed that website notifications are a common starting point for scams.

3. 3

   From Edge 156, a detected scam notification turns off that site's notifications, and wrongly blocked sites can be unblocked in Settings.

4. 4

   Choosing Block and report on the permission prompt sends the page address and a screenshot, giving evidence to stop abuse before the first scam notification arrives.

Why it matters

The browser cuts off a trap where a single click on Allow keeps pulling people back to scam pages, so everyday users are less exposed.