Microsoft Introduces AI-Powered Scareware Blocker for Edge Browser

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Microsoft has launched an AI-powered scareware blocker for Edge, enhancing real-time protection against tech support scams.

Key takeaways:

• Microsoft’s new AI-based Scareware Blocker detects tech support scams in real-time.
• The model operates locally on users’ devices without cloud storage.
• Edge users can enable it via the “Privacy Search and Services” settings.
• Microsoft urges users to report scams to refine the feature.

AI-powered Scareware Blocker

Microsoft has begun testing a new scareware blocker for Edge on Windows PCs. This AI-driven feature is designed to counter tech support scams, which trick users into believing their device is compromised. 

As Bleeping Computer reported, the scareware blocker, first introduced at the 2024 Ignite conference in November, is now in preview mode for users in the stable channel.

How does Microsoft’s Scareware Blocker work?

The new feature operates using a local machine learning model that employs computer vision to analyze full-screen scam pages. 

.@MicrosoftEdge now has a 'scareware' blocker which uses AI to determine if you've accidentally clicked on a link that contains one of these scareware scams. You can try it out NOW using the latest Stable version of Edge under Settings/Privacy: https://t.co/rM3O2NED2g pic.twitter.com/eTuSFN8le5

— Devin Arthur (@Lexcyn) January 28, 2025

Unlike cloud-based detection systems, this AI model runs entirely on the user’s device, ensuring privacy by not storing or transmitting images to external servers.

When the scareware blocker detects a potential scam, Edge immediately:

• Exits full-screen mode
• Stops any ongoing audio playback
• Displays a warning alert
• Provides a thumbnail preview of the detected page

Users can report the fraud or continue if they believe the page is safe.

How to enable Scareware Blocker in Edge?

To activate this security feature, users should:

• Ensure Edge is fully updated to the latest version.
• Restart the browser after updating.
• Navigate to “Privacy Search and Services” in Edge’s settings.
• Turn on the scareware blocker for added protection.

A new layer of defense against evolving scams

The scareware blocker complements Microsoft’s Defender SmartScreen, which already shields users from known malicious web pages. 

Unlike traditional defenses, this new AI-powered tool offers real-time protection against emerging scams that may not yet be in existing databases.

Microsoft has emphasized that the community plays a vital role in fine-tuning this model. 

Users are encouraged to report false positives and newly detected scams, which will help Microsoft refine and improve its AI capabilities against evolving fraud tactics.

Why is this move controversial?

While many users welcome this AI-powered safeguard, some raise concerns about the following: 

• False positives potentially block legitimate pages.
• Microsoft is gaining more control over users’ browsing experiences.
• The effectiveness of local AI models compared to cloud-based threat detection.

As tech support scams grow increasingly sophisticated, Microsoft’s new feature is a bold step toward providing proactive security in the battle against digital fraud.

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