Remove “This Software Must Be Installed To Avoid Problems” pop-up scam

The “This Software Must Be Installed To Avoid Problems” pop-up is a scam alert that tries to trick users into installing questionable or even malicious programs. The pop-up is hosted on deceptive websites, to which users are redirected when browsing without an adblocker program, or if their computers are infected with adware. The pop-up is made to appear like a system notification. The fake alert doesn’t provide much information, only that it’s necessary to install “Defender Security Update v2.1” to avoid problems. However, because this alert is fake, if users were to download whatever is offered, they would likely end up with some kind of malware on their devices.

 

 

The “This Software Must Be Installed To Avoid Problems” pop-up is a fake notification, made to appear like it’s being shown by your system. However, it appears in the browser, which is an immediate giveaway that it’s fake. The fake pop-up has very little information; it only prompts users to download what is presumably supposed to be a Microsoft Defender update. However, if users were to download this “Defender Security Update v2.1”, they would either download malware or some potentially unwanted program that would cause issues.

We should mention that all pop-up alerts of this kind that appear in your browser will be scams. The same goes for virus alerts. If Microsoft Defender needed you to download/install an update, you would see the notification in the program itself, not in your browser. And if there were a virus on your computer, you would get an alert via your installed anti-virus program, not your browser. Malicious actors like to use this method not only to distribute potentially unwanted programs and malware but also to promote tech support scams.

If you get redirected to these types of fake alerts regularly, it’s worth scanning your computer with anti-virus software like WiperSoft to check for infections like adware. You should also install an ad blocker program.

Adware can trigger redirects to sites displaying scams

There are mainly two reasons you might encounter pop-up scams like this “This Software Must Be Installed To Avoid Problems”. The first reason could be that your computer has adware installed, and the second could be that you’re visiting ad-heavy sites without an adblocker program. Sites that have adult or pirated content tend to bombard users with ads regardless of what they click. Thus, it’s advisable to avoid these high-risk sites or, at the very least, use an adblocker program to reduce redirects and intrusive advertisements. Additionally, using an anti-virus program is highly recommended.

If you find yourself being redirected to random sites even while on safe ones, your computer may be infected with adware. Adware is generally not considered dangerous; it primarily focuses on flooding you with ads rather than harming your system, but it can certainly disrupt your browsing experience. Adware, along with browser hijackers and potentially unwanted programs, typically gets installed through a method called software bundling. The way it works is said infections are added to popular free programs as extra offers and are set to install alongside them without needing explicit permission. Although these extra offers are supposed to be optional, users have to manually deselect them. However, they are hidden in settings users rarely use. Many free programs, especially those from unofficial sources, usually contain these hidden offers.

To prevent cluttering your computer with adware or similar infections, choose Advanced or Custom settings when installing free programs. Installation windows usually suggest using Default settings, which allow bundled offers to be installed without your consent. On the other hand, using Advanced settings reveals these offers so you can uncheck them. Even if some appear beneficial, it’s a good idea to avoid them because legitimate programs don’t use such deceptive installation techniques. Programs that do are typically flagged as potential threats by anti-virus software.

Remove “This Software Must Be Installed To Avoid Problems” pop-up scam

Whenever you encounter these kinds of pop-ups, you can usually just close the window. If something is preventing you from doing that, force close the browser. What’s more, whether you downloaded the offered program from the scam or not, we suggest you scan your computer with WiperSoft to check for any infections.