What Is “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons”?
Are you witnessing pop-ups claiming that “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons”?
Be aware that this is yet another example of a tricky tech-support scam trying to make you believe your PC has been infected. Typically, such scams endorse security products with suspicious reputations that are often detected as trojans and adware. Clicking on anything that this scam pop-up suggests, such as a download button, will flood your system with various pop-ups and adware.
As seen in most tech support scams, their creators use the names of popular companies such as Apple or Microsoft, pretending to be their tech-support agents. Of course, legitimate software companies don’t support this practice. If the “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” pop-up attempts to make you call a supposedly toll-free number, don’t be tricked into calling. You will either be over-charged, or in case you grant remote access to scammers, your system can be flooded with malware, even ransomware.
“Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” Details
| Name | “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” |
| Type | Tech Support Scam |
| Short Description | A tech support scam that is trying to scare you that you have an issue. |
| Symptoms | The message may freeze your screen. Pop-up boxes, messages, and redirects appear in your browser. |
| Distribution Method | Unsafe Browsing, Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages |
| Detection Tool |
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“Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” – What Should You Know?
There are plenty of tech-support scams circling the Web, targeting both Windows and macOS users, and often mobile users as well. Usually, these scams are browser-based. Sometimes simply closing the browser will do the trick. But if the scam pop-up persists, you should perform a more thorough check of your operating system. Instructions to do so are available at the bottom of the article.
As we already mentioned, to appear trustworthy, scammers use the names of popular companies such as Microsoft and Apple. In some case, scammers even use the names of legitimate security companies, such as Norton. Examples include Your ANTIVIRUS Subscription Has Expired, Norton Security Warning, and Your Norton security software expired today. Keep in mind that no legitimate company, Norton included, utilizes pop-ups to warn you of any virus or malware. This is just a scareware approach trying to trick you into performing a specific action. In this case, you’re urged to click a button to activate a security program.
The web is full of suspicious, scamming web pages promoting tech-support scams. Furthermore, freeware installation packages may also be bundled with rogue security products that generate pop-ups such as “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons”.
Scamming pop-up messages all sound quite the same, and tend to have something in common. They all rely on legitimate companies to sound trustworthy, but you shouldn’t be tricked. The end goal of scammers is always the same – they aim to obtain financial and personal data from you, and eventually steal your money. In a nutshell, always be vigilant with pop-ups that contain the following details:
- The names of legitimate organizations like Microsoft, Apple and Norton
- Technical support phone numbers stated to be toll free
- Urgent warnings about critical security issues
Is “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” a Virus?
By definition, tech-support scams themselves are not classified as computer viruses. However, depending on the scenario and the scammers’ agenda, they could lead to malware infestations. If you grant remote access to your machine to tech-support scammers, there is no telling what they could do. In many cases, a backdoor or some other trojan gets installed onto the computer, thus aiding the distribution of additional malicious payloads.
Remove “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” Pop-Up Scam
Before actually getting to the point of removal, you may find yourself in need of closing your browser first. To do so, you can try these steps valid for Windows systems:
Step 1: Press CTRL+ALT+DEL.
Step 2: Open Task Manager.
Step 3: Right-Click on your browser’s exe file (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, etc.) and click on End Process. If this doesn’t work, right-click again and click on End Process Tree.
After you have done this, you should follow the removal instructions below the article, and remove the unwanted program causing the “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” pop-ups either manually or automatically. As recommended by security experts, you should scan your computer using an anti-malware program. Such a program will fully remove any intrusive programs and malware that may currently be residing on your PC.
Milena Dimitrova
An inspired writer and content manager who has been with SensorsTechForum since the project started. A professional with 10+ years of experience in creating engaging content. Focused on user privacy and malware development, she strongly believes in a world where cybersecurity plays a central role. If common sense makes no sense, she will be there to take notes. Those notes may later turn into articles! Follow Milena @Milenyim
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How to Remove “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” and related software from Windows
Uninstall Steps for Windows 11
Uninstall Steps for Windows 10 and Older Versions
Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs. No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 4: Clean Any registries, Created by “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” on Your PC.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.
Video Removal Guide for “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” (Windows).
Get rid of “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” and remove related files and objects
Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons”. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 2: Scan for and remove “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons”, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Video Removal Guide for “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” (Mac)
Remove “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” from Google Chrome.
Step 1: Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu
Step 2: Move the cursor over "Tools" and then from the extended menu choose "Extensions"
Step 3: From the opened "Extensions" menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its "Remove" button.
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Erase “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” from Mozilla Firefox.
Step 1: Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window:
Step 2: Select the "Add-ons" icon from the menu.
Step 3: Select the unwanted extension and click "Remove"
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Uninstall “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” from Microsoft Edge.
Step 1: Start Edge browser.
Step 2: Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.
Step 3: From the drop menu select "Extensions".
Step 4: Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.
Step 5: Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.
Remove “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” from Safari
Step 1: Start the Safari app.
Step 2: After hovering your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, click on the Safari text to open its drop down menu.
Step 3: From the menu, click on "Preferences".
Step 4: After that, select the 'Extensions' Tab.
Step 5: Click once on the extension you want to remove.
Step 6: Click 'Uninstall'.
A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall the extension. Select 'Uninstall' again, and the “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” will be removed.
Eliminate “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” from Internet Explorer.
Step 1: Start Internet Explorer.
Step 2: Click on the gear icon labeled 'Tools' to open the drop menu and select 'Manage Add-ons'
Step 3: In the 'Manage Add-ons' window.
Step 4: Select the extension you want to remove and then click 'Disable'. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected extension, and some more add-ons might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click 'Disable'.
Step 5: After the unwanted extension has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red 'X' button located at the top right corner and start it again.
Remove Push Notifications from Your Browsers
Turn Off Push Notifications from Google Chrome
To disable any Push Notices from Google Chrome browser, please follow the steps below:
Step 1: Go to Settings in Chrome.
Step 2: In Settings, select “Advanced Settings”:
Step 3: Click “Content Settings”:
Step 4: Open “Notifications”:
Step 5: Click the three dots and choose Block, Edit or Remove options:
Remove Push Notifications on Firefox
Step 1: Go to Firefox Options.
Step 2: Go to “Settings”, type “notifications” in the search bar and click "Settings":
Step 3: Click “Remove” on any site you wish notifications gone and click “Save Changes”
Stop Push Notifications on Opera
Step 1: In Opera, press ALT+P to go to Settings.
Step 2: In Setting search, type “Content” to go to Content Settings.
Step 3: Open Notifications:
Step 4: Do the same as you did with Google Chrome (explained below):
Eliminate Push Notifications on Safari
Step 1: Open Safari Preferences.
Step 2: Choose the domain from where you like push pop-ups gone and change to "Deny" from "Allow".
“Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons”-FAQ
What Is “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons”?
The “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” threat is adware or browser redirect virus.
It may slow your computer down significantly and display advertisements. The main idea is for your information to likely get stolen or more ads to appear on your device.
The creators of such unwanted apps work with pay-per-click schemes to get your computer to visit risky or different types of websites that may generate them funds. This is why they do not even care what types of websites show up on the ads. This makes their unwanted software indirectly risky for your OS.
What Are the Symptoms of “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons”?
There are several symptoms to look for when this particular threat and also unwanted apps in general are active:
Symptom #1: Your computer may become slow and have poor performance in general.
Symptom #2: You have toolbars, add-ons or extensions on your web browsers that you don't remember adding.
Symptom #3: You see all types of ads, like ad-supported search results, pop-ups and redirects to randomly appear.
Symptom #4: You see installed apps on your Mac running automatically and you do not remember installing them.
Symptom #5: You see suspicious processes running in your Task Manager.
If you see one or more of those symptoms, then security experts recommend that you check your computer for viruses.
What Types of Unwanted Programs Are There?
According to most malware researchers and cyber-security experts, the threats that can currently affect your device can be rogue antivirus software, adware, browser hijackers, clickers, fake optimizers and any forms of PUPs.
What to Do If I Have a "virus" like “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons”?
With few simple actions. First and foremost, it is imperative that you follow these steps:
Step 1: Find a safe computer and connect it to another network, not the one that your Mac was infected in.
Step 2: Change all of your passwords, starting from your email passwords.
Step 3: Enable two-factor authentication for protection of your important accounts.
Step 4: Call your bank to change your credit card details (secret code, etc.) if you have saved your credit card for online shopping or have done online activities with your card.
Step 5: Make sure to call your ISP (Internet provider or carrier) and ask them to change your IP address.
Step 6: Change your Wi-Fi password.
Step 7: (Optional): Make sure to scan all of the devices connected to your network for viruses and repeat these steps for them if they are affected.
Step 8: Install anti-malware software with real-time protection on every device you have.
Step 9: Try not to download software from sites you know nothing about and stay away from low-reputation websites in general.
If you follow these recommendations, your network and all devices will become significantly more secure against any threats or information invasive software and be virus free and protected in the future too.
How Does “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” Work?
Once installed, “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” can collect data using trackers. This data is about your web browsing habits, such as the websites you visit and the search terms you use. It is then used to target you with ads or to sell your information to third parties.
“Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” can also download other malicious software onto your computer, such as viruses and spyware, which can be used to steal your personal information and show risky ads, that may redirect to virus sites or scams.
Is “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” Malware?
The truth is that PUPs (adware, browser hijackers) are not viruses, but may be just as dangerous since they may show you and redirect you to malware websites and scam pages.
Many security experts classify potentially unwanted programs as malware. This is because of the unwanted effects that PUPs can cause, such as displaying intrusive ads and collecting user data without the user’s knowledge or consent.
About the “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific, adware-related problem, and restore your browser and computer system.
How did we conduct the research on “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons”?
Please note that our research is based on independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware, adware, and browser hijacker definitions.
Furthermore, the research behind the “Access to this pc has been blocked for security reasons” threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.