Start from a trusted route
Use a known bookmark or a provider's official website when downloading software or opening an important account. A sponsored result or familiar logo is not proof of identity. Inspect the full domain rather than trusting a page title or a brand name somewhere in the address.
Notice unexpected installation requests
A page claiming that your device is infected may be trying to push a download or a support call. Close the page and check device security through the tools already installed. Do not run commands, install extensions, or bypass browser warnings because a webpage tells you to.
Practice with a fictional example
You search for a document reader and land on a page offering an urgent 'security update.' Instead of installing it, open the software vendor's known site independently and check its download or update instructions.
- Review whether a browser extension needs the access it requests.
- Remove extensions you no longer use.
- Keep the browser updated through its built-in update process.