Is a free antivirus tool offered in a website pop-up safe to install?

Fake antivirus pop-ups present a fake scan result showing your device is 'infected' and offer a one-click fix. Clicking installs either genuine-looking fake security software that generates constant false alerts to push you toward a paid upgrade, or actual malware that steals credentials, monitors keystrokes, or locks your files for ransom. Real antivirus software is not distributed through browser pop-ups — it is purchased or downloaded directly from established vendors' official websites or through your operating system's built-in security settings. If a pop-up claims your device is infected, close your browser entirely and run a scan with software you already have installed rather than anything offered by the pop-up itself.

A detail worth internalising: no website can scan your computer from a browser page. The 'scan' animation and the list of detected threats are a pre-written performance that shows the same results to every visitor — which is why it completes in seconds and always finds something alarming. Real security software runs on your device with your permission, takes meaningful time, and does not need to sell you the cure in the same breath as the diagnosis. Modern operating systems ship with capable built-in protection, so for most people the honest answer to 'which antivirus should I install from this pop-up' is none at all.