The Internet is a huge worldwide platform not only for useful information and entertaining content, but also for the ubiquitous scammers. The ingenuity of those who seek extortion and deception knows no bounds. Phishing sites, advertising worms and “fake” accounts and groups on social networks have long become the “classics” of fraudulent activity. Now, often taking advantage of the credulity of inexperienced network users, attackers disguise themselves as law enforcers. “The browser is blocked by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation,” reads an inscription on the screen of a random guest of sites with erotic, pornographic and other dubious content. Moreover, the pop-up window does not disappear, does not allow you to close the browser and “requires” a fine of 3 thousand rubles. What does this mean and do law enforcement agencies really have such powers?
MIA browser lock: is this possible?
It can be clearly noted right away that the Ministry of Internal Affairs has nothing to do with such “shares”. Viewing of erotic or pornographic materials by a private person is not prohibited by law, and therefore is not subject to a fine. Moreover, judging by the information in the pop-up window, the money needs to be sent to a certain mobile phone number. The conclusion suggests itself: the fine that supposedly needs to be paid in this way is the most striking refutation that the browser is blocked by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Nevertheless, it is worth understanding who then stands behind such frauds.
How does mvd.ru virus work?
When you go to infected pages, the malicious program is downloaded, installed on your computer and changes the address of the DNS server. Thus, when trying to go to any other page or turn off the browser (different versions of the program may act differently), the user will see the same page with the inscription “The browser is blocked by the Ministry of Internal Affairs”, the amount of the fine and the time allotted for payment. When you scan your computer with antivirus, the result is at least surprising - malware very well "bypasses" rescue software.
The browser is blocked by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation: how to unlock
Often the problem is solved quite simply. If the lock is expressed only in a non-closing pop-up window, then you can restart the browser using the "Task Manager". By pressing the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Delete, a window opens that displays all processed processes. It is only necessary to disable the actions of the browser, and then start them again. In most cases, when you re-open the pop-up window no longer bothers.
Also, restarting the computer often solves the problem. If the virus acts by changing the DNS server, the user will have to change the malicious settings manually. To do this, go to the connection settings and check the entered data. If the parameters have a "preferred" DNS, you must switch the marker to the position - "Get the address automatically."
MIA browser lock on Android devices
What should I do if a pop-up window - “the browser is blocked by the Ministry of Internal Affairs” - appears on a tablet or Android phone? First of all, you should immediately go into the settings, open the properties of the application, in this case the infected browser, and click "Clear data." It is also recommended to clean cookies and device cache. If this does not help, you can use a more radical method - the settings of your device must be reset to the factory level. Different gadgets have their own way of entering Recovery, so in such a situation it would be advisable to refer to the instructions or representative office of the manufacturer.
Apple gadget browser lock on gadgets
Suppose a user of an Apple device addresses technical support operators with a question: “The browser is blocked, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, what should I do?” You must admit that already by this action he admits that he visited sites with pornography. Of course, it is unlikely that anyone will blame the excited owner of the iPhone or iPad, but not everyone dares to admit to such Internet surfing. Nevertheless, there is a way to avoid humiliating dialogs and deal with the problem yourself. If the inscription “Browser is blocked by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation” is displayed on the screen of the gadget, you should clear the cookie and the device’s cache. If this step did not help, you can reset the gadget through iTunes.
In any case, do not forget: there is not the slightest chance that the browser is actually blocked by the Ministry of Internal Affairs - law enforcement agencies do not have any authority to do so. All that is displayed in the pop-up window asking for money is the work of fraudsters who want to cash in on inexperienced and naive Internet users. Similar problems are often resolved by simply reloading or clearing the cache. In such cases, it makes no sense to transfer money to fraudsters - the virus will remain on the computer until the user gets rid of it. The best way to prevent such situations is to avoid visiting dubious sites with shocking content or pornography.