Don’t be alarmed by deceptive “Cox Browser Alert” Security Notifications

Cox Communications is an American subsidiary of Cox Enterprises that provides digital cable television, telecommunications, Home Automation services, and high speed internet services in the United States. They are the third-largest cable television provider in the United States serving more than 6.2 million customers, including 2.9 million digital cable subscribers, 3.5 million Internet subscribers, and almost 3.2 million digital telephone subscribers.

Cox Communications offers cable internet service to over 21.8 million people across 18 states, making it the 4th largest provider of cable internet service in the US (based on coverage area).

They offer five levels of high-speed Internet in all of its markets: Starter, Essential, Preferred, Premier, and Ultimate (Their speed tier with download speeds up to 300 Mbit/s).

With their internet packages Cox offers a free service called Security Suite Plus powered by McAfee. Their website says “No matter where your Internet research takes you, up to five devices will be protected from viruses and malware with Cox Security Suite Plus.”

Cox Security Suite Plus powered by McAfee® is a free service included with Cox High Speed Internet. You can protect and manage up to five devices.  These five devices may be in any combination of Windows or Mac OS X computers, Android smartphones and tablets, and Apple iOS iPhones and iPads.

Cox Browser Alert Security Notifications

Recently, many Cox customers have complained of deceptive pop-up advertisements from Cox. The pop-up advertisements say “Cox Browser Alert” and “SECURITY NOTIFICATION” in bold letters.

Cox Browser Alert

Cox Browser Alert

The deceptive Cox Browser Alert pop-up advertisement says “Cox has detected that a device connected to your home internet, or to your Wi-Fi network, may be infected with a Potentially Unwanted Program, Malware, or Virus.

However, it is important to understand that although this advertisement is deceptive it is not stating that a device connected to your home internet, or to your Wi-Fi network is infected with a Potentially Unwanted Program, Malware, or Virus. The deceptive pop-up states that your a device “may” be infected.

The pop-up then suggests that you visit the Cox Internet Security page for more information. The Cox Internet Security Page is actually just a page that describes features including email, WiFi Hotspots, Security Suite Plus, Cox Tech Solutions, Contour App, Panoramic WiFi, and 360 Ultimate Internet.

In reality, the Cox Browser Alert pop-up is just an advertisement for the features and additional services provided by Cox, such as Security Suite Plus. One could assume that the reasoning for the scare-mongering tactic is to persuade Cox customers to download, install, and essentially use McAfee’s Security Suite Plus software or call tech-support.

This is not a full-blown scam but the Cox Browser Alert messages displayed by Cox are very deceptive and unethical. They are basically designed to scare their customers to visit their website or contact them. Their website and telephone support might even attempt to bolster additional unnecessary services.

Therefor, if you notice a Cox Browser Alert pop-up message while browsing the web you might want to ignore it. These pop-up messages can appear at anytime your computer is connected to the internet. They can appear while you’re playing a game or browsing the web with your internet browser.

If you fear that your computer is infected with a Potentially Unwanted Program, Malware, or Virus it is recommended to scan your computer with reputable Anti-Malware software or Antivirus software such as Malwarebytes 3.0 or Malwarebytes Free to detect and remove PUPs and other threats from your computer.

It is not necessary to visit the Cox website or contact Cox if you notice the Cox Browser Alert pop-up message.

Sean Doyle

Sean is a distinguished tech author and entrepreneur with over 20 years of extensive experience in cybersecurity, privacy, malware, Google Analytics, online marketing, and various other tech domains. His expertise and contributions to the industry have been recognized in numerous esteemed publications. Sean is widely acclaimed for his sharp intellect and innovative insights, solidifying his reputation as a leading figure in the tech community. His work not only advances the field but also helps businesses and individuals navigate the complexities of the digital world.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.