About Blank Malware

Updated on October 21, 2022, by Xcitium

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You might have seen empty pages like About blank, about blank or about_blank pop-ups on your Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and many other web browsers. These ‘about blank’ pages are not potentially harmful to your Windows computer or Mac; they are just a part of the several about [command] options available within the about collections of web browsers.

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Is About Blank Malware or Virus?

Many people think that ‘about:blank’ is a harmful malware sneaking onto their PC through the internet. But in reality, ‘about:blank’ is just a blank web page displayed by the web browser when it finds itself in a situation where it needs to show you a blank page.

Like mentioned earlier, about_blank or ‘about:blank’ is just one of the about:[command] options available in the browser. These about:blank[command] options can be used to execute a particular function within the browser. By prefacing the command with about, web browsers are instructed to do some local tasks, internal thing, and not visit an actual web page.

Is About:Blank Malware or a Safe Browser Feature?

Many users assume that “about:blank” is automatically a virus or malware infection. In reality, about:blank is a legitimate built-in browser page used by Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and other browsers. It simply displays a blank page when no webpage is loaded.

However, cybercriminals and browser hijackers sometimes manipulate browser settings to repeatedly redirect users to about:blank pages. If the page appears unexpectedly, launches repeatedly, or opens alongside pop-ups and redirects, it may indicate malware activity.

Common malicious causes include:

• Browser hijackers
• Adware infections
• Malicious browser extensions
• Potentially unwanted programs (PUPs)
• Malvertising attacks
• Fake software installers

A normal about:blank page is harmless. Repeated or forced redirects are the real warning sign.

Why Does the About:Blank Page Keep Appearing?

There are several reasons why your browser may repeatedly display about:blank pages.

Safe Causes

• No homepage configured
• Slow internet connection
• Browser startup configuration
• Temporary webpage loading issue
• Browser privacy settings

Malicious Causes

• Browser hijacking malware
• Adware infection
• Malicious extensions
• Corrupted browser settings
• Hidden startup scripts

If about:blank appears suddenly after installing software, downloading browser extensions, or visiting suspicious websites, you should scan your device for malware immediately.

Signs Your Browser Has Been Hijacked

A browser hijacker often modifies browser settings without permission. If malware is involved, you may notice:

• Frequent redirects to about:blank
• Random pop-up advertisements
• Homepage changes without permission
• Slow browser performance
• Unknown extensions installed
• Search engine changes
• Tabs opening automatically
• Security warnings appearing frequently

These symptoms may indicate adware or browser hijacker infections designed to track browsing activity or redirect users to malicious websites.

How to Remove About:Blank Malware

If about:blank redirects are caused by malware, follow these removal steps carefully.

Step 1: Remove Suspicious Browser Extensions

Check your installed browser extensions and remove anything unfamiliar.

Google Chrome

1. Open Chrome
2. Click the three-dot menu
3. Go to Extensions
4. Remove suspicious add-ons

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Firefox
2. Go to Add-ons and Themes
3. Remove unknown extensions

Microsoft Edge

1. Open Edge
2. Navigate to Extensions
3. Disable suspicious items

Step 2: Reset Browser Settings

Resetting your browser removes malicious startup settings and redirects.

Chrome Reset

Settings → Reset Settings → Restore settings to original defaults

Firefox Reset

Help → More Troubleshooting Information → Refresh Firefox

Edge Reset

Settings → Reset Settings → Restore settings to default values

Step 3: Scan Your Device for Malware

Run a full system scan using advanced anti-malware software to detect:

• Browser hijackers
• Trojans
• Adware
• Spyware
• Potentially unwanted programs

Using enterprise-grade endpoint protection helps identify hidden malware processes that standard antivirus tools may miss.

What Is About:Blank#Blocked?

Some users encounter a variation called:

about:blank#blocked

This usually appears when a browser blocks suspicious or potentially dangerous content for security reasons. It may occur when:

• A malicious script is blocked
• An unsafe redirect is prevented
• Browser security filters stop a webpage
• Security extensions interfere with content loading

The page itself is not dangerous, but it may indicate that the original webpage attempted suspicious activity.

How Malware Uses About:Blank Redirects

Cybercriminals often abuse about:blank redirects as part of broader browser hijacking campaigns.

Attackers may use:

• Malicious advertising (malvertising)
• Fake software updates
• Pirated software downloads
• Compromised browser extensions
• Phishing pages

In some cases, redirects are designed to:

• Steal credentials
• Deliver ransomware
• Track browsing activity
• Force ad clicks
• Install additional malware

Malvertising campaigns have historically infected millions of users through compromised ad networks.

How to Prevent About:Blank Malware Infections

You can reduce the risk of browser hijacking by following cybersecurity best practices.

Prevention Tips

• Keep browsers updated
• Avoid suspicious downloads
• Install extensions only from trusted sources
• Use real-time endpoint protection
• Enable safe browsing features
• Avoid pirated software
• Regularly scan devices for malware
• Use DNS and web filtering protection

Businesses should also implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to monitor browser-based threats.

How to Remove About Blank Malware Browser Popups?

Although about:blank seems like a useless browser feature (loading a blank page), it is one of the most commonly used about command options in the web browser. It isn’t malicious on its own, if you do see an ‘about:blank’ page outside of your usual browsing, then it can be an indication your computer is infected with something malicious.

For example, if you happen to see the odd about_blank or ‘about:blank’ page when you are in Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, there is no need to panic. However, suppose you often see ‘about:blank’ page on your web browser without altering your browsing behavior. In that case, there may be a possibility of a hacking attempt made on your computer or a hijacker has control of your computer.

Some malware programs use the ‘about:blank’ pages to overwhelm a computer user with annoying pop-ups, but the ‘about:blank’ pages alone will not cause damage to your computer.

Seeing about:blank in your web browser doesn’t necessarily mean there is a hidden malware.

That said, seeing the about:blank as your home page when you didn’t set it like that, or seeing it all the time when you search for real websites, can indicate a malware infection on your computer.

If you see such pop-ups on your computer screen, the best thing that you can do is to run a full system scan of your system using good antivirus software or anti-malware program such as the Xcitium Antivirus. This will remove any hidden malware quickly. You can also reset your web browser homepage URL.

About Blank Malware: For Organizations

In case of organizations, Xcitium Advanced Endpoint Protection (AEP) can be used to protect every endpoint from malware intrusions.

Xcitium AEP provides complete protection against any malware attacks including ransomware attacks and zero-day attacks. All thanks to the built-in containment engine of Xcitium AEP, any contain unknown files including zero-day malware in a secure virtual environment.

As always, prevention is better than cure. If you have a good security solution and run frequent backups, you shouldn’t have any problems.

For more details about Xcitium Advanced Endpoint Protection, contact us at +1888-256-2608.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is about:blank a virus?

No. About:blank itself is not a virus. It is a legitimate browser feature. However, repeated redirects to about:blank pages may indicate browser hijacker malware.

Can about:blank steal information?

The blank page itself cannot steal information. However, malware causing redirects may monitor browsing behavior or redirect users to phishing websites.

Why does about:blank keep opening?

This may happen because of browser settings, malicious extensions, browser hijackers, or adware infections.

Is about:blank#blocked dangerous?

Not directly. It usually means your browser blocked suspicious content or an unsafe redirect attempt.

How do I permanently remove about:blank redirects?

Remove suspicious extensions, reset browser settings, and perform a complete malware scan using trusted cybersecurity software.

Related Sources:

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