Keep getting popups under Chrome browser on Linux Mint...

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

I'm using the Chrome browser under a fairly recent (around 2 months old) Linux Mint 21. (Cinnamon)

I've noticed that I seem to have a LOT of additional tabs popping up, one after the other, until I have maybe 8, 9, 10 additional tabs open.

This is despite the fact that under settings, popups and redirects, I have:

<Don't allow sites to send pop-ups or use redirects> selected.


This seems to be happening on loads of websites. Any ideas on what I might be able to try to keep this from
happening? It is really annoying to me. This is on a HP Thin client mini pc - an HP T620 that I've upgraded SSD &
memory on, so that I can use it as a desktop PC at work.

I've never come across this sort of behavior at home, where I use Chrome and Firefox on Windows 10 and Windows 11 PC's.
I'm assuming it is some sort of difference in behavior between the Linux and Windows version of the browser? But for the life of me,
it seems like I have the proper selection checked, and yet I'm still having the unwanted behavior.

Have any of you also experienced this - where you have it checked to not allow popups, but you keep getting popup tabs in the browser?

Thanks so much for any help you could offer - I'm pretty new to Linux.......

 

[lxskllr]

Sounds like a chrome issue. Dunno what to look at, but try to duplicate the windows chrome setup on mint.

 

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

I just hope I don't have some kind of malware. I guess since I seem to have the settings set up properly, but still keep having the issues, I may end up uninstalling, then reinstalling. I hate to do that, but not sure what else to try....

 

[lxskllr]

Could be malware. What's the content of the popups? Are they plausibly legit, or is it porn and bitcoin ads?

 

[igor_kavinski]

Check the add-ons/extensions if there are any installed. You could also try a portable version to see if the problem persists with that.

 

[mikeymikec]

Despite using Mint 21 Cinnamon I have no idea how Chrome notifications would represent Check Chrome settings -> Privacy & Security > Site Settings > Notifications, remove everything (if anything) from the allowed list then set "don't allow sites to send notifications".

On my customers' Windows PCs I see abuse of the browser notifications system quite often. I don't know if customers have to agree to allow sites to send notifications or whether there's some way for a malicious actor to bypass asking the user.

- edit - nevermind, just re-read the OP and noted the bit about the additional tabs. That's not a typical element in the scenario I suggested.

- edit 2 - how did you install Chrome? I installed Chromium through the package manager. I wonder whether you might have installed it from a dodgy source. Did the problem start more or less immediately after you installed it?

 

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

Despite using Mint 21 Cinnamon I have no idea how Chrome notifications would represent Check Chrome settings -> Privacy & Security > Site Settings > Notifications, remove everything (if anything) from the allowed list then set "don't allow sites to send notifications".

On my customers' Windows PCs I see abuse of the browser notifications system quite often. I don't know if customers have to agree to allow sites to send notifications or whether there's some way for a malicious actor to bypass asking the user.

- edit - nevermind, just re-read the OP and noted the bit about the additional tabs. That's not a typical element in the scenario I suggested.

- edit 2 - how did you install Chrome? I installed Chromium through the package manager. I wonder whether you might have installed it from a dodgy source. Did the problem start more or less immediately after you installed it?

I installed it using software manager. I'm used to downloading directly from the company in Windows and installing, but the built in software manager is the only thing I've tried so far in Linux.

Is it possible that uninstalling, then reinstalling might solve the problem?

 

[mikeymikec]

I installed it using software manager. I'm used to downloading directly from the company in Windows and installing, but the built in software manager is the only thing I've tried so far in Linux.

Is it possible that uninstalling, then reinstalling might solve the problem?

I wouldn't, the way you've installed it is fine I'm sure (unless you've been adding custom repositories and it installed from one of those). If anything I'd possibly nuke the Chrome profile and see if that helps, but that's not a solution that I personally would like to use in my main browser.

chrome://settings/reset

 

[Shmee]

Personally would stay away from chrome based browsers, and use something like FF. I hear that there is some ad block apocalypse coming, where ad blockers on chrome won't be as effective. Idk if this has happened yet, but like I said, I use FF mostly. I also like Ublock Origin as an extension.

 

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

Personally would stay away from chrome based browsers, and use something like FF. I hear that there is some ad block apocalypse coming, where ad blockers on chrome won't be as effective. Idk if this has happened yet, but like I said, I use FF mostly. I also like Ublock Origin as an extension.

I am required to have multiple browsers available. Work recently introduced "double factor" authentication when we check email. They wanted to send a randomly generated text to our cell phones whenever we log in to check our email. I said I don't take my cell phone to work, so my only option was to set up a Linux PC on my desk, add Google Voice, then check for a 'text' in another browser when they send me the authentication. So basically, I have to have 2 browsers open a lot, for work purposes.

 

[Shmee]

Can't you use google authenticator or authy or something? Or find another job?

 

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

Interesting, I wasn't aware of Google authenticator. However, I'm wanting to avoid bringing a phone in to work, and having my employer expect me to use it regularly. That gave me an excuse to upgrade the HP thin client, & set up Linux Mint for the first time. Win Win for me, because I've always wanted to mess around with Linux and learn a bit.