Capterra Glossary
An ad blocker is an application, typically a plug-in or browser extension, that removes advertising material from websites. While a web page loads, ad blocking software compares the domain names of components loading on the web page against a list of elements it was built to block. If any component is flagged as advertising material, the ad blocker will automatically stop it from loading, successfully preventing advertisements from appearing on screen.
Small and midsize businesses can use ad blockers to help keep their computer systems secure. Cybercriminals often purchase advertising space on popular websites with the intent of exposing computer systems to malicious content.
If an employee was to click one of these ads while using a company device, they could potentially expose private company or customer information. Ad blockers remove advertisements from online browsers, allowing teams to securely browse the internet.