What is Shopping Assistant?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Shopping Assistant is a browser hijacker. These so-called "hijackers" alter your startpage or searchscopes so that the effected browser visits their site or one of their choice. This one also displays advertisements.
How do I know if my computer is effected by Shopping Assistant?
This is how the setup screen looks:
And you may see these toolbars/add-ons:
or this entry in your list of installed software:
How did Shopping Assistant get on my computer?
Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was bundled with other software.
How do I remove Shopping Assistant?
Our program Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.
- Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to your desktop.
- Double-click mbam-setup-version.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
- At the end, be sure a check-mark is placed next to the following:
- Enable free trial of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium
- Launch Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
- Then click Finish.
- If an update is found, you will be prompted to download and install the latest version.
- Once the program has loaded, select Scan now. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
- When the scan is complete , make sure that everything is set to "Quarantine", and click Apply Actions.
- Reboot your computer if prompted.
- No, but for a full removal of the Firefox add-on you will need Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 2.00 beta or newer.
We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this hijacker.
As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware would have protected you against the Shopping Assistant hijacker. It would have warned you before the browser helper object could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.
Signs in a HijackThis log:
O2 - BHO: Shopping Assistant - {4f873e90-52a7-4ebf-9619-2f3052ebbd12} - C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\ShoppingAssistantbho.dll
O23 - Service: Update Shopping Assistant - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\updateShoppingAssistant.exe
Alterations made by the installer:
File system details
---------------------------------------------
Adds the folder C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant
Adds the file 0"="7/3/2014 10:31 AM, 223 bytes, A
Adds the file 7za.exe"="6/26/2014 8:04 PM, 536064 bytes, A
Adds the file ShoppingAssistant.FirstRun.exe"="6/26/2014 10:37 PM, 1123632 bytes, A
Adds the file ShoppingAssistant.ico"="6/26/2014 10:36 PM, 1150 bytes, A
Adds the file ShoppingAssistantBHO.dll"="6/26/2014 10:36 PM, 250160 bytes, A
Adds the file ShoppingAssistantUninstall.exe"="7/3/2014 10:31 AM, 240450 bytes, A
Adds the file updateShoppingAssistant.exe"="6/26/2014 10:36 PM, 318768 bytes, A
Adds the file updateShoppingAssistant.InstallState"="7/3/2014 10:31 AM, 5012 bytes, A
In the existing folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\6qeoodjs.default-1401006518835\extensions
Adds the file {bffe2d03-034a-4771-b92e-56bcceb43aef}.xpi"="6/26/2014 10:36 PM, 10856 bytes, A
Registry details
------------------------------------------
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{1AA60054-57D9-4F99-9A55-D0FBFBE7ECD3}]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "6DA01FAA-CA07-4ACE-8207-ACD58C54E8C9"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{4AA46D49-459F-4358-B4D1-169048547C23}]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "F17988B1-0976-4DB2-B213-B0551244C0C0"
"id"="REG_SZ", "262"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{4f873e90-52a7-4ebf-9619-2f3052ebbd12}]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "Shopping Assistant"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{4f873e90-52a7-4ebf-9619-2f3052ebbd12}\InprocServer32]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\ShoppingAssistantbho.dll"
"ThreadingModel"="REG_SZ", "Apartment"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{4f873e90-52a7-4ebf-9619-2f3052ebbd12}\Programmable]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{4f873e90-52a7-4ebf-9619-2f3052ebbd12}\TypeLib]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "{f3185f5f-fa55-4d4d-9e2b-b98ced6fe36c}"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{4f873e90-52a7-4ebf-9619-2f3052ebbd12}\Version]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "1.0"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{C0AD1805-78CF-4BD6-9FD6-9B2D28CFCB13}]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "IShoppingAssistantBHO"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{C0AD1805-78CF-4BD6-9FD6-9B2D28CFCB13}\ProxyStubClsid]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "{00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{C0AD1805-78CF-4BD6-9FD6-9B2D28CFCB13}\ProxyStubClsid32]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "{00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{C0AD1805-78CF-4BD6-9FD6-9B2D28CFCB13}\TypeLib]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "{F3185F5F-FA55-4D4D-9E2B-B98CED6FE36C}"
"Version"="REG_SZ", "1.0"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{F3185F5F-FA55-4D4D-9E2B-B98CED6FE36C}\1.0]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "ShoppingAssistantIEClientLib"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{F3185F5F-FA55-4D4D-9E2B-B98CED6FE36C}\1.0\0\win32]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\ShoppingAssistantbho.dll"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{F3185F5F-FA55-4D4D-9E2B-B98CED6FE36C}\1.0\FLAGS]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "0"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{F3185F5F-FA55-4D4D-9E2B-B98CED6FE36C}\1.0\HELPDIR]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Tracing\ShoppingAssistant_RASAPI32]
"ConsoleTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536
"EnableConsoleTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0
"EnableFileTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0
"FileDirectory"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, "%windir%\tracing"
"FileTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536
"MaxFileSize"="REG_DWORD", 1048576
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Tracing\ShoppingAssistant_RASMANCS]
"ConsoleTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536
"EnableConsoleTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0
"EnableFileTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0
"FileDirectory"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, "%windir%\tracing"
"FileTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536
"MaxFileSize"="REG_DWORD", 1048576
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Tracing\updateShoppingAssistant_RASAPI32]
"ConsoleTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536
"EnableConsoleTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0
"EnableFileTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0
"FileDirectory"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, "%windir%\tracing"
"FileTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536
"MaxFileSize"="REG_DWORD", 1048576
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Tracing\updateShoppingAssistant_RASMANCS]
"ConsoleTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536
"EnableConsoleTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0
"EnableFileTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0
"FileDirectory"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, "%windir%\tracing"
"FileTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536
"MaxFileSize"="REG_DWORD", 1048576
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{4f873e90-52a7-4ebf-9619-2f3052ebbd12}]
"(Default)"="REG_SZ", "Shopping Assistant"
"NoExplorer"="REG_DWORD", 1
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Shopping Assistant]
"DisplayIcon"="REG_SZ", "C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\ShoppingAssistant.ico"
"DisplayName"="REG_SZ", "Shopping Assistant"
"DisplayVersion"="REG_SZ", "2014.06.26.203648"
"EstimatedSize"="REG_DWORD", 2182
"HelpLink"="REG_SZ", "mailto:[email protected]"
"InstallLocation"="REG_SZ", "C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant"
"InstallTime"="REG_SZ", "2014-07-03 10:31:37"
"NoModify"="REG_DWORD", 1
"NoRepair"="REG_DWORD", 1
"Publisher"="REG_SZ", "Shopping Assistant"
"QuietUninstallString"="REG_SZ", "C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\ShoppingAssistantuninstall.exe /S"
"UninstallString"="REG_SZ", "C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\ShoppingAssistantuninstall.exe"
"URLInfoAbout"="REG_SZ", "http://shoppingassistantapp.com/support"
"URLUpdateInfo"="REG_SZ", "http://shoppingassistantapp.com"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Shopping Assistant]
"iid"="REG_SZ", "def_ShoppingAssistant"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Shopping Assistant\Chrome]
"sgc"="REG_SZ", "true"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Shopping Assistant\Firefox]
"sff"="REG_SZ", "false"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Shopping Assistant\Internet Explorer]
"sie"="REG_SZ", "false"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\eventlog\Application\Update Shopping Assistant]
"EventMessageFile"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, "C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\EventLogMessages.dll"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Update Shopping Assistant]
"DisplayName"="REG_SZ", "Update Shopping Assistant"
"ErrorControl"="REG_DWORD", 1
"FailureActions"="REG_BINARY, ......................
"ImagePath"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, ""C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\updateShoppingAssistant.exe""
"ObjectName"="REG_SZ", "LocalSystem"
"Start"="REG_DWORD", 2
"Type"="REG_DWORD", 16
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Approved Extensions]
"{4F873E90-52A7-4EBF-9619-2F3052EBBD12}"="REG_BINARY, ............
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Settings\{4F873E90-52A7-4EBF-9619-2F3052EBBD12}]
"VerCache"="REG_BINARY, ......................
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Shopping Assistant]
"id"="REG_SZ", "2014-07-03 10:31:37"
"iid"="REG_SZ", "def_ShoppingAssistant"
"is"="REG_SZ", "def_ShoppingAssistant"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Shopping Assistant\Chrome]
"ug"="REG_SZ", "A4E393A8-AFA4-4235-94E6-3AF342145979"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Shopping Assistant\Firefox]
"ug"="REG_SZ", "7DA32FC2-2D1D-4550-AFC4-C0AEE10AFA44"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Shopping Assistant\Internet Explorer]
"ug"="REG_SZ", "1C69E760-CCF7-468A-A167-6B4FC751FBDF"
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware log:Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
www.malwarebytes.org
Scan Date: 7/3/2014
Scan Time: 10:36:41 AM
Logfile: mbamShoppingAssistant.txt
Administrator: Yes
Version: 2.00.2.1012
Malware Database: v2014.07.03.01
Rootkit Database: v2014.07.01.01
License: Free
Malware Protection: Disabled
Malicious Website Protection: Disabled
Self-protection: Disabled
OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1
CPU: x86
File System: NTFS
User: Malwarebytes
Scan Type: Threat Scan
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 236307
Time Elapsed: 2 min, 45 sec
Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Disabled
Heuristics: Enabled
PUP: Enabled
PUM: Enabled
Processes: 1
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\updateShoppingAssistant.exe, 316, Delete-on-Reboot, [e934ecafcab155e1b16f45503ec3b64a]
Modules: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Registry Keys: 10
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\Update Shopping Assistant, Quarantined, [e934ecafcab155e1b16f45503ec3b64a],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\CLSID\{4f873e90-52a7-4ebf-9619-2f3052ebbd12}, Quarantined, [24f9efac017ad066120d0f860df4b54b],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\TYPELIB\{f3185f5f-fa55-4d4d-9e2b-b98ced6fe36c}, Quarantined, [24f9efac017ad066120d0f860df4b54b],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\INTERFACE\{C0AD1805-78CF-4BD6-9FD6-9B2D28CFCB13}, Quarantined, [24f9efac017ad066120d0f860df4b54b],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\EXPLORER\BROWSER HELPER OBJECTS\{4F873E90-52A7-4EBF-9619-2F3052EBBD12}, Quarantined, [24f9efac017ad066120d0f860df4b54b],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, HKU\S-1-5-21-4016700205-1717049133-1125222536-1001-{ED1FC765-E35E-4C3D-BF15-2C2B11260CE4}-0\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\EXT\SETTINGS\{4F873E90-52A7-4EBF-9619-2F3052EBBD12}, Quarantined, [24f9efac017ad066120d0f860df4b54b],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, HKU\S-1-5-21-4016700205-1717049133-1125222536-1001-{ED1FC765-E35E-4C3D-BF15-2C2B11260CE4}-0\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\EXT\STATS\{4F873E90-52A7-4EBF-9619-2F3052EBBD12}, Quarantined, [24f9efac017ad066120d0f860df4b54b],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\CLSID\{4F873E90-52A7-4EBF-9619-2F3052EBBD12}\INPROCSERVER32, Quarantined, [24f9efac017ad066120d0f860df4b54b],
PUP.Optional.BrowseFox.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\CLSID\{4AA46D49-459F-4358-B4D1-169048547C23}, Quarantined, [f7263f5c3a41f640bd89ee967a8827d9],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\Shopping Assistant, Quarantined, [fd20bcdf4a31162098c2ae02f30fe719],
Registry Values: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Folders: 1
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant, Delete-on-Reboot, [fd20bcdf4a31162098c2ae02f30fe719],
Files: 11
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\updateShoppingAssistant.exe, Delete-on-Reboot, [e934ecafcab155e1b16f45503ec3b64a],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\ShoppingAssistantBHO.dll, Quarantined, [24f9efac017ad066120d0f860df4b54b],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\1b9faa297a823f9f46fbebabb048d290076e52271759ed7772f3d6d1e5f050d6.exe, Quarantined, [8994455644374fe7fc24fd980ef325db],
PUP.Optional.InstallCore, C:\Users\{username}\Downloads\googleupdatersetup.exe, Quarantined, [7ca1b2e93a414bebcc05afd574902fd1],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\ShoppingAssistant.ico, Quarantined, [fd20bcdf4a31162098c2ae02f30fe719],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\0, Quarantined, [fd20bcdf4a31162098c2ae02f30fe719],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\7za.exe, Quarantined, [fd20bcdf4a31162098c2ae02f30fe719],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\ShoppingAssistant.FirstRun.exe, Quarantined, [fd20bcdf4a31162098c2ae02f30fe719],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\ShoppingAssistantUninstall.exe, Quarantined, [fd20bcdf4a31162098c2ae02f30fe719],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, C:\Program Files\Shopping Assistant\updateShoppingAssistant.InstallState, Quarantined, [fd20bcdf4a31162098c2ae02f30fe719],
PUP.Optional.ShoppingAssistant.A, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\6qeoodjs.default-1401006518835\extensions\{bffe2d03-034a-4771-b92e-56bcceb43aef}.xpi, Quarantined, [938a1487ec8fe84e74eab4fc69996a96],
Physical Sectors: 0
(No malicious items detected)
(end)
As mentioned before the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware could have protected your computer against this threat.We use different ways of protecting your computer(s):
- Dynamically Blocks Malware Sites & Servers
- Malware Execution Prevention
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