What is SearchApp - Games?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that SearchApp - Games is a search hijacker. These so-called "hijackers" manipulate your browser(s), for example to change your startpage or searchscopes, so that the affected browser visits their site or one of their choice.
How do I know if my computer is affected by SearchApp - Games?
You may see this entry in your list of installed Chrome extensions:
and these warnings during install:
and you will see this icon in your Chrome menu:
How did SearchApp - Games get on my computer?
Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was downloaded from their website after a redirect by an ad-rotator.
But the extension was also available in the webstore.
How do I remove SearchApp - Games?
Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.
- Please download Malwarebytes to your desktop.
- Double-click mb3-setup-consumer-{version}.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
- Then click Finish.
- Once the program has fully updated, select Scan Now on the Dashboard. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
- If another update of the definitions is available, it will be implemented before the rest of the scanning procedure.
- When the scan is complete, make sure that all Threats are selected, and click Remove Selected.
- Restart your computer when prompted to do so.
- No, Malwarebytes removes SearchApp - Games completely.
- If you are using an older version of Malwarebytes, you may have to remove the Chrome extension manually under Tools > More Tools > Extensions. Click on the bin behind the SearchApp - Games entry and confirm Remove in the prompt.
We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this hijacker.
As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the SearchApp - Games hijacker. It would have stopped you from visiting their site:
Technical details for experts
Possible signs in FRST logs:
CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxp://www.blpsearch.com/search?sid=749&aid={APPID}&itype=u&src=ds&p={searchTerms}&tm=0 CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> BLPSearch CHR Extension: (SearchApp - Games) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg [2017-12-19]Alterations made by the installer:
File system details [View: All details] (Selection) --------------------------------------------------- Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg\1.3.0.3281_0 Adds the file manifest.json"="12/19/2017 10:57 AM, 1642 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg\1.3.0.3281_0\_metadata Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="12/19/2017 10:57 AM, 449 bytes, A Adds the file verified_contents.json"="8/22/2017 2:55 PM, 1769 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg\1.3.0.3281_0\icons Adds the file checker.gif"="8/21/2017 4:03 PM, 43 bytes, A Adds the file icon-128.png"="12/19/2017 10:57 AM, 8663 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg\1.3.0.3281_0\js Adds the file background.js"="8/21/2017 4:03 PM, 10614 bytes, A Adds the file brand.js"="8/21/2017 4:03 PM, 218 bytes, A Registry details [View: All details] (Selection) ------------------------------------------------ [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings] "jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg"="REG_SZ", "D9A3099C9D5CCC7B76E6A170C50B0E6203F67439403977644E2194447B03557B"Malwarebytes log:
Malwarebytes www.malwarebytes.com -Log Details- Scan Date: 12/19/17 Scan Time: 11:12 AM Log File: 30887ce8-e4a5-11e7-a265-080027750297.json Administrator: Yes -Software Information- Version: 3.3.1.2183 Components Version: 1.0.236 Update Package Version: 1.0.3519 License: Premium -System Information- OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 CPU: x64 File System: NTFS User: {computername}\{username} -Scan Summary- Scan Type: Threat Scan Result: Completed Objects Scanned: 244553 Threats Detected: 14 Threats Quarantined: 14 Time Elapsed: 7 min, 48 sec -Scan Options- Memory: Enabled Startup: Enabled Filesystem: Enabled Archives: Enabled Rootkits: Disabled Heuristics: Enabled PUP: Detect PUM: Detect -Scan Details- Process: 0 (No malicious items detected) Module: 0 (No malicious items detected) Registry Key: 0 (No malicious items detected) Registry Value: 0 (No malicious items detected) Registry Data: 0 (No malicious items detected) Data Stream: 0 (No malicious items detected) Folder: 5 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg, Quarantined, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg\1.3.0.3281_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg\1.3.0.3281_0\icons, Quarantined, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg\1.3.0.3281_0\js, Quarantined, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\JBKGFDEIDJLEMGEIDGCPLDMHFGFAJOJG\1.3.0.3281_0, Quarantined, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 File: 9 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\JBKGFDEIDJLEMGEIDGCPLDMHFGFAJOJG\1.3.0.3281_0\JS\BRAND.JS, Quarantined, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg\1.3.0.3281_0\icons\checker.gif, Quarantined, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg\1.3.0.3281_0\icons\icon-128.png, Quarantined, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg\1.3.0.3281_0\js\background.js, Quarantined, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg\1.3.0.3281_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg\1.3.0.3281_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 PUP.Optional.BlpSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbkgfdeidjlemgeidgcpldmhfgfajojg\1.3.0.3281_0\manifest.json, Quarantined, [8561], [443081],1.0.3519 Physical Sector: 0 (No malicious items detected) (end)As mentioned before the full version of Malwarebytes 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