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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is SocialNewPages?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that SocialNewPages is a browser 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. This one also displays advertisements.

How do I know if my computer is affected by SocialNewPages?

You may see these browser add-ons:





these warnings during install:






and these changed settings





How did SocialNewPages get on my computer?

Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was downloaded from their website:



How do I remove SocialNewPages?

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.

Is there anything else I need to do to get rid of SocialNewPages?

• No, Malwarebytes removes SocialNewPages completely.

How would the full version of Malwarebytes help protect me?

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 SocialNewPages hijacker. It would have blocked the website pushing the extensions, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:

FF Extension: No Name - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\Extensions\{230a5283-ab42-49a2-8860-b06d797917c7}.xpi [2018-08-03]
CHR Extension: (SocialNewPages) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipmhhojdlfeeiefkadleefbjgjkemjoe [2018-08-03]

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\ipmhhojdlfeeiefkadleefbjgjkemjoe\0.6_0
       Adds the file background.js"="1/25/2017 1:44 PM, 4144 bytes, A
       Adds the file logo.png"="8/3/2018 8:57 AM, 31081 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="8/3/2018 8:57 AM, 1082 bytes, A
       Adds the file redirect.html"="10/26/2016 12:11 PM, 52 bytes, A
       Adds the file redirect.js"="11/7/2016 2:10 PM, 718 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipmhhojdlfeeiefkadleefbjgjkemjoe\0.6_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="8/3/2018 8:57 AM, 395 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="1/25/2017 1:44 PM, 1737 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions
       Adds the file {230a5283-ab42-49a2-8860-b06d797917c7}.xpi"="8/3/2018 8:58 AM, 62429 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "ipmhhojdlfeeiefkadleefbjgjkemjoe"="REG_SZ", "D3BFCAC44B23A1F5E82D967D1885B9F17204869E42254B5156E6F5B7F3F22601"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 8/3/18
Scan Time: 9:02 AM
Log File: 2f320fd3-96eb-11e8-9e1e-00ffdcc6fdfc.json
Administrator: Yes

-Software Information-
Version: 3.5.1.2522
Components Version: 1.0.391
Update Package Version: 1.0.6181
License: Premium

-System Information-
OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1
CPU: x64
File System: NTFS
User: {computername}\{username}

-Scan Summary-
Scan Type: Threat Scan
Scan Initiated By: Manual
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 252109
Threats Detected: 13
Threats Quarantined: 13
Time Elapsed: 3 min, 13 sec

-Scan Options-
Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Enabled
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: 3
PUP.Optional.SocialNewPages, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipmhhojdlfeeiefkadleefbjgjkemjoe\0.6_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [14318], [521546],1.0.6181
PUP.Optional.SocialNewPages, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipmhhojdlfeeiefkadleefbjgjkemjoe\0.6_0, Quarantined, [14318], [521546],1.0.6181
PUP.Optional.SocialNewPages, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\IPMHHOJDLFEEIEFKADLEEFBJGJKEMJOE, Quarantined, [14318], [521546],1.0.6181

File: 10
PUP.Optional.SocialNewsPage, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\EXTENSIONS\{230A5283-AB42-49A2-8860-B06D797917C7}.XPI, Quarantined, [4679], [491800],1.0.6181
PUP.Optional.SocialNewPages, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [14318], [521546],1.0.6181
PUP.Optional.SocialNewPages, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, [14318], [521546],1.0.6181
PUP.Optional.SocialNewPages, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\IPMHHOJDLFEEIEFKADLEEFBJGJKEMJOE\0.6_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, [14318], [521546],1.0.6181
PUP.Optional.SocialNewPages, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipmhhojdlfeeiefkadleefbjgjkemjoe\0.6_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [14318], [521546],1.0.6181
PUP.Optional.SocialNewPages, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipmhhojdlfeeiefkadleefbjgjkemjoe\0.6_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [14318], [521546],1.0.6181
PUP.Optional.SocialNewPages, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipmhhojdlfeeiefkadleefbjgjkemjoe\0.6_0\background.js, Quarantined, [14318], [521546],1.0.6181
PUP.Optional.SocialNewPages, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipmhhojdlfeeiefkadleefbjgjkemjoe\0.6_0\logo.png, Quarantined, [14318], [521546],1.0.6181
PUP.Optional.SocialNewPages, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipmhhojdlfeeiefkadleefbjgjkemjoe\0.6_0\redirect.html, Quarantined, [14318], [521546],1.0.6181
PUP.Optional.SocialNewPages, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipmhhojdlfeeiefkadleefbjgjkemjoe\0.6_0\redirect.js, Quarantined, [14318], [521546],1.0.6181

Physical Sector: 0
(No malicious items detected)

WMI: 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

Save yourself the hassle and get protected.