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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is Search App?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Search App 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 Search App?

You may see this entry in your list of installed Chrome extensions:



these warnings during install:









and this changed setting:



How did Search App get on my computer?

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



through their website:



How do I remove Search App?

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 Search App?

• No, Malwarebytes removes Search App 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 Search App hijacker. It would have warned you before the application could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:

CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxp://www.searchfort.online/lp/lookupAr.html?q={searchTerms}
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> obifind
CHR Extension: (Search App) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbibfnkfgecaoohegoiggbodnpaefoli [2018-11-07]

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\jbibfnkfgecaoohegoiggbodnpaefoli\7.0.2_0
       Adds the file background.js"="6/20/2018 2:09 PM, 820 bytes, A
       Adds the file icon128.png"="11/7/2018 8:52 AM, 178 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="11/7/2018 8:52 AM, 1348 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbibfnkfgecaoohegoiggbodnpaefoli\7.0.2_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="11/7/2018 8:52 AM, 241 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="6/26/2018 4:39 PM, 1525 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "jbibfnkfgecaoohegoiggbodnpaefoli"="REG_SZ", "27B58D9162324276D3B249D4EE7C97962A1B0A1A1E300052C9ED6940DCBBACBA"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 11/7/18
Scan Time: 8:57 AM
Log File: d4f3b688-e262-11e8-b3a8-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 3.6.1.2711
Components Version: 1.0.463
Update Package Version: 1.0.7731
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: 238186
Threats Detected: 12
Threats Quarantined: 12
Time Elapsed: 3 min, 29 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: 1
PUP.Optional.SearchFort, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|jbibfnkfgecaoohegoiggbodnpaefoli, Quarantined, [230], [594481],1.0.7731

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 3
PUP.Optional.SearchFort, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbibfnkfgecaoohegoiggbodnpaefoli\7.0.2_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [230], [594481],1.0.7731
PUP.Optional.SearchFort, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbibfnkfgecaoohegoiggbodnpaefoli\7.0.2_0, Quarantined, [230], [594481],1.0.7731
PUP.Optional.SearchFort, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\EXTENSIONS\jbibfnkfgecaoohegoiggbodnpaefoli, Quarantined, [230], [594481],1.0.7731

File: 8
PUP.Optional.SearchFort, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbibfnkfgecaoohegoiggbodnpaefoli\7.0.2_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [230], [594481],1.0.7731
PUP.Optional.SearchFort, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbibfnkfgecaoohegoiggbodnpaefoli\7.0.2_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [230], [594481],1.0.7731
PUP.Optional.SearchFort, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbibfnkfgecaoohegoiggbodnpaefoli\7.0.2_0\background.js, Quarantined, [230], [594481],1.0.7731
PUP.Optional.SearchFort, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbibfnkfgecaoohegoiggbodnpaefoli\7.0.2_0\icon128.png, Quarantined, [230], [594481],1.0.7731
PUP.Optional.SearchFort, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jbibfnkfgecaoohegoiggbodnpaefoli\7.0.2_0\manifest.json, Quarantined, [230], [594481],1.0.7731
PUP.Optional.SearchFort, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [230], [594481],1.0.7731
PUP.Optional.SearchFort, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, [230], [594481],1.0.7731
PUP.Optional.SearchFort, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [230], [594482],1.0.7731

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.