What is Movie Goat Default Search?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Movie Goat Default Search 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.
This particular one is a search hijacker and shows web push notifications like these.
How do I know if my computer is affected by Movie Goat Default Search?
You may see this entry in your list of installed Chrome extensions:
and these warnings during install:
You will see this icon in your Chrome menu-bar:
and this changed setting:
How did Movie Goat Default Search get on my computer?
Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was downloaded from the webstore:
after a redirect from their website:
How do I remove Movie Goat Default Search?
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 Movie Goat Default Search completely.
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 Movie Goat Default Search hijacker. It would have blocked their notifications service, giving you a chance to stop before it became too late.
Technical details for experts
Possible signs in FRST logs:
CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://feed.moviegoat.com/?st=ds&q={searchTerms}&publisher=moviegoat_ds&barcodeid=517890000000000 CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> MovieGoat Search CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.moviegoat.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms} CHR Extension: (MovieGoat Search) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd [2019-03-27]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\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0 Adds the file closer.js"="9/13/2017 11:07 AM, 15 bytes, A Adds the file manifest.json"="3/27/2019 8:57 AM, 2216 bytes, A Adds the file tab.html"="9/13/2017 11:07 AM, 165 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\_metadata Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="3/27/2019 8:57 AM, 957 bytes, A Adds the file verified_contents.json"="1/15/2019 8:07 AM, 2253 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\images\icons Adds the file 128x128.png"="3/27/2019 8:57 AM, 11020 bytes, A Adds the file 16x16.png"="3/27/2019 8:57 AM, 749 bytes, A Adds the file 32x32.png"="3/27/2019 8:57 AM, 1933 bytes, A Adds the file 64x64.png"="5/4/2017 8:48 AM, 6358 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\scripts Adds the file background.js"="1/17/2019 2:22 PM, 31682 bytes, A Adds the file sitecontent.js"="5/15/2017 3:28 PM, 77 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Platform Notifications Adds the file 000003.log"="3/27/2019 8:59 AM, 10310 bytes, A Adds the file CURRENT"="3/27/2019 8:56 AM, 16 bytes, A Adds the file LOCK"="3/27/2019 8:56 AM, 0 bytes, A Adds the file LOG"="3/27/2019 8:56 AM, 150 bytes, A Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="3/27/2019 8:56 AM, 41 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd Adds the file Movie Goat Default Search.ico"="3/27/2019 8:57 AM, 205018 bytes, A Adds the file Movie Goat Default Search.ico.md5"="3/27/2019 8:57 AM, 16 bytes, A Registry details [View: All details] (Selection) ------------------------------------------------ [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings] "jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd"="REG_SZ", "297A2C245E52DB7F7516529FD39694BAD4445EC25193D1485FE69D38CEEDE944"Malwarebytes log:
Malwarebytes www.malwarebytes.com -Log Details- Scan Date: 3/27/19 Scan Time: 9:08 AM Log File: 7220c3fd-5067-11e9-ba89-00ffdcc6fdfc.json -Software Information- Version: 3.7.1.2839 Components Version: 1.0.563 Update Package Version: 1.0.9874 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: 235692 Threats Detected: 20 Threats Quarantined: 20 Time Elapsed: 3 min, 41 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.MovieGoat, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 Registry Data: 0 (No malicious items detected) Data Stream: 0 (No malicious items detected) Folder: 6 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\images\icons, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\scripts, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\images, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\JJPFMIAOIMOLNFDFOBIJFEAGCIOONCDD, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 File: 13 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\JJPFMIAOIMOLNFDFOBIJFEAGCIOONCDD\3.1.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\images\icons\128x128.png, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\images\icons\16x16.png, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\images\icons\32x32.png, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\images\icons\64x64.png, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\scripts\background.js, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\scripts\sitecontent.js, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\closer.js, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 PUP.Optional.MovieGoat, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jjpfmiaoimolnfdfobijfeagciooncdd\3.1.0_0\tab.html, Quarantined, [2522], [375520],1.0.9874 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