What is SearchZilla?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that SearchZilla 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 uses web push notifications.
How do I know if my computer is affected by SearchZilla?
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 these changed settings:
How did SearchZilla 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 SearchZilla?
Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this adware.
- Please download Malwarebytes for Windows to your desktop.
- Double-click MBSetup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
- When your Malwarebytes for Windows installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen.
- Click on the Get started button.
- Click Scan to start a Threat Scan.
- When the scan is finished click Quarantine to remove the found threats.
- Reboot the system if prompted to complete the removal process.
- No, Malwarebytes removes SearchZilla completely.
- If you have allowed the notifications you can read here how to disable them.
We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this hijacker.
Technical details for experts
Possible signs in FRST logs:
CHR Notifications: Default -> hxxps://install.search-zilla.com
CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://feed.search-zilla.com/?q={searchTerms}&publisher=searchzilla&barcodeid=569860000000000
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> SearchZilla
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.search-zilla.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (SearchZilla) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc [2020-03-31]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\lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc\1.1.0_0
Adds the file manifest.json"="3/31/2020 10:43 AM, 2078 bytes, A
Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc\1.1.0_0\_metadata
Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="3/31/2020 10:43 AM, 6255 bytes, A
Adds the file verified_contents.json"="2/27/2020 10:32 AM, 2049 bytes, A
Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc\1.1.0_0\images
Adds the file logo-white-text.png"="2/27/2020 10:32 AM, 0 bytes, A
Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc\1.1.0_0\images\icons
Adds the file 128x128.png"="3/31/2020 10:43 AM, 5636 bytes, A
Adds the file 16x16.png"="3/31/2020 10:43 AM, 608 bytes, A
Adds the file 64x64.png"="3/31/2020 10:43 AM, 2649 bytes, A
Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc\1.1.0_0\scripts
Adds the file background.js"="2/27/2020 10:32 AM, 514556 bytes, A
Adds the file sitecontent.js"="2/27/2020 10:32 AM, 77 bytes, A
Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc
Adds the file 000003.log"="3/31/2020 10:46 AM, 816 bytes, A
Adds the file CURRENT"="3/31/2020 10:43 AM, 16 bytes, A
Adds the file LOCK"="3/31/2020 10:43 AM, 0 bytes, A
Adds the file LOG"="3/31/2020 10:46 AM, 184 bytes, A
Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="3/31/2020 10:43 AM, 41 bytes, A
Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc
Adds the file SearchZilla.ico"="3/31/2020 10:43 AM, 182073 bytes, A
Adds the file SearchZilla.ico.md5"="3/31/2020 10:43 AM, 16 bytes, A
Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
"lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc"="REG_SZ", "07E3803BC2A903329DCC2C29C4CE4B4C9CC6896F5F116AB6FEB985D4A100ACF4"Malwarebytes log:Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com
-Log Details-
Scan Date: 3/31/20
Scan Time: 10:52 AM
Log File: e9d81dda-732c-11ea-b2d8-00ffdcc6fdfc.json
-Software Information-
Version: 4.1.0.56
Components Version: 1.0.859
Update Package Version: 1.0.21666
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: 234057
Threats Detected: 11
Threats Quarantined: 11
Time Elapsed: 14 min, 14 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: 1
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc, Quarantined, 15096, 799722, , , ,
Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Folder: 2
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Sync Extension Settings\lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc, Quarantined, 15096, 799722, , , ,
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\LGOLGJBHGJPIHECBBBHGGKAGGKMNBFFC, Quarantined, 15096, 799722, 1.0.21666, , ame,
File: 8
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 15096, 799722, , , ,
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15096, 799722, , , ,
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc\000003.log, Quarantined, 15096, 799722, , , ,
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc\CURRENT, Quarantined, 15096, 799722, , , ,
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc\LOCK, Quarantined, 15096, 799722, , , ,
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc\LOG, Quarantined, 15096, 799722, , , ,
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\lgolgjbhgjpihecbbbhggkaggkmnbffc\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 15096, 799722, , , ,
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\LGOLGJBHGJPIHECBBBHGGKAGGKMNBFFC\1.1.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 15096, 799722, 1.0.21666, , ame,
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
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