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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is Safeplex Search?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Safeplex 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 uses web push notifications.

How do I know if my computer is affected by Safeplex 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 Safeplex 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 Safeplex Search?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.

• 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.

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

• No, Malwarebytes removes Safeplex Search completely.
• If you have allowed the notifications you can read here how to disable them.

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 as well as Browser Guard would have protected you against the Safeplex Search hijacker. It would have blocked their website, giving you a chance to stop before it became too late.

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:

CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://safeplexsearch.com/hapi/omniSearch?q={searchTerms}&acTypeId=1
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> Safeplex Search
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://safeplexsearch.com/apps/keywordSuggestion?q={searchTerms}&acTypeId=1&browser=0
CHR Extension: (Web) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\bahbhfkcegahoanifckinmmakdanlang [2020-05-14]

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\bahbhfkcegahoanifckinmmakdanlang\1.0.0.1_0
       Adds the file background.js"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 11549 bytes, A
       Adds the file contentScript.js"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 6335 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="5/14/2020 9:00 AM, 2274 bytes, A
       Adds the file misc.js"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 1458 bytes, A
       Adds the file safeplexLogo.css"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 12894 bytes, A
       Adds the file specificBackground.js"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 6136 bytes, A
       Adds the file specificContentScript.js"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 3735 bytes, A
       Adds the file util.js"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 4753 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\bahbhfkcegahoanifckinmmakdanlang\1.0.0.1_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="5/14/2020 9:00 AM, 4215 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 3299 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\bahbhfkcegahoanifckinmmakdanlang\1.0.0.1_0\distJs
       Adds the file constants.js"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 5357 bytes, A
       Adds the file distribution.js"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 1331 bytes, A
       Adds the file helper.js"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 15433 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\bahbhfkcegahoanifckinmmakdanlang\1.0.0.1_0\icons
       Adds the file icon128.png"="5/14/2020 9:00 AM, 14672 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\bahbhfkcegahoanifckinmmakdanlang\1.0.0.1_0\popup
       Adds the file popup.html"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 15485 bytes, A
       Adds the file popup.js"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 3057 bytes, A
       Adds the file safe_threat.css"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 74217 bytes, A
       Adds the file unsafe_threat.css"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 74233 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\bahbhfkcegahoanifckinmmakdanlang\1.0.0.1_0\specificUtil
       Adds the file apiResUtil.js"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 2543 bytes, A
       Adds the file polyFill.js"="4/15/2020 10:59 AM, 1433 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "bahbhfkcegahoanifckinmmakdanlang"="REG_SZ", "9B401181C74DF410627FB7D37D0A88519802C8D89E2B0DCFF1EDDBD1FEABE5BD"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 5/14/20
Scan Time: 9:15 AM
Log File: b87bbece-95b2-11ea-aee1-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.1.0.56
Components Version: 1.0.896
Update Package Version: 1.0.23800
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: 233043
Threats Detected: 7
Threats Quarantined: 7
Time Elapsed: 2 min, 1 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
PUP.Optional.SearchHijacker.Generic, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|bahbhfkcegahoanifckinmmakdanlang, Quarantined, 269, 814209, , , , 

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 1
PUP.Optional.SearchHijacker.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\BAHBHFKCEGAHOANIFCKINMMAKDANLANG, Quarantined, 269, 814209, 1.0.23800, , ame, 

File: 5
PUP.Optional.SearchHijacker.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 269, 814209, , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchHijacker.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 269, 814209, , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchHijacker.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\BAHBHFKCEGAHOANIFCKINMMAKDANLANG\1.0.0.1_0\BACKGROUND.JS, Quarantined, 269, 814209, 1.0.23800, , ame, 
PUP.Optional.PushNotifications, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 203, 814212, 1.0.23800, , ame, 
PUP.Optional.PushNotifications, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 203, 814212, 1.0.23800, , 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

Save yourself the hassle and get protected.