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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is File Conversion Now?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that File Conversion Now is a browser NewTab. These so-called "NewTabs" can 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 newtab hijacker and uses web push notifications.



How do I know if my computer is affected by File Conversion Now?

You may see this browser extension:



this warning during install:



You may see this icon in your browsers menu-bar:



this new startpage:



and these new settings:





How did File Conversion Now 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 File Conversion Now?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.
You can use their own uninstall instructions first, but I would advise to follow the steps below anyway.

• 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 File Conversion Now?

• No, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware removes File Conversion Now 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 would have protected you against the File Conversion Now 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 Notifications: Default -> hxxps://hp.hfileconversionnow.com; hxxps://pdfconverterguru.com
CHR NewTab: Default ->  Active:"chrome-extension://ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb/newtabhtml/newtabpage.html"
CHR Extension: (File Conversion Now) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb [2020-06-25]

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\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb\2.0_0
       Adds the file central.js"="4/14/2020 1:50 PM, 2344 bytes, A
       Adds the file icon.png"="6/25/2020 8:50 AM, 3456 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="6/25/2020 8:50 AM, 1333 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb\2.0_0\_locales\en
       Adds the file messages.json"="6/25/2020 8:50 AM, 210 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb\2.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="6/25/2020 8:50 AM, 1350 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="4/14/2020 1:50 PM, 2912 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb\2.0_0\html\bAction
       Adds the file about.html"="4/14/2020 1:50 PM, 3742 bytes, A
       Adds the file newtabpage.html"="4/14/2020 1:50 PM, 214 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb\2.0_0\js
       Adds the file browseraction.js"="4/14/2020 1:50 PM, 1004 bytes, A
       Adds the file config.js"="4/14/2020 1:50 PM, 1018 bytes, A
       Adds the file dailyFeature.js"="4/14/2020 1:50 PM, 3487 bytes, A
       Adds the file log.js"="4/14/2020 1:50 PM, 896 bytes, A
       Adds the file newTab.js"="4/14/2020 1:50 PM, 1523 bytes, A
       Adds the file search.js"="4/14/2020 1:50 PM, 1027 bytes, A
       Adds the file store.js"="4/14/2020 1:50 PM, 235 bytes, A
       Adds the file utility.js"="4/14/2020 1:50 PM, 2546 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb\2.0_0\newtabhtml
       Adds the file newtabpage.html"="4/14/2020 1:50 PM, 207 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb
       Adds the file 000003.log"="6/25/2020 8:50 AM, 488 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="6/25/2020 8:50 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="6/25/2020 8:50 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="6/25/2020 9:07 AM, 183 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="6/25/2020 8:50 AM, 41 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb"="REG_SZ", "F0884C4E76A1BBDCF08F189A10AD3EE0B891E4C36E135C5510A80D0CC7D6D3A4"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 6/25/20
Scan Time: 9:18 AM
Log File: 1ea2335a-b6b4-11ea-9d88-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.1.0.56
Components Version: 1.0.955
Update Package Version: 1.0.25999
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: 232200
Threats Detected: 12
Threats Quarantined: 12
Time Elapsed: 2 min, 10 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.Spigot.Generic, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb, Quarantined, 200, 752296, , , , 

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 2
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Extensions\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb, Quarantined, 200, 752296, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb, Quarantined, 200, 752296, , , , 

File: 9
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 200, 752296, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 200, 752296, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb\000003.log, Quarantined, 200, 752296, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb\CURRENT, Quarantined, 200, 752296, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb\LOCK, Quarantined, 200, 752296, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb\LOG, Quarantined, 200, 752296, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ocemooeilogfefcknbhnjlofcfnhohcb\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 200, 752296, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\OCEMOOEILOGFEFCKNBHNJLOFCFNHOHCB\2.0_0\JS\DAILYFEATURE.JS, Quarantined, 200, 752296, 1.0.25999, , ame, 
PUP.Optional.PushNotifications, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 203, 834481, 1.0.25999, , 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.