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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is SearchPDFConverterz?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that SearchPDFConverterz 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 SearchPDFConverterz?

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



and these warnings during install:







and these changed settings:





How did SearchPDFConverterz 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 SearchPDFConverterz?

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 SearchPDFConverterz?

• No, Malwarebytes removes SearchPDFConverterz 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 SearchPDFConverterz 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 Notifications: Default -> hxxps://get.searchpdfconverterz.com
CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://feed.searchpdfconverterz.com/?q={searchTerms}&publisher=searchpdfconverterz&barcodeid=576190000000000
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> SearchPDFConverterz
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.searchpdfconverterz.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (SearchPDFConverterz) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd [2020-08-11]

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\hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd\1.1.0_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="8/11/2020 10:30 AM, 2168 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd\1.1.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="8/11/2020 10:30 AM, 6255 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="6/21/2020 3:33 PM, 2049 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd\1.1.0_0\images
       Adds the file logo-white-text.png"="6/21/2020 3:33 PM, 0 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd\1.1.0_0\images\icons
       Adds the file 128x128.png"="8/11/2020 10:30 AM, 8227 bytes, A
       Adds the file 16x16.png"="8/11/2020 10:30 AM, 700 bytes, A
       Adds the file 64x64.png"="8/11/2020 10:30 AM, 3732 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd\1.1.0_0\scripts
       Adds the file background.js"="6/21/2020 3:33 PM, 514690 bytes, A
       Adds the file sitecontent.js"="6/21/2020 3:33 PM, 77 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd
       Adds the file 000003.log"="8/11/2020 10:33 AM, 811 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="8/11/2020 10:30 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="8/11/2020 10:30 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="8/11/2020 10:34 AM, 184 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="8/11/2020 10:30 AM, 41 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd
       Adds the file SearchPDFConverterz.ico"="8/11/2020 10:30 AM, 189322 bytes, A
       Adds the file SearchPDFConverterz.ico.md5"="8/11/2020 10:30 AM, 16 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd"="REG_SZ", "184DB7813BA0416944186450F1B5A4D0D71D3C3C78C73050E09DC853E18B5A9F"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 8/11/20
Scan Time: 10:50 AM
Log File: b8cde2d8-dbaf-11ea-884e-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.1.2.73
Components Version: 1.0.1003
Update Package Version: 1.0.28311
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: 231037
Threats Detected: 12
Threats Quarantined: 12
Time Elapsed: 3 min, 46 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|hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd, Quarantined, 15175, 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\hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd, Quarantined, 15175, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\HGDAJLJEBFEFDENLKCFEIMIOKJLOOCJD, Quarantined, 15175, 799722, 1.0.28311, , ame, , , 

File: 9
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 15175, 799722, , , , , 5E213EA87847A8EDDE4D87B349BCDCE9, 6F684E4741DF90DA423EB3C8FF6A1BBFA0BD320231B521A9873AA01D6FA86A73
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15175, 799722, , , , , 374EE15A5360262797B9143A615FADDA, C5CDCDA4D7D5664CABB09237A852FE9137621FD466377A48DE53AFDD57A6E9B5
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd\000003.log, Quarantined, 15175, 799722, , , , , 47684D320E7351F3286F94B49910C768, 64DEF08719A29675D1D011663F48609F8E064DFDB74B85DFD9E4D221568DCAD2
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd\CURRENT, Quarantined, 15175, 799722, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd\LOCK, Quarantined, 15175, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd\LOG, Quarantined, 15175, 799722, , , , , 7A7630C2215D5EF082CD0DC676087ACB, D30DE3427AE5504286DDC8D039953DCBB0CF142B2C00ED92730AA84527C61A49
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\hgdajljebfefdenlkcfeimiokjloocjd\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 15175, 799722, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\HGDAJLJEBFEFDENLKCFEIMIOKJLOOCJD\1.1.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 15175, 799722, 1.0.28311, , ame, , B66D4E206AB0F699C0D7FD347BD524CC, 06AD2BA44FD2E65C7E0FFFD24CD0A2A498B28B7969874394CDA866426D40EE32
PUP.Optional.PushNotifications, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 203, 842397, 1.0.28311, , ame, , 374EE15A5360262797B9143A615FADDA, C5CDCDA4D7D5664CABB09237A852FE9137621FD466377A48DE53AFDD57A6E9B5

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.