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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is ConverterSearchHD?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that ConverterSearchHD 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 ConverterSearchHD?

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



and these warnings during install:









and this changed setting:



How did ConverterSearchHD 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 ConverterSearchHD?

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 ConverterSearchHD?

• No, Malwarebytes removes ConverterSearchHD 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 ConverterSearchHD 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.convertersearchhd.com
CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://feed.convertersearchhd.com/?q={searchTerms}&publisher=convertersearchhd&barcodeid=579730000000000
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> ConverterSearchHD
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.convertersearchhd.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (ConverterSearchHD) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm [2020-10-01]

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\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm\1.1.0_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="10/1/2020 9:43 AM, 2144 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm\1.1.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="10/1/2020 9:43 AM, 6255 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="9/2/2020 12:45 PM, 2049 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm\1.1.0_0\images
       Adds the file logo-white-text.png"="9/2/2020 12:45 PM, 0 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm\1.1.0_0\images\icons
       Adds the file 128x128.png"="10/1/2020 9:43 AM, 10112 bytes, A
       Adds the file 16x16.png"="10/1/2020 9:43 AM, 738 bytes, A
       Adds the file 64x64.png"="10/1/2020 9:43 AM, 4248 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm\1.1.0_0\scripts
       Adds the file background.js"="9/2/2020 12:45 PM, 514538 bytes, A
       Adds the file sitecontent.js"="9/2/2020 12:45 PM, 77 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm
       Adds the file 000003.log"="10/1/2020 9:43 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="10/1/2020 9:43 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="10/1/2020 9:43 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="10/1/2020 9:43 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="10/1/2020 9:43 AM, 41 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm
       Adds the file ConverterSearchHD.ico"="10/1/2020 9:43 AM, 199491 bytes, A
       Adds the file ConverterSearchHD.ico.md5"="10/1/2020 9:43 AM, 16 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm"="REG_SZ", "E70DBDFB81FC63D1AEFD6FA3C40295548F0A464242F49CC73B665A787CF70A62"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 10/1/20
Scan Time: 9:50 AM
Log File: cd972c6e-03ba-11eb-901f-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.2.1.89
Components Version: 1.0.1045
Update Package Version: 1.0.30610
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: 231717
Threats Detected: 13
Threats Quarantined: 13
Time Elapsed: 5 min, 47 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|mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm, Quarantined, 15377, 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\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm, Quarantined, 15377, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\MKDNEHODNBGCDJCOFPKILMPLEEDCKLNM, Quarantined, 15377, 799722, 1.0.30610, , ame, , , 

File: 10
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 15377, 799722, , , , , 354551D8E48A0F5A0E7205BD2EFAAF38, E687526D7DBE1A4E2379B32B448CD2C5E187B81DA53CDA84E7132B363C94F2E0
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15377, 799722, , , , , E2864E7ECCD709A2D3493C2A819E76FF, 9EE3621CA254A65FD2ACB48C86631C5E636337B685878F6DEFA7F4E8ED589178
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm\000003.log, Quarantined, 15377, 799722, , , , , 0E921055643A16CAC0F27940A51E5CDE, 95993A10C68A8CFAB6E364542D52E4F5AC77DA1C52451D7B560050009E76E17E
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm\CURRENT, Quarantined, 15377, 799722, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm\LOCK, Quarantined, 15377, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm\LOG, Quarantined, 15377, 799722, , , , , 100168209912F5480A83C8FF47999FD2, 969549065196798FDDB58B75EFEDCA597B82FABD00CD2E6FA5066881F3C0855B
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm\LOG.old, Quarantined, 15377, 799722, , , , , 6E41092A4088E71BEF93DF1AAAF04C38, 35204E6067BA1C35DC462C57A2B2FCEC535F782C840DD974EDECA90901736583
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\mkdnehodnbgcdjcofpkilmpleedcklnm\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 15377, 799722, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\MKDNEHODNBGCDJCOFPKILMPLEEDCKLNM\1.1.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 15377, 799722, 1.0.30610, , ame, , F63E60F8548D0E3ECF861EE3C25FC340, 64DE2854B95EE2C0F2849811C142F2DB6896BB0897E2E8B072EF01275C2C2FFA
PUP.Optional.PushNotifications, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 203, 858871, 1.0.30610, , ame, , E2864E7ECCD709A2D3493C2A819E76FF, 9EE3621CA254A65FD2ACB48C86631C5E636337B685878F6DEFA7F4E8ED589178

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.