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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is ConverterSearchPlus?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that ConverterSearchPlus 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 ConverterSearchPlus?

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



and these warnings during install:







and these changed settings:





How did ConverterSearchPlus 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 ConverterSearchPlus?

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 ConverterSearchPlus?

• No, Malwarebytes removes ConverterSearchPlus 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 Malwarebytes Browser Guard, as well as the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the ConverterSearchPlus hijacker. They 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.convertersearchplus.com
CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://feed.convertersearchplus.com/?q={searchTerms}&publisher=convertersearchplus&barcodeid=579770000000000
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> ConverterSearchPlus
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.convertersearchplus.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (ConverterSearchPlus) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk [2020-11-03]

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\imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk\1.1.0_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="11/3/2020 8:48 AM, 2168 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk\1.1.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="11/3/2020 8:48 AM, 6255 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="9/2/2020 1:47 PM, 2049 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk\1.1.0_0\images
       Adds the file logo-white-text.png"="9/2/2020 1:47 PM, 0 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk\1.1.0_0\images\icons
       Adds the file 128x128.png"="11/3/2020 8:48 AM, 9690 bytes, A
       Adds the file 16x16.png"="11/3/2020 8:48 AM, 591 bytes, A
       Adds the file 64x64.png"="11/3/2020 8:48 AM, 3798 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk\1.1.0_0\scripts
       Adds the file background.js"="9/2/2020 1:47 PM, 514556 bytes, A
       Adds the file sitecontent.js"="9/2/2020 1:47 PM, 77 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk
       Adds the file 000003.log"="11/3/2020 8:48 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="11/3/2020 8:48 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="11/3/2020 8:48 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="11/3/2020 8:48 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="11/3/2020 8:48 AM, 41 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk
       Adds the file ConverterSearchPlus.ico"="11/3/2020 8:50 AM, 191687 bytes, A
       Adds the file ConverterSearchPlus.ico.md5"="11/3/2020 8:50 AM, 16 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk"="REG_SZ", "C1745273B8E4DF9D3A7D1306B1561C19A0EFDCCDD1747EFD1D68D5D36AE59618"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 11/3/20
Scan Time: 8:56 AM
Log File: 1130911e-1daa-11eb-84b4-080027235d76.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.2.2.95
Components Version: 1.0.1096
Update Package Version: 1.0.32412
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: 231926
Threats Detected: 12
Threats Quarantined: 12
Time Elapsed: 3 min, 11 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|imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk, Quarantined, 15516, 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\imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk, Quarantined, 15516, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\IMHJNJIIEJOMOMGDAEMEKDCGGPMJOHNK, Quarantined, 15516, 799722, 1.0.32412, , ame, , , 

File: 9
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 15516, 799722, , , , , 0BF8556B49F021339B11DEE31EE66F89, D72D78933CFC5F149DBF8B738786DB6F9619A4127FB67F52F5434A0B59960BCA
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15516, 799722, , , , , BBE9805DF1B90C391131282D70A04CC5, CA0C2FD402A5D5075CDBF9B970CAF93605A13333B16B9C2B1ABE5DC3FE072AFA
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk\000003.log, Quarantined, 15516, 799722, , , , , BC1A9CC4873774B6E40A37925A235C3C, C506999A75BDB8F301CF7045FDEC05213B49F8E1363F6740FE93E05E4AF30C85
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk\CURRENT, Quarantined, 15516, 799722, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk\LOCK, Quarantined, 15516, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk\LOG, Quarantined, 15516, 799722, , , , , 3E298CC7185753D81662D290CD6D9155, 03A4FA1860044059CD576916806603340C3BE2F0D5B6009B1D59E1A86B9B4C26
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\imhjnjiiejomomgdaemekdcggpmjohnk\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 15516, 799722, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\IMHJNJIIEJOMOMGDAEMEKDCGGPMJOHNK\1.1.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 15516, 799722, 1.0.32412, , ame, , 74A08AD9A24346B393DBBD7C8DFFBEC4, 98DB6DCE3AC1BBB657EBFB20F23CFDE3C7B4A40832BC8CB339ED11720A9DAFEC
PUP.Optional.PushNotifications, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 203, 858871, 1.0.32412, , ame, , BBE9805DF1B90C391131282D70A04CC5, CA0C2FD402A5D5075CDBF9B970CAF93605A13333B16B9C2B1ABE5DC3FE072AFA

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.