What is PopBlock+?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that PopBlock+ is a potentially unwanted program that behaves like adware. These adware applications display advertisements not originating from the sites you are browsing.
How do I know if my computer is affected by PopBlock+?
You may see this entry in your list of installed Chrome extensions:
You may see these warnings during install:
and this page when the extension replaces a site:
How did PopBlock+ get on my computer?
Adware applications use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was available in the webstore.
and promoted on ad-rotator sites.
How do I remove PopBlock+?
Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this adware 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.
- No, Malwarebytes removes PopBlock+ completely.
We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this adware.
As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes, as well as Browser Guard would have protected you against the PopBlock+ adware. It would have blocked the installer before it became too late.
Technical details for experts
Possible signs in FRST logs:
CHR Extension: (PopBlock+) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc [2020-11-29]Significant changes 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\fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc\1.0.6_0 Adds the file background.js"="11/23/2020 12:44 PM, 14808 bytes, A Adds the file manifest.json"="11/29/2020 12:46 PM, 832 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc\1.0.6_0\_metadata Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="11/29/2020 12:46 PM, 388 bytes, A Adds the file verified_contents.json"="11/23/2020 12:47 PM, 1533 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc\1.0.6_0\icons Adds the file icon128.png"="11/29/2020 12:46 PM, 2188 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc Adds the file 000003.log"="11/29/2020 12:51 PM, 2615 bytes, A Adds the file CURRENT"="11/29/2020 12:46 PM, 16 bytes, A Adds the file LOCK"="11/29/2020 12:46 PM, 0 bytes, A Adds the file LOG"="11/29/2020 12:51 PM, 412 bytes, A Adds the file LOG.old"="11/29/2020 12:46 PM, 184 bytes, A Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="11/29/2020 12:46 PM, 41 bytes, A Registry details [View: All details] (Selection) ------------------------------------------------ [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings] "fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc"="REG_SZ", "F4AEA283D522F50EDAC1D00DD2C43028550EECC96A95B7B7BD9BE87E1E316754"Malwarebytes log:
Malwarebytes www.malwarebytes.com -Log Details- Scan Date: 11/30/20 Scan Time: 8:31 AM Log File: 1bd915d4-32de-11eb-93c3-080027235d76.json -Software Information- Version: 4.2.3.96 Components Version: 1.0.1122 Update Package Version: 1.0.33638 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: 232065 Threats Detected: 10 Threats Quarantined: 10 Time Elapsed: 2 min, 53 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.SearchGenius, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc, Quarantined, 2257, 884030, , , , , , Registry Data: 0 (No malicious items detected) Data Stream: 0 (No malicious items detected) Folder: 2 PUP.Optional.SearchGenius, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Local Extension Settings\fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc, Quarantined, 2257, 884030, , , , , , PUP.Optional.SearchGenius, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\EXTENSIONS\fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc, Quarantined, 2257, 884030, 1.0.33638, , ame, , , File: 7 PUP.Optional.SearchGenius, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 2257, 884030, , , , , B260E6D13CA0B2D9372F5A6D0B8E0952, FB8F71B39E432A269D5FFE457AD05193B701EC1C1B436D93D7C1E4A509C156D9 PUP.Optional.SearchGenius, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 2257, 884030, , , , , 775FFF2E1A617FD749E50AE64015E9F0, 36FA83FAA06EE0AF8DE5F07629D2ED614EBFA26CA816C44A71CF3885A1A7B53A PUP.Optional.SearchGenius, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc\000003.log, Quarantined, 2257, 884030, , , , , D7EDE520103D052CED69BF6605990D02, 0DEBB0D5A2113E48F9DCE842EF2E352514179096749EF61A6D12EFE995FDA89B PUP.Optional.SearchGenius, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc\CURRENT, Quarantined, 2257, 884030, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443 PUP.Optional.SearchGenius, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc\LOCK, Quarantined, 2257, 884030, , , , , , PUP.Optional.SearchGenius, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc\LOG, Quarantined, 2257, 884030, , , , , C514556CC59602B422034BCD0E8FD7DF, 78BBDCECD196FE067FF466C7AA9C00F62D35D22B160CD6A1295084742C190787 PUP.Optional.SearchGenius, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\fjdbdncjdpejlofndcobhldkeicnignc\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 2257, 884030, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4 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