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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is Less Notifications?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Less Notifications 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 changes your default search engine.

How do I know if my computer is affected by Less Notifications?

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



and this changed setting:



You may have noticed these warnings during install:







How did Less Notifications 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 Less Notifications?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this search hijacker.

• 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 Less Notifications?

• No, Malwarebytes removes Less Notifications completely.

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, and the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the Less Notifications hijacker. It would have blocked their website, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:

CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://search.lessnotifications.com/chrome/newtab/searchresults.aspx?src=ds&pid=slsno&q={searchTerms}&v=0.8&gid=985#chrome://newtab
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> Notifications Search
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://www.lessnotifications.com/ntapi/suggestions/rd?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (Less Notifications) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn [2020-12-02]

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\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn\0.9_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="12/2/2020 9:31 AM, 1906 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn\0.9_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="12/2/2020 9:31 AM, 1411 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="7/28/2020 6:39 PM, 2609 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn\0.9_0\common
       Adds the file contentscript.js"="7/28/2020 6:39 PM, 637 bytes, A
       Adds the file popup.js"="7/28/2020 6:39 PM, 97 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn\0.9_0\img
       Adds the file logo.png"="7/28/2020 6:39 PM, 13299 bytes, A
       Adds the file logo_128x.png"="12/2/2020 9:31 AM, 11949 bytes, A
       Adds the file logo_16x.png"="12/2/2020 9:31 AM, 821 bytes, A
       Adds the file logo_48x.png"="12/2/2020 9:31 AM, 3409 bytes, A
       Adds the file logo_48x2.png"="7/28/2020 6:39 PM, 138 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn\0.9_0\pages
       Adds the file popup.html"="7/28/2020 6:39 PM, 236 bytes, A
       Adds the file popupstyle.css"="7/28/2020 6:39 PM, 108 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn\0.9_0\release
       Adds the file browseraction_release.js"="7/28/2020 6:39 PM, 32075 bytes, A
       Adds the file script_release.js"="7/28/2020 6:39 PM, 1388 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn
       Adds the file 000003.log"="12/2/2020 9:31 AM, 1126 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="12/2/2020 9:31 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="12/2/2020 9:31 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="12/2/2020 9:31 AM, 184 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="12/2/2020 9:31 AM, 41 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn"="REG_SZ", "7FE7AF0C32877D5E89A58AD48A605EF28675098270D69035070098BB0EAA5E67"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 12/2/20
Scan Time: 3:02 PM
Log File: 031b5622-34a7-11eb-83d4-080027235d76.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.2.3.96
Components Version: 1.0.1122
Update Package Version: 1.0.33756
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: 232113
Threats Detected: 13
Threats Quarantined: 13
Time Elapsed: 4 min, 20 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.SearchHijacker, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn, Quarantined, 368, 885170, , , , , , 

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 2
Adware.SearchHijacker, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Local Extension Settings\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn, Quarantined, 368, 885170, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchHijacker, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\EXTENSIONS\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn, Quarantined, 368, 885170, 1.0.33756, , ame, , , 

File: 10
Adware.SearchHijacker, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 368, 885170, , , , , 8E908DBCF7B432D3D6D1C24993F28D30, 0C48C6FC20FF725B17257F2F3C1B568CD81685C6ABDDA07A4BF35E147B915488
Adware.SearchHijacker, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 368, 885170, , , , , DA7DE78D81ED65DCD147F4A8A4A377E2, 3CDAD068CB25656B9F5863F4DE99A287B4CEF53EAAFBE7C337D9BCE901C3B959
Adware.SearchHijacker, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn\000003.log, Quarantined, 368, 885170, , , , , EAD562C6254153713820F7C59D4BDC93, 5533D79AEF82B85F9A7C510F904A1062F081561A174D502CFEB72CEBA1E985BB
Adware.SearchHijacker, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn\CURRENT, Quarantined, 368, 885170, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
Adware.SearchHijacker, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn\LOCK, Quarantined, 368, 885170, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchHijacker, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn\LOG, Quarantined, 368, 885170, , , , , 2D3EBEC11B17219FC12E83DF0C7BF418, CAC50F16DCB2FC0684005D1A4E6DDB1A7F5DCE5243337EF2260805D477824AF5
Adware.SearchHijacker, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn\LOG.old, Quarantined, 368, 885170, , , , , 180EBDD42FDB1F7DC2A20122C73B3F05, 0F4D78DD0934036E39B49311150BD177B119AA0DAF30B1BF399DB51DD2076703
Adware.SearchHijacker, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ffdlfbiemgajjagapbhaajdldidhdhfn\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 368, 885170, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
Adware.SearchHijacker, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 368, 885169, 1.0.33756, , ame, , 8E908DBCF7B432D3D6D1C24993F28D30, 0C48C6FC20FF725B17257F2F3C1B568CD81685C6ABDDA07A4BF35E147B915488
Adware.SearchHijacker, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 368, 885169, 1.0.33756, , ame, , 8E908DBCF7B432D3D6D1C24993F28D30, 0C48C6FC20FF725B17257F2F3C1B568CD81685C6ABDDA07A4BF35E147B915488

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.