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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is GameSearchMedia?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that GameSearchMedia 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 GameSearchMedia?

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



and these warnings during install:









and this changed setting:



How did GameSearchMedia 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 GameSearchMedia?

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 GameSearchMedia?

• No, Malwarebytes removes GameSearchMedia 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 GameSearchMedia 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.gamesearchmedia.com
CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://feed.gamesearchmedia.com/?q={searchTerms}&publisher=gamesearchmedia&barcodeid=585470000000000
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> GameSearchMedia
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.gamesearchmedia.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (GameSearchMedia) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf [2020-12-16]

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\lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf\1.1.0_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="12/16/2020 9:26 AM, 2120 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf\1.1.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="12/16/2020 9:26 AM, 6725 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="10/18/2020 2:28 PM, 2049 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf\1.1.0_0\images
       Adds the file logo-white-text.png"="10/18/2020 2:28 PM, 0 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf\1.1.0_0\images\icons
       Adds the file 128x128.png"="12/16/2020 9:26 AM, 8237 bytes, A
       Adds the file 16x16.png"="12/16/2020 9:26 AM, 713 bytes, A
       Adds the file 64x64.png"="12/16/2020 9:26 AM, 3880 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf\1.1.0_0\scripts
       Adds the file background.js"="10/18/2020 2:28 PM, 553466 bytes, A
       Adds the file sitecontent.js"="10/18/2020 2:28 PM, 77 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf
       Adds the file 000003.log"="12/16/2020 9:29 AM, 828 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="12/16/2020 9:26 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="12/16/2020 9:26 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="12/16/2020 9:26 AM, 183 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="12/16/2020 9:26 AM, 41 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf
       Adds the file GameSearchMedia.ico"="12/16/2020 9:26 AM, 199488 bytes, A
       Adds the file GameSearchMedia.ico.md5"="12/16/2020 9:26 AM, 16 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf"="REG_SZ", "646BE4FA34E4899F0A0A32D8EDD86C0B65AC9B4B270FC44BDE5AA2F82FB9F968"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 12/16/20
Scan Time: 9:36 AM
Log File: d7e205f4-3f79-11eb-aee8-080027235d76.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.3.0.98
Components Version: 1.0.1130
Update Package Version: 1.0.34403
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: 232225
Threats Detected: 12
Threats Quarantined: 12
Time Elapsed: 3 min, 12 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|lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf, Quarantined, 15230, 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\lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf, Quarantined, 15230, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\LCBNFPOACLBDKOLEOAMNFMNIOECDBABF, Quarantined, 15230, 799722, 1.0.34403, , ame, , , 

File: 9
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 15230, 799722, , , , , 23C6267B2A8EBDB3AD23373A2907A091, 6767BEBB24C7D384DDF18F35CAEB7E3D395B44D2AD8653439BB494841B46B3CF
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15230, 799722, , , , , A896FD5B605FFB994855D0C94EAB9DA2, 6B0865C56688E819B66179F147B71889C0172DA42AAE508E845A4DE03AA9137B
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf\000003.log, Quarantined, 15230, 799722, , , , , 67EF811D058A4069A230848E19D70D62, EFEBAA8DCE5FEFCA5581DE150FC654870754A86B37907C76857EADFD0D0301E5
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf\CURRENT, Quarantined, 15230, 799722, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf\LOCK, Quarantined, 15230, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf\LOG, Quarantined, 15230, 799722, , , , , 32046ADA080EAB4D1A017C0BA70E4FCD, C8983BDF28C2792DD2CA601EACC762677ED6FBE8D26F255B806BE0E4E03BE581
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\lcbnfpoaclbdkoleoamnfmnioecdbabf\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 15230, 799722, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\LCBNFPOACLBDKOLEOAMNFMNIOECDBABF\1.1.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 15230, 799722, 1.0.34403, , ame, , C9ADE804C7D62853E5BF36A509B37359, 4919A3297F0324686499485668D2ACEF15E2E608D501F66E8380BED5765BA806
PUP.Optional.PushNotifications, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 14951, 858871, 1.0.34403, , ame, , A896FD5B605FFB994855D0C94EAB9DA2, 6B0865C56688E819B66179F147B71889C0172DA42AAE508E845A4DE03AA9137B

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.