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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is MyIncognitoSearch?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that MyIncognitoSearch 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 uses browser push notifications and changes your default search provider.



How do I know if my computer is affected by MyIncognitoSearch?

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



and these warnings during install:









and this changed setting:



How did MyIncognitoSearch 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 MyIncognitoSearch?

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 MyIncognitoSearch?

• No, Malwarebytes removes MyIncognitoSearch 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, and the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the MyIncognitoSearch 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 Notifications: Default -> hxxps://install.myincognitosearch.com
CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://feed.myincognitosearch.com/?q={searchTerms}&publisher=myincognitosearch&barcodeid=590250000000000
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> MyIncognitoSearch
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.myincognitosearch.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (MyIncognitoSearch) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip [2021-07-20]

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\fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip\1.1.0_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="7/20/2021 11:09 AM, 2144 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip\1.1.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="7/20/2021 11:09 AM, 6725 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="2/4/2021 12:34 PM, 2049 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip\1.1.0_0\images
       Adds the file logo-white-text.png"="2/4/2021 12:34 PM, 0 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip\1.1.0_0\images\icons
       Adds the file 128x128.png"="7/20/2021 11:09 AM, 8977 bytes, A
       Adds the file 16x16.png"="7/20/2021 11:09 AM, 600 bytes, A
       Adds the file 64x64.png"="7/20/2021 11:09 AM, 3775 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip\1.1.0_0\scripts
       Adds the file background.js"="2/4/2021 12:34 PM, 553484 bytes, A
       Adds the file sitecontent.js"="2/4/2021 12:34 PM, 77 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip
       Adds the file 000003.log"="7/20/2021 11:13 AM, 852 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="7/20/2021 11:09 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="7/20/2021 11:09 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="7/20/2021 11:09 AM, 369 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="7/20/2021 11:09 AM, 41 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip
       Adds the file MyIncognitoSearch.ico"="7/20/2021 11:09 AM, 196671 bytes, A
       Adds the file MyIncognitoSearch.ico.md5"="7/20/2021 11:09 AM, 16 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip"="REG_SZ", "3FA7951A8EB4042009B0E11401337B244491BAED9A0970A61CA068EF1FEAEFFF"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 7/20/21
Scan Time: 11:18 AM
Log File: 6106a0c2-e93b-11eb-82bf-080027235d76.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.4.3.125
Components Version: 1.0.1387
Update Package Version: 1.0.43301
License: Premium

-System Information-
OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1
CPU: x64
File System: NTFS
User: {username}-PC\{username}

-Scan Summary-
Scan Type: Threat Scan
Scan Initiated By: Manual
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 257751
Threats Detected: 12
Threats Quarantined: 12
Time Elapsed: 2 min, 19 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|fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip, Quarantined, 16709, 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\fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip, Quarantined, 16709, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\FDEBFHNLCLPMGIBLIFLAEHJHBPAFNLIP, Quarantined, 16709, 799722, 1.0.43301, , ame, , , 

File: 9
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 16709, 799722, , , , , 69AD7140C7DF1EE4C6534AA78A2FCB80, EC0E9B66274243FE688488898FC1F18ACC20A62896B12F2B36F6774D355274A6
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 16709, 799722, , , , , C6DD6B574BBB4D3DDE67579E054ED979, 8223CECC1B2FD20E0B17E1DE9C5BF27942EF60532378DFFC089170468DC0D81F
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip\000003.log, Quarantined, 16709, 799722, , , , , 116A89DBCBBC4B41577B07B8F7880EEE, E29B742538ED997FC197D4FD14419A2C903CEEF45B9E42AE0405B9A9842761B6
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip\CURRENT, Quarantined, 16709, 799722, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip\LOCK, Quarantined, 16709, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip\LOG, Quarantined, 16709, 799722, , , , , 5CA640CDA2FC46E756D74AA3B9773BBA, D5C2380726ACD29B4DB0D7EBE97BBEDB9AD468EFE286CD376F01B08744053737
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\fdebfhnlclpmgibliflaehjhbpafnlip\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 16709, 799722, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\FDEBFHNLCLPMGIBLIFLAEHJHBPAFNLIP\1.1.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 16709, 799722, 1.0.43301, , ame, , B18FCF6A2D7EFE1E32D4722A6C7BFF3F, 831481C9375EED98A6A9A57C3A1E4434DBE561F4455445897FCA14101898F4F9
PUP.Optional.PushNotifications.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 201, 832955, 1.0.43301, , ame, , C6DD6B574BBB4D3DDE67579E054ED979, 8223CECC1B2FD20E0B17E1DE9C5BF27942EF60532378DFFC089170468DC0D81F

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.