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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is Social Media Newtab?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Social Media Newtab is a browser 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 one changes your search provider.

How do I know if my computer is affected by Social Media Newtab?

You may see these warnings during install:







and these browser add-ons:





How did Social Media Newtab get on my computer?

Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was bundled with other software.

How do I remove Social Media Newtab?

Our program Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.

• Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to your desktop.
• Double-click mbam-setup-version.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
• At the end, be sure a check-mark is placed next to the following:
  • Enable free trial of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium
  • Launch Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
• Then click Finish.
• If an update is found, you will be prompted to download and install the latest version.
• Once the program has loaded, select Scan Now. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
• When the scan is complete, make sure that all Threats are selected, and click Remove Selected.
• Restart your computer when prompted to do so.

Is there anything else I need to do to get rid of Social Media Newtab?

• No, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware removes Social Media Newtab completely.
• If you are using Chrome, you may have to remove the Extension manually under Tools > Settings > Extensions. Remove the checkmark and click on the bin behind the Social Media Newtab entry.

How would the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 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 Anti-Malware would have protected you against the Social Media Newtab hijacker. It would have warned you before the application could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:

 FF DefaultSearchEngine: Example Engine
 FF Extension: SocialMediaNewTab Extension - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\Extensions\[email protected] [2016-04-06]
 CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxp://search.socialmedianewtabsearch.com/?src=socialmedianewtab_ds&q={searchTerms}
 CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> SocialMediaNewtab
 CHR Extension: (SocialMediaNewtab) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc [2016-04-06]

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\coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc\0.4_0
       Adds the file background.js"="2/22/2016 9:20 AM, 5951 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="4/6/2016 8:19 AM, 2118 bytes, A
       Adds the file redirect.html"="3/18/2015 9:49 AM, 50 bytes, A
       Adds the file redirect.js"="2/22/2016 10:51 AM, 696 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc\0.4_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="4/6/2016 8:19 AM, 395 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="2/22/2016 2:52 PM, 1731 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions
       Adds the file [email protected]"="4/6/2016 8:18 AM, 12406 bytes, A

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware log:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
www.malwarebytes.org

Scan Date: 4/6/2016
Scan Time: 8:32 AM
Logfile: mbamSocialMediaNewtab.txt
Administrator: Yes

Version: 2.2.1.1043
Malware Database: v2016.04.06.01
Rootkit Database: v2016.04.03.01
License: Premium
Malware Protection: Disabled
Malicious Website Protection: Enabled
Self-protection: Enabled

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

Scan Type: Threat Scan
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 362552
Time Elapsed: 9 min, 17 sec

Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Enabled
Heuristics: Enabled
PUP: Enabled
PUM: Enabled

Processes: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Modules: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folders: 3
PUP.Optional.SocialMediaNewTab, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc, Quarantined, [0b8e3e6d0a8fb2849ee6af7604fff709], 
PUP.Optional.SocialMediaNewTab, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc\0.4_0, Quarantined, [0b8e3e6d0a8fb2849ee6af7604fff709], 
PUP.Optional.SocialMediaNewTab, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc\0.4_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [0b8e3e6d0a8fb2849ee6af7604fff709], 

Files: 9
PUP.Optional.SocialMediaNewTab, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected], Quarantined, [4851b9f2b2e73ff780d75249d92bf907], 
PUP.Optional.SocialMediaNewTab, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Storage\chrome-extension_coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc_0.localstorage, Quarantined, [24756348aaef0a2c2f29ff9c52b238c8], 
PUP.Optional.SocialMediaNewTab, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Storage\chrome-extension_coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc_0.localstorage-journal, Quarantined, [5f3a4467c2d7c96d1147ddbe976d18e8], 
PUP.Optional.SocialMediaNewTab, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc\0.4_0\background.js, Quarantined, [0b8e3e6d0a8fb2849ee6af7604fff709], 
PUP.Optional.SocialMediaNewTab, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc\0.4_0\manifest.json, Quarantined, [0b8e3e6d0a8fb2849ee6af7604fff709], 
PUP.Optional.SocialMediaNewTab, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc\0.4_0\redirect.html, Quarantined, [0b8e3e6d0a8fb2849ee6af7604fff709], 
PUP.Optional.SocialMediaNewTab, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc\0.4_0\redirect.js, Quarantined, [0b8e3e6d0a8fb2849ee6af7604fff709], 
PUP.Optional.SocialMediaNewTab, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc\0.4_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [0b8e3e6d0a8fb2849ee6af7604fff709], 
PUP.Optional.SocialMediaNewTab, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\coeljopgajdjgfokokbkbiphipgaeebc\0.4_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [0b8e3e6d0a8fb2849ee6af7604fff709], 

Physical Sectors: 0
(No malicious items detected)


(end)

As mentioned before the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 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.