What is EasyDocMerge?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that EasyDocMerge 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 also displays advertisements.
is a Mindspark/Ask toolbar now known as IAC Applications.
How do I know if my computer is affected by EasyDocMerge?
You may see these browser extensions/add-ons:
You may see this entry in your list of installed software:
these warnings during install:
and this toolbar in your browser(s):
How did get on my computer?
Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was downloaded from their site.
How do I remove EasyDocMerge?
Our program Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.
You can use their own uninstall instructions first, but I would advise to follow the steps below anyway.
- 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.
- 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 EasyDocMerge entry.
- If you are using Chrome or Firefox, you should be redirected to our Restore Browser page. You can read there how to fix additional browser redirect methods.
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 hijacker. It would have warned you before the hijacker could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.
and it would have blocked access to their site:
Technical details for experts
Possible signs in a FRST log:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = hxxp://hp.myway.com/easydocmerge/ttab02/index.html?n={n1}&p2={p21}&ptb={ptb1} FF Homepage: hxxp://hp.myway.com/easydocmerge/ttab02/index.html?coId={coID}&subId&ln=en&n={n2}&ptb={ptb2}&st=tab&p2={p21}&si FF Extension: EasyDocMerge - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\Extensions\[email protected] [2016-04-27] CHR Extension: (EasyDocMerge) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp [2016-04-27] C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\EasyDocMergeTooltab EasyDocMerge Internet Explorer Homepage and New Tab (HKCU\...\EasyDocMergeTooltab Uninstall Internet Explorer) (Version: - Mindspark Interactive Network) <==== ATTENTIONAn excerpt from the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware scan log:
(full log available on request)
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware www.malwarebytes.org Scan Date: 4/27/2016 Scan Time: 10:15 AM Logfile: mbamEasyDocMerge.txt Administrator: Yes Version: 2.2.1.1043 Malware Database: v2016.04.27.02 Rootkit Database: v2016.04.17.01 License: Premium Malware Protection: Disabled Malicious Website Protection: Disabled Self-protection: Enabled OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 CPU: x64 File System: NTFS User: {username} Scan Type: Threat Scan Result: Completed Objects Scanned: 364817 Time Elapsed: 9 min, 4 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: 1 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\EasyDocMergeTooltab Uninstall Internet Explorer, Quarantined, [6a64a3103861cd69ee27a6c745c0738d], Registry Values: 0 (No malicious items detected) Registry Data: 1 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\MAIN|Start Page, http://hp.myway.com/easydocmerge/ttab02/index.html?n={n1}&p2=Bad: (http://hp.myway.com/easydocmerge/ttab02/index.html?n={n1}&p2={p21}&ptb={ptb1}),Replaced,[ac222e85069353e361c03f0c3bca0af6]EBYUBad: (http://hp.myway.com/easydocmerge/ttab02/index.html?n={n1}&p2={p21}&ptb={ptb1}),Replaced,[ac222e85069353e361c03f0c3bca0af6]EorgyyyBad: (http://hp.myway.com/easydocmerge/ttab02/index.html?n={n1}&p2={p21}&ptb={ptb1}),Replaced,[ac222e85069353e361c03f0c3bca0af6]ETTAB02Bad: (http://hp.myway.com/easydocmerge/ttab02/index.html?n={n1}&p2={p21}&ptb={ptb1}),Replaced,[ac222e85069353e361c03f0c3bca0af6]Enl&ptb={ptb1}, Good: (www.google.com), Bad: (http://hp.myway.com/easydocmerge/ttab02/index.html?n={n1}&p2={p21}&ptb={ptb1}),Replaced,[ac222e85069353e361c03f0c3bca0af6] Folders: 89 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\EasyDocMerge_ex, Quarantined, [1eb00da68e0b9d99764bc5777193ec14], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp\12.41.9.27297_0, Quarantined, [25a9f1c20693d95dcbe25d157392af51], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp\12.41.9.27297_0\common, Quarantined, [25a9f1c20693d95dcbe25d157392af51], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp\12.41.9.27297_0\components, Quarantined, [25a9f1c20693d95dcbe25d157392af51], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp\12.41.9.27297_0\icons, Quarantined, [25a9f1c20693d95dcbe25d157392af51], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp\12.41.9.27297_0\images, Quarantined, [25a9f1c20693d95dcbe25d157392af51], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp\12.41.9.27297_0\js, Quarantined, [25a9f1c20693d95dcbe25d157392af51], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp\12.41.9.27297_0\native, Quarantined, [25a9f1c20693d95dcbe25d157392af51], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp\12.41.9.27297_0\native\libs, Quarantined, [25a9f1c20693d95dcbe25d157392af51], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp\12.41.9.27297_0\shared, Quarantined, [25a9f1c20693d95dcbe25d157392af51], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp\12.41.9.27297_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [25a9f1c20693d95dcbe25d157392af51], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp, Quarantined, [25a9f1c20693d95dcbe25d157392af51], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected], Quarantined, [2ca2a1121980c27492a8591ca0659b65], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\chrome, Quarantined, [2ca2a1121980c27492a8591ca0659b65], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\META-INF, Quarantined, [2ca2a1121980c27492a8591ca0659b65], Files: 252 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\EasyDocMergeTooltab\TooltabExtension.dll, Quarantined, [6a64a3103861cd69ee27a6c745c0738d], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\EasyDocMerge_ex\{ptb2}.sqlite, Quarantined, [1eb00da68e0b9d99764bc5777193ec14], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Storage\http_easydocmerge.dl.myway.com_0.localstorage, Quarantined, [5975bef5aaef77bfb80c46f69a6a22de], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Storage\http_easydocmerge.dl.myway.com_0.localstorage-journal, Quarantined, [ca04763debaea49216ae76c6a55f9a66], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Storage\http_easydocmerge.dl.tb.ask.com_0.localstorage, Quarantined, [7e50476cf2a72214facbbe7e41c39f61], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Storage\http_easydocmerge.dl.tb.ask.com_0.localstorage-journal, Quarantined, [e4ea9f14f4a546f0a2238bb10bf9629e], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Storage\chrome-extension_mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp_0.localstorage, Quarantined, [874723901782f83eb37eeb5253b1af51], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Storage\chrome-extension_mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp_0.localstorage-journal, Quarantined, [3d9143708118ac8ad55c6ecf9d67956b], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mabloidgodmbnmnhoenmhlcjkfelomgp\12.41.9.27297_0\manifest.json, Quarantined, [25a9f1c20693d95dcbe25d157392af51], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\install.rdf, Quarantined, [2ca2a1121980c27492a8591ca0659b65], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\bootstrap.js, Quarantined, [2ca2a1121980c27492a8591ca0659b65], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\chrome.manifest, Quarantined, [2ca2a1121980c27492a8591ca0659b65], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\chrome.manifest.restartless, Quarantined, [2ca2a1121980c27492a8591ca0659b65], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\chrome\ffxtbr.jar, Quarantined, [2ca2a1121980c27492a8591ca0659b65], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\META-INF\manifest.mf, Quarantined, [2ca2a1121980c27492a8591ca0659b65], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\META-INF\mozilla.rsa, Quarantined, [2ca2a1121980c27492a8591ca0659b65], PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\META-INF\mozilla.sf, Quarantined, [2ca2a1121980c27492a8591ca0659b65], 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