What is VideoDownloadConverter?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that VideoDownloadConverter is a browser NewTab. These so-called "NewTabs" can 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.
VideoDownloadConverter is a member of the Mindspark/Ask family now known as IAC Applications.
How do I know if my computer is affected by VideoDownloadConverter?
You may see this browser extension:
these warnings during install:
You may see this entry in your list of installed software:
and this new homepage in the affected browsers:
How did VideoDownloadConverter get on my computer?
Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was downloaded from their site brought up by adware.
How do I remove VideoDownloadConverter?
Our program Malwarebytes 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 to your desktop.
- Double-click mb3-setup-consumer-{version}.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
- Then click Finish.
- Once the program has fully updated, select Scan Now on the Dashboard. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
- If another update of the definitions is available, it will be implemented before the rest of the scanning procedure.
- 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 > More Tools > Extensions. Click on the bin behind the VideoDownloadConverter entry and confirm Remove in the prompt.
- If your browsers have been hijacked, you should read 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 would have protected you against the VideoDownloadConverter 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 blocks traffic to some of their domains:
Technical details for experts
Possible signs in a FRST log:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = hxxp://hp.myway.com/videodownloadconverter/ttab02/index.html?n={n1}&p2={p21}&ptb={ptb1}&si={si1}&coid={coid1} FF Homepage: hxxp://hp.myway.com/videodownloadconverter/ttab02/index.html?coId={coid2}&subId={si1}&ln=en&n={n2}&ptb={ptb2}&st&p2={p21}&si={si1} FF Extension: VideoDownloadConverter - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\Extensions\[email protected] [2017-07-27] VideoDownloadConverter Internet Explorer Homepage and New Tab (HKCU\...\VideoDownloadConverterTooltab Uninstall Internet Explorer) (Version: - Mindspark Interactive Network, Inc.) <==== ATTENTIONThe most significant changes made by the installers:
File system details [View: All details] (Selection) --------------------------------------------------- Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\VideoDownloadConverterTooltab Adds the file TooltabExtension.dll"="10/19/2016 7:30 PM, 266864 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected] Adds the file bootstrap.js"="7/27/2017 9:10 AM, 24987 bytes, A Adds the file chrome.manifest"="7/27/2017 9:10 AM, 135 bytes, A Adds the file chrome.manifest.restartless"="7/27/2017 9:10 AM, 135 bytes, A Adds the file install.rdf"="7/27/2017 9:10 AM, 1428 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\chrome Adds the file ffxtbr.jar"="7/27/2017 9:10 AM, 346808 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\META-INF Adds the file manifest.mf"="7/27/2017 9:10 AM, 680 bytes, A Adds the file mozilla.rsa"="7/27/2017 9:10 AM, 4200 bytes, A Adds the file mozilla.sf"="7/27/2017 9:10 AM, 121 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\VideoDownloadConverter_4z Adds the file {ptb2}.sqlite"="7/27/2017 9:10 AM, 98304 bytes, A Registry details [View: All details] (Selection) ------------------------------------------------ [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main] "Start Page" = REG_SZ, "http://hp.myway.com/videodownloadconverter/ttab02/index.html?n={n1}&p2={p21}&ptb={ptb1}&si={si1}&coid={coid1}" [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\VideoDownloadConverterTooltab Uninstall Internet Explorer] "DisplayName"="REG_SZ", "VideoDownloadConverter Internet Explorer Homepage and New Tab" "HelpLink"="REG_SZ", "http://support.mindspark.com/" "Publisher"="REG_SZ", "Mindspark Interactive Network, Inc." "UninstallString"="REG_SZ", "Rundll32.exe "C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\VideoDownloadConverterTooltab\TooltabExtension.dll" U uninstall:VideoDownloadConverter" "URLInfoAbout"="REG_SZ", "http://support.mindspark.com/" [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\VideoDownloadConverter] "Start Page"="REG_SZ", "http://hp.myway.com/videodownloadconverter/ttab02/index.html?n={n1}&p2=^HJ^xpu632^TTAB02^nl&ptb={ptb1}&si={si1}&coid={coid1}" "UnInstallSurveyUrl"="REG_SZ", "http://@{downloadDomain}.dl.myway.com/uninstall.jhtml?surveyUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.research.net%2Fr%2FDNMWMSZ%3Fc%3D{ptb1}"The Malwarebytes scan log:
Malwarebytes www.malwarebytes.com -Log Details- Scan Date: 7/27/17 Scan Time: 9:25 AM Log File: mbamVideoDownloadConvert.txt Administrator: Yes -Software Information- Version: 3.1.2.1733 Components Version: 1.0.160 Update Package Version: 1.0.2447 License: Premium -System Information- OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 CPU: x64 File System: NTFS User: {computername}\{username} -Scan Summary- Scan Type: Threat Scan Result: Completed Objects Scanned: 319477 Threats Detected: 66 Threats Quarantined: 66 Time Elapsed: 1 min, 34 sec -Scan Options- Memory: Enabled Startup: Enabled Filesystem: Enabled Archives: Enabled Rootkits: Disabled Heuristics: Enabled PUP: Enabled PUM: Enabled -Scan Details- Process: 0 (No malicious items detected) Module: 1 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\VIDEODOWNLOADCONVERTERTOOLTAB\TOOLTABEXTENSION.DLL, Quarantined, [251], [301125],1.0.2447 Registry Key: 1 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\VideoDownloadConverterTooltab Uninstall Internet Explorer, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [301125],1.0.2447 Registry Value: 1 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\VideoDownloadConverterTooltab Uninstall Internet Explorer|PUBLISHER, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [352442],1.0.2447 Registry Data: 1 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\MAIN|START PAGE, Replace-on-Reboot, [251], [293497],1.0.2447 Data Stream: 0 (No malicious items detected) Folder: 5 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\VideoDownloadConverterTooltab, Delete-on-Reboot, [814], [356944],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\VideoDownloadConverter_4z, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [240302],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\META-INF, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [302304],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\chrome, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [302304],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\EXTENSIONS\[email protected], Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [302304],1.0.2447 File: 57 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\VIDEODOWNLOADCONVERTERTOOLTAB\TOOLTABEXTENSION.DLL, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [301125],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [319354],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\PREFS.JS, Replaced, [814], [356946],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\VIDEODOWNLOADCONVERT.{coid1}.EXE, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [365288],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\VideoDownloadConverter_4z\{ptb2}.sqlite, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [240302],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\LOCAL STORAGE\http_videodownloadconverter.dl.myway.com_0.localstorage, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [240305],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\LOCAL STORAGE\http_videodownloadconverter.dl.myway.com_0.localstorage-journal, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [240305],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\EXTENSIONS\[email protected]\INSTALL.RDF, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [302304],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\chrome\ffxtbr.jar, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [302304],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\META-INF\manifest.mf, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [302304],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\META-INF\mozilla.rsa, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [302304],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\META-INF\mozilla.sf, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [302304],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\bootstrap.js, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [302304],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\chrome.manifest, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [302304],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions\[email protected]\chrome.manifest.restartless, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [302304],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\LOCAL STORAGE\http_videodownloadconverter.dl.tb.ask.com_0.localstorage, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [240306],1.0.2447 PUP.Optional.MindSpark, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\LOCAL STORAGE\http_videodownloadconverter.dl.tb.ask.com_0.localstorage-journal, Delete-on-Reboot, [251], [240306],1.0.2447 Physical Sector: 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