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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is Smart Search?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Smart Search 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 one changes your Firefox search provider to Yahoo and adds sponsored results at the top search results.

How do I know if my computer is affected by Smart Search?

You may see this Firefox add-on:



and these warnings during install:





How did Smart Search get on my computer?

Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was offered as a file converter.



How do I remove Smart Search?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.

• 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.

Is there anything else I need to do to get rid of Smart Search?

• No, Malwarebytes removes Smart Search completely.

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 Smart Search hijacker. It would have blocked the site pushing the potentially unwanted program.

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:

 FF Extension: No Name - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\Extensions\[email protected] [2018-03-02]

Alterations made by the installer:

    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\browser-extension-data\[email protected]
       Adds the file storage.js"="3/2/2018 9:15 AM, 3017 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\extensions
       Adds the file [email protected]"="3/2/2018 9:14 AM, 159916 bytes, A

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 3/2/18
Scan Time: 1:33 PM
Log File: db1cd83a-1e15-11e8-80ea-080027235d76.json
Administrator: Yes

-Software Information-
Version: 3.3.1.2183
Components Version: 1.0.262
Update Package Version: 1.0.4172
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: 243829
Threats Detected: 1
Threats Quarantined: 1
Time Elapsed: 3 min, 9 sec

-Scan Options-
Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Enabled
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: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 0
(No malicious items detected)

File: 1
PUP.Optional.SmartSearch, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{PROFILE}.DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\[email protected], Quarantined, [8087], [496962],1.0.4172

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

Save yourself the hassle and get protected.