What is TVPlusNewtab?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that TVPlusNewtab 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.
How do I know if my computer is affected by TVPlusNewtab?
You may see these browser extensions:
and these warnings during install:
How did TVPlusNewtab get on my computer?
Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was downloaded from their website:
but the Chrome extension was also available in the webstore:
How do I remove TVPlusNewtab?
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.
- No, Malwarebytes removes TVPlusNewtab completely.
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 TVPlusNewtab hijacker by blocking the site that spreads the extensions.
Technical details for experts
Possible signs in FRST logs:
FF Extension: No Name - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\60l2dg92.default-1519559592148\Extensions\{277c5cb0-631b-4cd2-a06c-634bb76aaa4b}.xpi [2018-07-03] CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxp://search.tvplusnewtabsearch.com/?src=TVPlusNewtab_ds&q={searchTerms} CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> keyword.TVPlusNewtab CHR Extension: (TVPlusNewtab) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gkjnpdikedhojkpgepoinamgjogekgkp [2018-07-03]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\gkjnpdikedhojkpgepoinamgjogekgkp\0.8_0 Adds the file background.js"="3/6/2018 11:27 AM, 4132 bytes, A Adds the file logo.png"="7/3/2018 9:12 AM, 11039 bytes, A Adds the file manifest.json"="7/3/2018 9:12 AM, 2189 bytes, A Adds the file popup.html"="3/28/2017 9:56 AM, 555 bytes, A Adds the file redirect.html"="3/28/2017 9:56 AM, 52 bytes, A Adds the file redirect.js"="3/6/2018 11:27 AM, 1188 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gkjnpdikedhojkpgepoinamgjogekgkp\0.8_0\_metadata Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="7/3/2018 9:12 AM, 499 bytes, A Adds the file verified_contents.json"="3/6/2018 11:27 AM, 1844 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\60l2dg92.default-1519559592148\extensions Adds the file {277c5cb0-631b-4cd2-a06c-634bb76aaa4b}.xpi"="7/3/2018 9:08 AM, 22714 bytes, A Registry details [View: All details] (Selection) ------------------------------------------------ [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings] "gkjnpdikedhojkpgepoinamgjogekgkp"="REG_SZ", "4A1978101D8BAA805DF2AEA945424F126BC278AA979CFFAFBFF8F03C167609E1"Malwarebytes log:
Malwarebytes www.malwarebytes.com -Log Details- Scan Date: 7/3/18 Scan Time: 9:21 AM Log File: bf4ceb68-7e91-11e8-bc63-00ffdcc6fdfc.json Administrator: Yes -Software Information- Version: 3.5.1.2522 Components Version: 1.0.374 Update Package Version: 1.0.5741 License: Premium -System Information- OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 CPU: x64 File System: NTFS User: {computername}\{username} -Scan Summary- Scan Type: Threat Scan Scan Initiated By: Manual Result: Completed Objects Scanned: 251638 Threats Detected: 14 Threats Quarantined: 14 Time Elapsed: 3 min, 21 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: 3 PUP.Optional.NewTabSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gkjnpdikedhojkpgepoinamgjogekgkp\0.8_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [14334], [493810],1.0.5741 PUP.Optional.NewTabSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gkjnpdikedhojkpgepoinamgjogekgkp\0.8_0, Quarantined, [14334], [493810],1.0.5741 PUP.Optional.NewTabSearch.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\GKJNPDIKEDHOJKPGEPOINAMGJOGEKGKP, Quarantined, [14334], [493810],1.0.5741 File: 11 PUP.Optional.TVPlusNewTab, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\60L2DG92.DEFAULT-1519559592148\EXTENSIONS\{277C5CB0-631B-4CD2-A06C-634BB76AAA4B}.XPI, Quarantined, [1685], [507448],1.0.5741 PUP.Optional.NewTabSearch.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [14334], [493810],1.0.5741 PUP.Optional.NewTabSearch.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, [14334], [493810],1.0.5741 PUP.Optional.NewTabSearch.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\GKJNPDIKEDHOJKPGEPOINAMGJOGEKGKP\0.8_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, [14334], [493810],1.0.5741 PUP.Optional.NewTabSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gkjnpdikedhojkpgepoinamgjogekgkp\0.8_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [14334], [493810],1.0.5741 PUP.Optional.NewTabSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gkjnpdikedhojkpgepoinamgjogekgkp\0.8_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [14334], [493810],1.0.5741 PUP.Optional.NewTabSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gkjnpdikedhojkpgepoinamgjogekgkp\0.8_0\background.js, Quarantined, [14334], [493810],1.0.5741 PUP.Optional.NewTabSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gkjnpdikedhojkpgepoinamgjogekgkp\0.8_0\logo.png, Quarantined, [14334], [493810],1.0.5741 PUP.Optional.NewTabSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gkjnpdikedhojkpgepoinamgjogekgkp\0.8_0\popup.html, Quarantined, [14334], [493810],1.0.5741 PUP.Optional.NewTabSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gkjnpdikedhojkpgepoinamgjogekgkp\0.8_0\redirect.html, Quarantined, [14334], [493810],1.0.5741 PUP.Optional.NewTabSearch.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gkjnpdikedhojkpgepoinamgjogekgkp\0.8_0\redirect.js, Quarantined, [14334], [493810],1.0.5741 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