No replies to this topic

[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is GamesMuze Search?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that GamesMuze 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.

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

You may see this entry in your list of installed Chrome extensions:



and these warnings during install:







You will see this icon in your Chrome menu-bar:



and this changed setting:



How did GamesMuze Search get on my computer?

Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was downloaded from the webstore:



after a redirect from their website:



How do I remove GamesMuze 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 GamesMuze Search?

• No, Malwarebytes removes GamesMuze 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 GamesMuze Search hijacker. It would have blocked their notifications service, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:

CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxp://games.searchalgo.com/search/?category=web&s=gmds&q={searchTerms}
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> GamesMuze
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxp://sug.searchalgo.com/search/index_sg.php?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (GamesMuze Search) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien [2019-02-20]

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\mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien\1.0.0_0
       Adds the file background.js"="12/8/2015 8:33 AM, 4328 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="2/20/2019 8:45 AM, 1800 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien\1.0.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="2/20/2019 8:45 AM, 183 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="12/8/2015 8:33 AM, 1648 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien\1.0.0_0\icons
       Adds the file icon128.png"="2/20/2019 8:45 AM, 4171 bytes, A
       Adds the file icon16.png"="2/20/2019 8:45 AM, 513 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien"="REG_SZ", "C00B1EB764CA731124A73E067B622D4F7DC487497A8C81D4B26CFD655A6F87CD"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 2/20/19
Scan Time: 8:55 AM
Log File: d5a19bb6-34e4-11e9-856a-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 3.6.1.2711
Components Version: 1.0.482
Update Package Version: 1.0.9348
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: 235827
Threats Detected: 15
Threats Quarantined: 15
Time Elapsed: 3 min, 36 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: 1
PUP.Optional.Muze, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien, Quarantined, [2297], [316915],1.0.9348

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 4
PUP.Optional.Muze, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien\1.0.0_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [2297], [316915],1.0.9348
PUP.Optional.Muze, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien\1.0.0_0\icons, Quarantined, [2297], [316915],1.0.9348
PUP.Optional.Muze, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien\1.0.0_0, Quarantined, [2297], [316915],1.0.9348
PUP.Optional.Muze, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\MGBDAIBCNPBHIEICGGGGMACIFJFFLIEN, Quarantined, [2297], [316915],1.0.9348

File: 10
PUP.Optional.Muze, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien\1.0.0_0\icons\icon128.png, Quarantined, [2297], [316915],1.0.9348
PUP.Optional.Muze, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien\1.0.0_0\icons\icon16.png, Quarantined, [2297], [316915],1.0.9348
PUP.Optional.Muze, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien\1.0.0_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [2297], [316915],1.0.9348
PUP.Optional.Muze, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien\1.0.0_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [2297], [316915],1.0.9348
PUP.Optional.Muze, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien\1.0.0_0\background.js, Quarantined, [2297], [316915],1.0.9348
PUP.Optional.Muze, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\mgbdaibcnpbhieicggggmacifjfflien\1.0.0_0\manifest.json, Quarantined, [2297], [316915],1.0.9348
PUP.Optional.Muze, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [2297], [316915],1.0.9348
PUP.Optional.Muze, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, [2297], [316915],1.0.9348
PUP.Optional.SearchAlgo, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [351], [454816],1.0.9348
PUP.Optional.SearchAlgo, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [351], [454816],1.0.9348

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

Save yourself the hassle and get protected.