What is AmazingTab?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that AmazingTab is a newtab 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 AmazingTab?
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 AmazingTab 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 AmazingTab?
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 AmazingTab completely.
We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this hijacker.
The full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the AmazingTab hijacker. It would have blocked their website, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.
Technical details for experts
Possible signs in FRST logs:
CHR NewTab: Default -> Active:"chrome-extension://abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj/SearchPage.html" CHR Extension: (AmazingTab) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj [2019-03-04]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\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0 Adds the file closer.js"="9/13/2017 11:07 AM, 15 bytes, A Adds the file manifest.json"="3/4/2019 8:59 AM, 1520 bytes, A Adds the file SearchPage.html"="1/25/2018 12:35 PM, 428 bytes, A Adds the file tab.html"="9/13/2017 11:07 AM, 165 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\_metadata Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="3/4/2019 8:59 AM, 1183 bytes, A Adds the file verified_contents.json"="1/9/2019 4:47 PM, 2491 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\images\icons Adds the file 128x128.png"="3/4/2019 8:59 AM, 7857 bytes, A Adds the file 16x16.png"="3/4/2019 8:59 AM, 786 bytes, A Adds the file 32x32.png"="3/4/2019 8:59 AM, 1880 bytes, A Adds the file favicon.ico"="1/8/2018 1:56 PM, 4314 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\scripts Adds the file background.js"="1/17/2019 2:21 PM, 31793 bytes, A Adds the file SearchPage.js"="1/8/2018 1:56 PM, 65 bytes, A Adds the file sitecontent.js"="1/8/2018 1:56 PM, 77 bytes, A Registry details [View: All details] (Selection) ------------------------------------------------ [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings] "abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj"="REG_SZ", "D24A3207B6FD78659D30C84F220D098D3EA1F2CC8195B8D82545A17D85E24D2E"Malwarebytes log:
Malwarebytes www.malwarebytes.com -Log Details- Scan Date: 3/4/19 Scan Time: 8:47 AM Log File: c31a7b37-3e51-11e9-9b07-00ffdcc6fdfc.json -Software Information- Version: 3.7.1.2839 Components Version: 1.0.538 Update Package Version: 1.0.9526 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: 236210 Threats Detected: 22 Threats Quarantined: 22 Time Elapsed: 3 min, 40 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.AmazingTab.Generic, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 Registry Data: 0 (No malicious items detected) Data Stream: 0 (No malicious items detected) Folder: 6 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\images\icons, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\scripts, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\images, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\ABJJMJMLAHAOILOFOCBHDHOLKLLKFKJJ, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 File: 15 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\ABJJMJMLAHAOILOFOCBHDHOLKLLKFKJJ\2.1.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\images\icons\128x128.png, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\images\icons\16x16.png, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\images\icons\32x32.png, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\images\icons\favicon.ico, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\scripts\background.js, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\scripts\SearchPage.js, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\scripts\sitecontent.js, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\closer.js, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\SearchPage.html, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 PUP.Optional.AmazingTab.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\abjjmjmlahaoilofocbhdholkllkfkjj\2.1.0_0\tab.html, Quarantined, [14680], [569144],1.0.9526 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