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Removal instructions for Pics4NewTab

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Started by Metallica , May 24 2019 03:45 AM
Aztec Media

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#1
Metallica
Posted 24 May 2019 - 03:45 AM

Metallica

    Spyware Veteran

  • GeekU Moderator
  • 33,101 posts
Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is Pics4NewTab?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Pics4NewTab 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.

How do I know if my computer is affected by Pics4NewTab?

You may see this browser extension:

main.png

these warnings during install:

warning1.png

warning2.png

warning3.png

You may see this icon in your browsers menu-bar:

icons.png

this new startpage:

startpage.png

and this new setting:

warning5.png

How did Pics4NewTab get on my computer?

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

webstore.png

after a redirect from their website:

website.png

How do I remove Pics4NewTab?

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.
Is there anything else I need to do to get rid of Pics4NewTab?
  • No, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware removes Pics4NewTab completely.
  • If your browsers have been hijacked, you should read our Restore Browser page. You can read there how to fix additional browser redirect methods.
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 Pics4NewTab hijacker. It would have blocked their site, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

protection2.png


Technical details for experts

Possible signs in a FRST log:

CHR NewTab: Default ->  Active:"chrome-extension://paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod/html/newtab.html"
CHR Extension: (Pics4NewTab) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod [2019-05-24]
Significant changes made by the installers:

File system details [View: All details] (Selection)
---------------------------------------------------
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0
       Adds the file Archive created by free jZip.url"="11/26/2013 11:21 AM, 58 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="5/24/2019 11:32 AM, 1083 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="5/24/2019 11:32 AM, 791 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="5/14/2018 8:49 AM, 2140 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\html
       Adds the file newtab.html"="5/14/2018 8:43 AM, 212 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\icons
       Adds the file checker.gif"="5/14/2018 8:43 AM, 1095 bytes, A
       Adds the file Pics4NewTab-128.png"="5/24/2019 11:32 AM, 9393 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\js
       Adds the file background.js"="5/14/2018 8:43 AM, 10992 bytes, A
       Adds the file brand.js"="5/14/2018 8:43 AM, 410 bytes, A
       Adds the file newtab.js"="5/14/2018 8:43 AM, 111 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod"="REG_SZ", "8BA3760FD17BC14D6CE0594FC0E0D1A5EB02B3A06E1D8ECA99A9EC555345A883"
The Malwarebytes scan log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 5/24/19
Scan Time: 11:19 AM
Log File: fe53534c-7e04-11e9-b4c6-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 3.7.1.2839
Components Version: 1.0.586
Update Package Version: 1.0.10750
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: 236434
Threats Detected: 19
Threats Quarantined: 19
Time Elapsed: 8 min, 12 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.SearchEngineHijack, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 6
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\icons, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\html, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\js, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\PAFFKCDEFIEJJMNMKCKEGKOKMECBIFOD\1.0.698.244_0, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750

File: 12
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\PAFFKCDEFIEJJMNMKCKEGKOKMECBIFOD\1.0.698.244_0\JS\BRAND.JS, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\html\newtab.html, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\icons\checker.gif, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\icons\Pics4NewTab-128.png, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\js\background.js, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\js\newtab.js, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\Archive created by free jZip.url, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\paffkcdefiejjmnmkckegkokmecbifod\1.0.698.244_0\manifest.json, Quarantined, [303], [464617],1.0.10750

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.
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