Jump to content

Welcome to Geeks to Go
Geeks to Go Welcome
Create Account Login to Account
Photo

Removal instructions for SearchWizard

- - - - -
Started by Metallica , May 06 2020 02:11 AM

  • Please log in to reply
No replies to this topic

#1
Metallica
Posted 06 May 2020 - 02:11 AM

Metallica

    Spyware Veteran

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

What is SearchWizard?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that SearchWizard is adware. These adware applications display advertisements not originating from the sites you are browsing.
This particular one is a search hijacker and uses web push notifications.

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

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

main.png

this icon in the Chrome menu-bar:

icons.png

and this changed setting:

warning5.png

You may see these warnings during install:

warning1.png

warning2.png

warning3.png

warning4.png

How did SearchWizard 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 SearchWizard?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this adware program.
  • Please download Malwarebytes for Windows to your desktop.
  • Double-click MBSetup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
  • When your Malwarebytes for Windows installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen.
  • Click on the Get started button.
  • Click Scan to start a Threat Scan.
  • When the scan is finished click Quarantine to remove the found threats.
  • Reboot the system if prompted to complete the removal process.
Is there anything else I need to do to get rid of SearchWizard?
  • No, Malwarebytes removes SearchWizard completely.
  • If you have allowed the notifications you can read here how to disable them.
How would the full version of Malwarebytes help protect me?

We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this adware.

As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the SearchWizard adware. It would have blocked their domain before it became too late.

protection2.png


Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:
CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://feed.search-wizard.com/?q={searchTerms}&publisher=searchwizard&barcodeid=571430000000000
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> SearchWizard
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.search-wizard.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (SearchWizard) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo [2020-05-06]
Significant changes 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\omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo\1.1.0_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="5/6/2020 8:48 AM, 2090 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo\1.1.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="5/6/2020 8:48 AM, 6255 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="3/30/2020 12:35 PM, 2049 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo\1.1.0_0\images
       Adds the file logo-white-text.png"="3/30/2020 12:35 PM, 0 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo\1.1.0_0\images\icons
       Adds the file 128x128.png"="5/6/2020 8:48 AM, 4194 bytes, A
       Adds the file 16x16.png"="5/6/2020 8:48 AM, 430 bytes, A
       Adds the file 64x64.png"="5/6/2020 8:48 AM, 2093 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo\1.1.0_0\scripts
       Adds the file background.js"="3/30/2020 12:35 PM, 514579 bytes, A
       Adds the file sitecontent.js"="3/30/2020 12:35 PM, 77 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo
       Adds the file 000003.log"="5/6/2020 8:52 AM, 792 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="5/6/2020 8:48 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="5/6/2020 8:48 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="5/6/2020 8:52 AM, 183 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="5/6/2020 8:48 AM, 41 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo
       Adds the file SearchWizard.ico"="5/6/2020 8:48 AM, 176826 bytes, A
       Adds the file SearchWizard.ico.md5"="5/6/2020 8:48 AM, 16 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo"="REG_SZ", "43900CB20010DD5586BB0762CB51E61158CB040ED4743FBF316704E82D9FC0AC"
Malwarebytes log:
Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 5/6/20
Scan Time: 9:42 AM
Log File: 1b21669c-8f6d-11ea-a706-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.1.0.56
Components Version: 1.0.875
Update Package Version: 1.0.23500
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: 233333
Threats Detected: 11
Threats Quarantined: 11
Time Elapsed: 3 min, 2 sec

-Scan Options-
Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Disabled
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
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo, Quarantined, 15156, 799722, , , , 

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 2
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Sync Extension Settings\omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo, Quarantined, 15156, 799722, , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\OMLPIALHDDHDKFFNFIJNKBDGMPNBMEPO, Quarantined, 15156, 799722, 1.0.23500, , ame, 

File: 8
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 15156, 799722, , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15156, 799722, , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo\000003.log, Quarantined, 15156, 799722, , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo\CURRENT, Quarantined, 15156, 799722, , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo\LOCK, Quarantined, 15156, 799722, , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo\LOG, Quarantined, 15156, 799722, , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\omlpialhddhdkffnfijnkbdgmpnbmepo\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 15156, 799722, , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\OMLPIALHDDHDKFFNFIJNKBDGMPNBMEPO\1.1.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 15156, 799722, 1.0.23500, , ame, 

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.
  • 0

Advertisements

Back to Malware Removal Guides and Tutorials


0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

  1. Geeks to Go Community
  2. → Security
  3. → Malware Removal Guides and Tutorials

As Featured On:

featured
Malware Removal How to Guides Windows 7 System Building Download Files Register welcome

Never used a forum? Learn how.