No replies to this topic

[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is Magnifier Search?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Magnifier 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 Magnifier Search?

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



You may have noticed these warnings during install:







How did Magnifier 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 Magnifier Search?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this search hijacker.

• 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 Magnifier Search?

• No, Malwarebytes removes Magnifier 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 Malwarebytes Browser Guard, and the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the Magnifier Search 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 Extension: (Magnifier Search) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ngbgojgpnjbhkolnnhihhddnokjfjnde [2020-11-06]

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\ngbgojgpnjbhkolnnhihhddnokjfjnde\7_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="11/6/2020 2:12 PM, 1067 bytes, A
       Adds the file sr.js"="5/12/2020 4:45 AM, 7285 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ngbgojgpnjbhkolnnhihhddnokjfjnde\7_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="11/6/2020 2:12 PM, 285 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="5/12/2020 4:45 AM, 1632 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ngbgojgpnjbhkolnnhihhddnokjfjnde\7_0\icons
       Adds the file icon128.png"="11/6/2020 2:12 PM, 13013 bytes, A
       Adds the file icon48.png"="11/6/2020 2:12 PM, 253 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ngbgojgpnjbhkolnnhihhddnokjfjnde
       Adds the file 000003.log"="11/6/2020 2:13 PM, 223 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="11/6/2020 2:12 PM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="11/6/2020 2:12 PM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="11/6/2020 2:12 PM, 184 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="11/6/2020 2:12 PM, 41 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "ngbgojgpnjbhkolnnhihhddnokjfjnde"="REG_SZ", "5E33D2749982FC812ABB57BBAB6AD515D3EBE0E827D2983CD1FC4585C8628903"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 11/6/20
Scan Time: 2:18 PM
Log File: 9d995142-2032-11eb-ab5b-080027235d76.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.2.3.96
Components Version: 1.0.1104
Update Package Version: 1.0.32538
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: 231970
Threats Detected: 11
Threats Quarantined: 11
Time Elapsed: 2 min, 54 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
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|ngbgojgpnjbhkolnnhihhddnokjfjnde, Quarantined, 15535, 836150, , , , , , 

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 2
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ngbgojgpnjbhkolnnhihhddnokjfjnde, Quarantined, 15535, 836150, , , , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\NGBGOJGPNJBHKOLNNHIHHDDNOKJFJNDE, Quarantined, 15535, 836150, 1.0.32538, , ame, , , 

File: 8
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 15535, 836150, , , , , 2CCB0C711A5432F4E987CDD7E55CCECE, 6AC32E94A5901AFDE1C37148D291B11553A46AC1399127EF72231EF99B97C8BC
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15535, 836150, , , , , 5C58C2B28F9F0AC5EB42D435554C065B, 58B40D75146253DCE14CC6FC83A333610BF6AC8047111A86F4CD1176CB8401A4
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ngbgojgpnjbhkolnnhihhddnokjfjnde\000003.log, Quarantined, 15535, 836150, , , , , CA00D3D15AA66267DF6CE6C8223828F5, 931D60D3848441052703AE268B5BC1461554AB82D3B1F1DAB3C710966959D331
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ngbgojgpnjbhkolnnhihhddnokjfjnde\CURRENT, Quarantined, 15535, 836150, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ngbgojgpnjbhkolnnhihhddnokjfjnde\LOCK, Quarantined, 15535, 836150, , , , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ngbgojgpnjbhkolnnhihhddnokjfjnde\LOG, Quarantined, 15535, 836150, , , , , A7867033DBE67C0D7444E4BB40EA62DA, C894699751D95274A52A26A0EDD3A4C1B7218ABA46E03FBE022E5F0CC44ADCB9
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\ngbgojgpnjbhkolnnhihhddnokjfjnde\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 15535, 836150, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\NGBGOJGPNJBHKOLNNHIHHDDNOKJFJNDE\7_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 15535, 836150, 1.0.32538, , ame, , 50FBF44D730BC3AD68D150DCE23675AC, 3DA46350828B329B8E94A1394AFD0CFBFA179E6CC2F1F9F28A4B9AE5C6C5A04D

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.