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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is IStreamingSearch?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that IStreamingSearch 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.
This particular one is a search hijacker and uses web push notifications.



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

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



and these warnings during install:









and this changed setting:



How did IStreamingSearch 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 IStreamingSearch?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this potentially unwanted 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 IStreamingSearch?

• No, Malwarebytes removes IStreamingSearch 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 hijacker.

As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the IStreamingSearch hijacker. It would have blocked their website, giving you a chance to stop before it became too late.

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:

CHR Notifications: Default -> hxxps://get.istreamingsearch.com
CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://feed.istreamingsearch.com/?q={searchTerms}&publisher=istreamingsearch&barcodeid=583970000000000
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> IStreamingSearch
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.istreamingsearch.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (IStreamingSearch) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl [2020-11-13]

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\hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl\1.1.0_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="11/13/2020 9:02 AM, 2132 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl\1.1.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="11/13/2020 9:02 AM, 6255 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="9/16/2020 4:56 PM, 2049 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl\1.1.0_0\images
       Adds the file logo-white-text.png"="9/16/2020 4:56 PM, 0 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl\1.1.0_0\images\icons
       Adds the file 128x128.png"="11/13/2020 9:02 AM, 3557 bytes, A
       Adds the file 16x16.png"="11/13/2020 9:02 AM, 340 bytes, A
       Adds the file 64x64.png"="11/13/2020 9:02 AM, 1711 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl\1.1.0_0\scripts
       Adds the file background.js"="9/16/2020 4:56 PM, 514529 bytes, A
       Adds the file sitecontent.js"="9/16/2020 4:56 PM, 77 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl
       Adds the file 000003.log"="11/13/2020 9:05 AM, 839 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="11/13/2020 9:02 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="11/13/2020 9:02 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="11/13/2020 9:02 AM, 183 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="11/13/2020 9:02 AM, 41 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl
       Adds the file IStreamingSearch.ico"="11/13/2020 9:02 AM, 171329 bytes, A
       Adds the file IStreamingSearch.ico.md5"="11/13/2020 9:02 AM, 16 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl"="REG_SZ", "4A9120BDB3AEA501E6FB8F54D5213862E6E9FA8E3A7DCE4AB5A5163F36922D83"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 11/13/20
Scan Time: 9:15 AM
Log File: 6ff30b9c-2588-11eb-8148-080027235d76.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.2.3.96
Components Version: 1.0.1104
Update Package Version: 1.0.32836
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: 231987
Threats Detected: 12
Threats Quarantined: 12
Time Elapsed: 3 min, 24 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|hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl, Quarantined, 15571, 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\hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl, Quarantined, 15571, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\HDEFPHOEOEPHMAEACDEMPHAGCGHBLBBL, Quarantined, 15571, 799722, 1.0.32836, , ame, , , 

File: 9
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 15571, 799722, , , , , 06E4BAAD3C1EDE801A800AFA275F12D3, 8BB9F83CD73AD53766DAF7B50D214F24C868CFB5F8C0F3393F93E98AA3BEB475
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15571, 799722, , , , , 0D80FC7D376F9A44C2C2DB6696C685A0, 7FAF9AD37BB8A07CC675C61FD21C81629BB7D1680DF82160A7526833AA18FCAB
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl\000003.log, Quarantined, 15571, 799722, , , , , C1FCF821CB7B07191F48A6E38994560B, F2B7C40A7D60127A33EFC964B0E83A45CD83AA593DB5748A25F1A3FFF1CAD763
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl\CURRENT, Quarantined, 15571, 799722, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl\LOCK, Quarantined, 15571, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl\LOG, Quarantined, 15571, 799722, , , , , 40921EC791263856B84844639AC4AF1A, 205D869833D66E3CE257812C431CFA5F6EADB33EE0BC4C96BA038B48F8BE3D4F
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\hdefphoeoephmaeacdemphagcghblbbl\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 15571, 799722, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\HDEFPHOEOEPHMAEACDEMPHAGCGHBLBBL\1.1.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 15571, 799722, 1.0.32836, , ame, , E7BDEB1D8D1DB086E59513E04064BD21, B867E45D66C0C27F5F91E5C1BEAD600E9D7507BE23A35BEBFF174DAB01D5216D
PUP.Optional.PushNotifications, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 203, 846248, 1.0.32836, , ame, , 0D80FC7D376F9A44C2C2DB6696C685A0, 7FAF9AD37BB8A07CC675C61FD21C81629BB7D1680DF82160A7526833AA18FCAB

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.