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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is Search by Togosearching?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Search by Togosearching is a browser 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 particualr one changes your default search engine.

How do I know if my computer is affected by Search by Togosearching?

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



and this changed setting:



You may have noticed these warnings during install:





How did Search by Togosearching 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 Search by Togosearching?

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 Search by Togosearching?

• No, Malwarebytes removes Search by Togosearching 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 Search by Togosearching 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 DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://www.togosearching.com/webs?src=togo&type=ds&q={searchTerms}
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> Togo
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://www.togosearching.com/suggest?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (Search by Togosearching) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\lielkdpljkikanioflnmhbbhlaaejnnn [2021-07-28]

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\lielkdpljkikanioflnmhbbhlaaejnnn\1.0.3_0
       Adds the file bg.js"="7/19/2021 2:36 PM, 2307 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="7/28/2021 9:14 AM, 1776 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\lielkdpljkikanioflnmhbbhlaaejnnn\1.0.3_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="7/28/2021 9:14 AM, 351 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="7/19/2021 2:33 PM, 1640 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\lielkdpljkikanioflnmhbbhlaaejnnn\1.0.3_0\icons
       Adds the file image128.png"="7/28/2021 9:14 AM, 3894 bytes, A
       Adds the file image16.png"="7/28/2021 9:14 AM, 409 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "lielkdpljkikanioflnmhbbhlaaejnnn"="REG_SZ", "F10C3462F0123E89ACB08AC382C6CAF444E39D7B99ABEEAC2E4A65761C8785C3"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 7/28/21
Scan Time: 11:11 AM
Log File: ca06437c-ef83-11eb-b402-080027235d76.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.4.3.125
Components Version: 1.0.1387
Update Package Version: 1.0.43644
License: Premium

-System Information-
OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1
CPU: x64
File System: NTFS
User: {username}-PC\{username}

-Scan Summary-
Scan Type: Threat Scan
Scan Initiated By: Manual
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 257843
Threats Detected: 4
Threats Quarantined: 4
Time Elapsed: 1 min, 40 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.TogoSearching, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|lielkdpljkikanioflnmhbbhlaaejnnn, Quarantined, 2375, 963249, , , , , , 

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 1
PUP.Optional.TogoSearching, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\EXTENSIONS\lielkdpljkikanioflnmhbbhlaaejnnn, Quarantined, 2375, 963249, 1.0.43644, , ame, , , 

File: 2
PUP.Optional.TogoSearching, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 2375, 963249, , , , , F8AC455519BFDACB6EACB100433ED5EB, 3AA138E7056D0006FEF0FF78A287A7F2D334E4CA174FDEA2600A4D6278145A55
PUP.Optional.TogoSearching, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 2375, 963249, , , , , 3A845A99D11EEAD91D23A2798DF27F36, E6C70F37182C503027006831E200BDAECFD168E9B340FE0704C2A4BA366957FF

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.