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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is BestADSBlock?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that BestADSBlock 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 particular one changes your default search provider and adds Search Recommendations.



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

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 BestADSBlock 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 BestADSBlock?

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 BestADSBlock?

• No, Malwarebytes removes BestADSBlock 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 BestADSBlock 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://feed.bestadsblock.com/?q={searchTerms}&publisher=bestadsblock&barcodeid=595990000000000
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> BestADSBlock
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.bestadsblock.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (BestADSBlock) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\cojdgfmlgmihnhcfegneogolkmcfieba [2021-08-17]

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\cojdgfmlgmihnhcfegneogolkmcfieba\1.2.0_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="8/17/2021 3:42 PM, 2084 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\cojdgfmlgmihnhcfegneogolkmcfieba\1.2.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="8/17/2021 3:42 PM, 6255 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="8/10/2021 2:00 PM, 2049 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\cojdgfmlgmihnhcfegneogolkmcfieba\1.2.0_0\images
       Adds the file logo-white-text.png"="8/10/2021 2:00 PM, 0 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\cojdgfmlgmihnhcfegneogolkmcfieba\1.2.0_0\images\icons
       Adds the file 128x128.png"="8/17/2021 3:42 PM, 6727 bytes, A
       Adds the file 16x16.png"="8/17/2021 3:42 PM, 787 bytes, A
       Adds the file 64x64.png"="8/17/2021 3:42 PM, 3436 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\cojdgfmlgmihnhcfegneogolkmcfieba\1.2.0_0\scripts
       Adds the file background.js"="8/10/2021 2:00 PM, 516062 bytes, A
       Adds the file sitecontent.js"="8/10/2021 2:00 PM, 77 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\cojdgfmlgmihnhcfegneogolkmcfieba
       Adds the file 000003.log"="8/17/2021 3:45 PM, 798 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="8/17/2021 3:42 PM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="8/17/2021 3:42 PM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="8/17/2021 3:42 PM, 367 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="8/17/2021 3:42 PM, 41 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_cojdgfmlgmihnhcfegneogolkmcfieba
       Adds the file BestADSBlock.ico"="8/17/2021 3:42 PM, 194904 bytes, A
       Adds the file BestADSBlock.ico.md5"="8/17/2021 3:42 PM, 16 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "cojdgfmlgmihnhcfegneogolkmcfieba"="REG_SZ", "040350B6D10F39823EDF4E746EE0E282AE47D9972F9809A7D294FFAE150ADDBB"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 8/17/21
Scan Time: 3:38 PM
Log File: 774c51e8-ff60-11eb-b061-080027235d76.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.4.4.126
Components Version: 1.0.1413
Update Package Version: 1.0.44204
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: 258237
Threats Detected: 5
Threats Quarantined: 5
Time Elapsed: 1 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|cojdgfmlgmihnhcfegneogolkmcfieba, Quarantined, 16817, 799722, , , , , , 

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 1
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\COJDGFMLGMIHNHCFEGNEOGOLKMCFIEBA, Quarantined, 16817, 799722, 1.0.44204, , ame, , , 

File: 3
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 16817, 799722, , , , , 1C538A302C0FE6A5C90286B266C1B577, C9B773C496D1EA74FB14588B5A824CF0E53C62FBAACC2F88FE7F9057B35C103B
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 16817, 799722, , , , , 0B8659B848229CFA5C147BC1224FBFDF, DB07BA40DDD4A2C93D8BF638CCBFE56CEB692D912CE85F7EE0B94383D897E49F
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\COJDGFMLGMIHNHCFEGNEOGOLKMCFIEBA\1.2.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 16817, 799722, 1.0.44204, , ame, , B22B9AE4045EAC3242E9A2DEB685E325, A2E2E23F2A687D4C519F281767E70F2F8F76726990BD6819F115DE66034BAC18

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.