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Removal instructions for GoCouponSearch

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#1
Metallica

Metallica

    Spyware Veteran

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

What is GoCouponSearch?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that GoCouponSearch 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 changes your default search engine and also uses browser push notifications.

notifications.png

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

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

main.png

and these warnings during install:

warning1.png

warning2.png

warning3.png

warning4.png

and this changed setting:

warning5.png

How did GoCouponSearch 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 GoCouponSearch?

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 GoCouponSearch?
  • No, Malwarebytes removes GoCouponSearch 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 Malwarebytes Browser Guard, and the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the GoCouponSearch hijacker. It would have blocked their website, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

protection1.png


Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:

CHR Notifications: Default -> hxxps://install.gocouponsearch.com
CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://feed.gocouponsearch.com/?q={searchTerms}&publisher=gocouponsearch&barcodeid=598040000000000
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> GoCouponSearch
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.gocouponsearch.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (GoCouponSearch) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek [2021-11-10]
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\bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek\1.0.0_0
       Adds the file background.js"="11/2/2021 10:13 AM, 9855 bytes, A
       Adds the file content-script.js"="7/19/2021 2:11 PM, 77 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="11/10/2021 3:33 PM, 1844 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek\1.0.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="11/10/2021 3:33 PM, 461 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="11/2/2021 10:13 AM, 2032 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek\1.0.0_0\images
       Adds the file logo-white-text.png"="11/2/2021 10:13 AM, 0 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek\1.0.0_0\images\icons
       Adds the file 128x128.png"="11/10/2021 3:33 PM, 3547 bytes, A
       Adds the file 16x16.png"="11/10/2021 3:33 PM, 658 bytes, A
       Adds the file 64x64.png"="11/10/2021 3:33 PM, 1934 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek
       Adds the file 000003.log"="11/10/2021 3:33 PM, 1183 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="11/10/2021 3:33 PM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="11/10/2021 3:33 PM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="11/10/2021 3:33 PM, 369 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="11/10/2021 3:33 PM, 41 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek"="REG_SZ", "E43FE9FF9178C51B17B4E21C8DEB26A9E9122203DE321B8449916E684B8E3508"
Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 11/10/21
Scan Time: 3:43 PM
Log File: 969b04ec-4234-11ec-9765-080027235d76.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.4.10.144
Components Version: 1.0.1499
Update Package Version: 1.0.47046
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: 247044
Threats Detected: 12
Threats Quarantined: 12
Time Elapsed: 1 min, 6 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|bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek, Quarantined, 16027, 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\bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek, Quarantined, 16027, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\BIDPOBJOFFOKOPPHIIHEHCDNBKGNHCEK, Quarantined, 16027, 799722, 1.0.47046, , ame, , , 

File: 9
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 16027, 799722, , , , , 32449F51B81CFF1B7D736C3917F219BE, 9AD86B9D378C3F96E8D6729D7DBA4FCF2D9315CB1944D4DF99F41278316C21D7
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 16027, 799722, , , , , 7DBC88CE3AB2D33ADCA9CD338EA82551, C07DE02416B82045EFE3CFDD79375A8E32B53CF2394201DBCDEEE247BC4E8D02
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek\000003.log, Quarantined, 16027, 799722, , , , , CDB167F2FC2ABF221A10AF4980B4797B, 63D51C1DE6174655DB46F8740AD931DDE6F5B2FE1C3224C1C543E0AE719B3E71
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek\CURRENT, Quarantined, 16027, 799722, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek\LOCK, Quarantined, 16027, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek\LOG, Quarantined, 16027, 799722, , , , , 343A04C118092FC11253CFFD269896F0, B3F6E8181E4FE14A6F074F013AE8381DDFE8EDF72FE04A516440B68AC181EA84
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\bidpobjoffokopphiihehcdnbkgnhcek\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 16027, 799722, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\BIDPOBJOFFOKOPPHIIHEHCDNBKGNHCEK\1.0.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 16027, 799722, 1.0.47046, , ame, , 3D033C530C0968CEE232BBFDD81E96B7, 35A2B69A80A96D6A350F2E604EDDA49CF89E0BA4D81D8505BFC9A72A6A7948F8
PUP.Optional.PushNotifications.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 197, 832955, 1.0.47046, , ame, , 7DBC88CE3AB2D33ADCA9CD338EA82551, C07DE02416B82045EFE3CFDD79375A8E32B53CF2394201DBCDEEE247BC4E8D02

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.
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