Removal instructions for WordSearch

[Metallica]

What is WordSearch?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that WordSearch 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.

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

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



and this changed right-click menu:



You may have noticed these warnings during install:







How did WordSearch 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 WordSearch?

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 WordSearch?

• No, Malwarebytes removes WordSearch 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 WordSearch 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: (WordSearch) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla [2021-04-19]

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\innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla\2.0.13_0
       Adds the file commons.js"="4/8/2021 6:07 PM, 2451 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="4/19/2021 10:19 AM, 1044 bytes, A
       Adds the file release.js"="4/8/2021 6:39 PM, 5631 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla\2.0.13_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="4/19/2021 10:19 AM, 1907 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="4/9/2021 2:58 PM, 2084 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla\2.0.13_0\img
       Adds the file 128icon.png"="4/19/2021 10:19 AM, 8302 bytes, A
       Adds the file 16icon.png"="4/19/2021 10:19 AM, 811 bytes, A
       Adds the file 32icon.png"="4/19/2021 10:19 AM, 1783 bytes, A
       Adds the file 64icon.png"="4/19/2021 10:19 AM, 3846 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla\2.0.13_0\parts
       Adds the file jquery.js"="4/6/2021 3:27 PM, 86670 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla
       Adds the file 000003.log"="4/19/2021 10:22 AM, 90 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="4/19/2021 10:19 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="4/19/2021 10:19 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="4/19/2021 10:19 AM, 369 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="4/19/2021 10:19 AM, 41 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla"="REG_SZ", "8483419B1242657E042A1AFD7FACAF5A9E334E8625A52CEFFFE4638914696AE1"

Malwarebytes log:
 

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 4/19/21
Scan Time: 2:32 PM
Log File: 4258f620-a10b-11eb-97e5-080027235d76.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.3.0.98
Components Version: 1.0.1251
Update Package Version: 1.0.39571
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: 233910
Threats Detected: 11
Threats Quarantined: 11
Time Elapsed: 4 min, 36 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, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla, Quarantined, 337, 932251, , , , , , 

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 2
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Sync Extension Settings\innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla, Quarantined, 337, 932251, , , , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\INNPDBBMELIMPLKGLDGLBJHAKIJPOPLA, Quarantined, 337, 932251, 1.0.39571, , ame, , , 

File: 8
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 337, 932251, , , , , 5118A80A1E8B6A268C9A760C2E828FD2, 9B3BD33BD8A3BA8F5EBD5A87671CD94D297302DB213730E50D930A6C13645C71
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 337, 932251, , , , , FDBA95DF4869E5A2FFD6281A75B50D48, B64F781E0B4D80679145D26FE7C0711D1AB9A9E76B0594A6DBBB3A3AE9B6F558
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla\000003.log, Quarantined, 337, 932251, , , , , F2F560E7831B3AFD850F710A7150003F, 2ECB374B9796ACCAFE2BEC87A85398BB9258CD0A9A3A4697408B2516224CFB56
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla\CURRENT, Quarantined, 337, 932251, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla\LOCK, Quarantined, 337, 932251, , , , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla\LOG, Quarantined, 337, 932251, , , , , C92E519822FFC265832681BE498414CE, B429A374230E932EFB462008B56D9E8396351182363EBF0E6ED26A6F329F6B5E
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\innpdbbmelimplkgldglbjhakijpopla\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 337, 932251, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\INNPDBBMELIMPLKGLDGLBJHAKIJPOPLA\2.0.13_0\RELEASE.JS, Quarantined, 337, 932251, 1.0.39571, , ame, , 1934FBE94A663BCA895687C4881D611B, E42C752E9FA4D8B41E916179CC3A40AC066B907F78170112191CB3BD62B123AF

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.