Removal instructions for Simple Word Count

[Metallica]

What is Simple Word Count?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Simple Word Count 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.
Ths particular closes your tab on certain searchterms.

How do I know if my computer is affected by Simple Word Count?

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



You may have noticed these warnings during install:





How did Simple Word Count 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 Simple Word Count?

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 Simple Word Count?

• No, Malwarebytes removes Simple Word Count 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 Simple Word Count 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: (Simple Word Count) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jlgkpjoibfbejgfklnlnbpkoepnopipa

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\jlgkpjoibfbejgfklnlnbpkoepnopipa\1.1_0
       Adds the file background.js"="4/19/2021 6:09 PM, 39103 bytes, A
       Adds the file icon.png"="5/6/2021 8:52 AM, 2429 bytes, A
       Adds the file jquery.min.js"="4/16/2021 4:33 AM, 89500 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="5/6/2021 8:52 AM, 880 bytes, A
       Adds the file popup.html"="10/2/2013 2:11 PM, 313 bytes, A
       Adds the file popup.js"="10/2/2013 2:10 PM, 340 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jlgkpjoibfbejgfklnlnbpkoepnopipa\1.1_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="5/6/2021 8:52 AM, 1859 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="4/19/2021 6:09 PM, 1840 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\jlgkpjoibfbejgfklnlnbpkoepnopipa
       Adds the file 000003.log"="5/6/2021 8:53 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="5/6/2021 8:53 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="5/6/2021 8:53 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="5/6/2021 8:53 AM, 369 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="5/6/2021 8:53 AM, 41 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "jlgkpjoibfbejgfklnlnbpkoepnopipa"="REG_SZ", "BDA787FBA76D9C32214F9921FAC4DD0B5DC80DEBC411BA5F032B810C29144A67"

Malwarebytes log:
 

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 5/6/21
Scan Time: 9:13 AM
Log File: 99099998-ae3a-11eb-a245-080027235d76.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.3.0.98
Components Version: 1.0.1273
Update Package Version: 1.0.40159
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: 233991
Threats Detected: 12
Threats Quarantined: 12
Time Elapsed: 2 min, 49 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|jlgkpjoibfbejgfklnlnbpkoepnopipa, Quarantined, 337, 930412, , , , , , 

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\Local Extension Settings\jlgkpjoibfbejgfklnlnbpkoepnopipa, Quarantined, 337, 930412, , , , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\JLGKPJOIBFBEJGFKLNLNBPKOEPNOPIPA, Quarantined, 337, 930412, 1.0.40159, , ame, , , 

File: 9
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 337, 930412, , , , , 88656D28A2C1C01B3F7E2C1AE9B09643, 7803BAA31E448B4A5F6623789B0C2B0CA734B09AB660B1844F91E1B81B3F7413
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 337, 930412, , , , , ABBDA81D680D20880D7AB4777E6895A7, 5F54A384F0D3B05B980E47C1D0C2FC9595C6E578520C44442ABC0B0833CE544F
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\jlgkpjoibfbejgfklnlnbpkoepnopipa\000003.log, Quarantined, 337, 930412, , , , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\jlgkpjoibfbejgfklnlnbpkoepnopipa\CURRENT, Quarantined, 337, 930412, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\jlgkpjoibfbejgfklnlnbpkoepnopipa\LOCK, Quarantined, 337, 930412, , , , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\jlgkpjoibfbejgfklnlnbpkoepnopipa\LOG, Quarantined, 337, 930412, , , , , 8D664C64C7CF60E098EB21C01E15339E, 7287208DD4B951C89BD877F0D6D99B6C408BD0B1FFAE908D10AE74AA700FECF2
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\jlgkpjoibfbejgfklnlnbpkoepnopipa\LOG.old, Quarantined, 337, 930412, , , , , 304F6D70D9F76D101EAB3B3B24E51A37, A70CF5D68E5B0E046BE10B717BCCF5F6216232E71A90A3A273D5A5B552950417
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\jlgkpjoibfbejgfklnlnbpkoepnopipa\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 337, 930412, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
PUP.Optional.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\JLGKPJOIBFBEJGFKLNLNBPKOEPNOPIPA\1.1_0\BACKGROUND.JS, Quarantined, 337, 930412, 1.0.40159, , ame, , 3BCE0550232E8BDEFF9288E892CDEE35, 211497F10FE380AE629BCF655B65504E75D1CAEC8B21AB261A91758EA26E3663

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.