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What is Email Search Tools?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Email Search Tools 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.

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

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

main.png

and these warnings during install:

warning0.png

warning1.png

warning2.png

warning4.png

You will see this icon in your Chrome menu-bar:

icons.png

and this changed setting:

warning5.png

How did Email Search Tools 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 Email Search Tools?

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 Email Search Tools?

  • No, Malwarebytes removes Email Search Tools 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 Email Search Tools hijacker. It would have blocked their website, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.
 

protection2.png


Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:
 

CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://search.emailsearchtools.com/s?query={searchTerms}
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> email
CHR Extension: (EmailSearchTools) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb [2019-11-15]

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\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0
       Adds the file background.js"="9/18/2019 1:42 PM, 14032 bytes, A
       Adds the file icon.png"="11/15/2019 9:12 AM, 5491 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="11/15/2019 9:12 AM, 1554 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\_locales\en
       Adds the file messages.json"="11/15/2019 9:12 AM, 266 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="11/15/2019 9:12 AM, 630 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="9/18/2019 11:23 AM, 1893 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\css
       Adds the file description.css"="5/3/2018 4:42 PM, 1008 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\html\popup
       Adds the file description.html"="9/5/2019 2:07 PM, 240 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb
       Adds the file 000003.log"="11/15/2019 9:12 AM, 168 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="11/15/2019 9:12 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="11/15/2019 9:12 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="11/15/2019 9:12 AM, 183 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="11/15/2019 9:12 AM, 41 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb"="REG_SZ", "A9322B76617230A96887AEEB8993C10B62005A0728B26F171B4E0708000AC09C"

Malwarebytes log:
 

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 11/15/19
Scan Time: 9:22 AM
Log File: 20bbffdc-0781-11ea-8ad9-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.0.4.49
Components Version: 1.0.718
Update Package Version: 1.0.14948
License: Premium

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

-Scan Summary-
Scan Type: Threat Scan
Scan Initiated By: Manual
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 233906
Threats Detected: 25
Threats Quarantined: 25
Time Elapsed: 4 min, 53 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.Spigot.Generic, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 9
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Sync Extension Settings\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\_locales\en, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\html\popup, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\_metadata, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\_locales, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\html, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\css, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\JGHEJOMGLPMEJFCPHJBFEPLPDNDFCCBB, Quarantined, 208, 575422, 1.0.14948, , ame, 

File: 15
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\000003.log, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\CURRENT, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\LOCK, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\LOG, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\JGHEJOMGLPMEJFCPHJBFEPLPDNDFCCBB\1.1_0\BACKGROUND.JS, Quarantined, 208, 575422, 1.0.14948, , ame, 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\css\description.css, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\html\popup\description.html, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\_locales\en\messages.json, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\icon.png, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 
PUP.Optional.Spigot.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jghejomglpmejfcphjbfeplpdndfccbb\1.1_0\manifest.json, Quarantined, 208, 575422, , , , 

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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