Jump to content

Recommended Posts

  • Staff

What is Direct Search?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Direct Search 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 Direct Search?

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

main.png

and this changed setting:

warning5.png

You may have noticed these warnings during install:

warning1.png

warning2.png

warning3.png

How did Direct Search get on my computer?

Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was downloaded from the webstore:

webstore.png

but can also be downloaded from alternative webstores:

website.png

How do I remove Direct Search?

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 Direct Search?

  • No, Malwarebytes removes Direct Search 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, as well as the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the Direct Search hijacker. It would have blocked their website, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.


 

protection1.png

 

protection2.png

 

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:


 

CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://searchpowerapp.com/results.php?p=9152&v=400&q={searchTerms}&source=default
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> spa
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://searchpowerapp.com/gjson.php?q={searchTerms}
(Secure) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf [2020-07-06]

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\ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf\9.9.8.1_0
       Adds the file background.js"="7/4/2020 7:41 PM, 14763 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="7/6/2020 9:12 AM, 1665 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf\9.9.8.1_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="7/6/2020 9:12 AM, 388 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="7/4/2020 7:41 PM, 1536 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf\9.9.8.1_0\icons
       Adds the file icon128.png"="7/6/2020 9:12 AM, 2188 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf
       Adds the file 000003.log"="7/6/2020 9:15 AM, 648 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="7/6/2020 9:12 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="7/6/2020 9:12 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="7/6/2020 9:15 AM, 184 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="7/6/2020 9:12 AM, 41 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf
       Adds the file Direct Search [9152400].ico"="7/6/2020 9:15 AM, 162813 bytes, A
       Adds the file Direct Search [9152400].ico.md5"="7/6/2020 9:15 AM, 16 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf"="REG_SZ", "907A360AA37549B7AF19D09A9338F8B22AB5E370F102B1A29F6CD8437A0405FC"

Malwarebytes log:
 

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 7/6/20
Scan Time: 9:22 AM
Log File: 6529a94a-bf59-11ea-928f-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.1.2.73
Components Version: 1.0.972
Update Package Version: 1.0.26463
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: 232177
Threats Detected: 18
Threats Quarantined: 18
Time Elapsed: 6 min, 7 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.SearchPowerApp.Generic, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf, Quarantined, 15166, 770853, , , , 

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 2
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Local Extension Settings\ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf, Quarantined, 15166, 770853, , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\GINIPEALLDJIPKIECHDKNPAGFDAABMLF, Quarantined, 15166, 770853, 1.0.26463, , ame, 

File: 15
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 15166, 770853, , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15166, 770853, , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf\000003.log, Quarantined, 15166, 770853, , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf\CURRENT, Quarantined, 15166, 770853, , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf\LOCK, Quarantined, 15166, 770853, , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf\LOG, Quarantined, 15166, 770853, , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\ginipealldjipkiechdknpagfdaabmlf\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 15166, 770853, , , , 
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\GINIPEALLDJIPKIECHDKNPAGFDAABMLF\9.9.8.1_0\BACKGROUND.JS, Quarantined, 15166, 770853, 1.0.26463, , ame, 
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 233, 763703, 1.0.26463, , ame, 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Web Data, Replaced, 410, 460701, 1.0.26463, , ame, 
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Web Data, Replaced, 233, 763703, 1.0.26463, , ame, 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Web Data, Replaced, 410, 460701, 1.0.26463, , ame, 
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 233, 763703, 1.0.26463, , ame, 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Web Data, Replaced, 410, 460701, 1.0.26463, , ame, 
PUP.Optional.SearchPowerApp, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Web Data, Replaced, 233, 763703, 1.0.26463, , ame, 

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.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
Back to top
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This site uses cookies - We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.