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What is SearchGamez?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that SearchGamez 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 SearchGamez?

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

warning4.png

How did SearchGamez 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 SearchGamez?

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 SearchGamez?

  • No, Malwarebytes removes SearchGamez completely.

How would the full version of Malwarebytes help protect me?

We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this hijacker.

Malwarebytes Browser Guard, and the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the SearchGamez 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 DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://feed.search-gamez.com/?q={searchTerms}&publisher=searchgamez&barcodeid=576720000000000
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> SearchGamez
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.search-gamez.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (SearchGamez) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg [2020-08-12]

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\cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg\1.1.0_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="8/12/2020 9:16 AM, 2078 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg\1.1.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="8/12/2020 9:16 AM, 6255 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="7/8/2020 3:14 PM, 2049 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg\1.1.0_0\images
       Adds the file logo-white-text.png"="7/8/2020 3:14 PM, 0 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg\1.1.0_0\images\icons
       Adds the file 128x128.png"="8/12/2020 9:16 AM, 8512 bytes, A
       Adds the file 16x16.png"="8/12/2020 9:16 AM, 686 bytes, A
       Adds the file 64x64.png"="8/12/2020 9:16 AM, 3867 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg\1.1.0_0\scripts
       Adds the file background.js"="7/8/2020 3:14 PM, 514563 bytes, A
       Adds the file sitecontent.js"="7/8/2020 3:14 PM, 77 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg
       Adds the file 000003.log"="8/12/2020 9:21 AM, 545 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="8/12/2020 9:16 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="8/12/2020 9:16 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="8/12/2020 9:21 AM, 183 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="8/12/2020 9:16 AM, 41 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg
       Adds the file SearchGamez.ico"="8/12/2020 9:16 AM, 197846 bytes, A
       Adds the file SearchGamez.ico.md5"="8/12/2020 9:16 AM, 16 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg"="REG_SZ", "F116F7702F23FFCBC7B50B4695B3FF01AFFBA837C8D501E5C3619E8E0448026A"

Malwarebytes log:
 

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 8/12/20
Scan Time: 9:28 AM
Log File: 7492671a-dc6d-11ea-a31e-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.1.2.73
Components Version: 1.0.1003
Update Package Version: 1.0.28353
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: 230969
Threats Detected: 11
Threats Quarantined: 11
Time Elapsed: 5 min, 5 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|cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg, Quarantined, 15171, 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\cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg, Quarantined, 15171, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\CPIELIIOLDEGDICIKOPHGDJEIHCCJGFG, Quarantined, 15171, 799722, 1.0.28353, , ame, , , 

File: 8
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 15171, 799722, , , , , 94FFC220344A7385307A6040DD5B394D, 8047EFB35CC43A7BE40C8D148B3C1BAF90F0C622291778FBF783B70C67CA06DF
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15171, 799722, , , , , 804BFC67DFDA3282B5884893CAF1300C, 4AD64D83E3C928D8EAB6F6DA483382F84DC35350AD7A3F1AF1D17304BD61B8F9
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg\000003.log, Quarantined, 15171, 799722, , , , , 2C53D4384063BD39EAA980C14832C365, 4DA33D4269F4474C846448BC1495359CFC5C9EC7A49D9D4DAF63709E152BF511
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg\CURRENT, Quarantined, 15171, 799722, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg\LOCK, Quarantined, 15171, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg\LOG, Quarantined, 15171, 799722, , , , , 52193A337200F4BE58A71557AC3044BE, B72A18760F1294AB08E0BE872CC348B0CDF853D70C83DF8D78C43BFC3E84EB62
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\cpieliioldegdicikophgdjeihccjgfg\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 15171, 799722, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\CPIELIIOLDEGDICIKOPHGDJEIHCCJGFG\1.1.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 15171, 799722, 1.0.28353, , ame, , 222C4B6AB5975B2584AAE75C68FCC160, 9DEC0361E1512C030AC7C6005CFF06E63440FB5F2A6E0FB64ACBB8F6E491F0B7

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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