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What is HDSportSearchs?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that HDSportSearchs 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.
This particular one is a search hijacker and uses web push notifications.

notifications.png

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

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

main.png

and these warnings during install:

warning1.png

warning2.png

warning3.png

warning4.png

and these changed settings:

warning5.png

How did HDSportSearchs 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 HDSportSearchs?

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 HDSportSearchs?

  • No, Malwarebytes removes HDSportSearchs completely.
  • If you have allowed the notifications you can read here how to disable them.

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 the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the HDSportSearchs hijacker. It would have blocked their website, giving you a chance to stop before it became too late.


 

protection1.png

 

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:


 

CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://feed.hdsportsearchs.com/?q={searchTerms}&publisher=hdsportsearchs&barcodeid=576970000000000
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> HDSportSearchs
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.hdsportsearchs.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (HDSportSearchs) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg [2020-10-05]

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\nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg\1.1.0_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="10/5/2020 8:58 AM, 2108 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg\1.1.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="10/5/2020 8:58 AM, 6255 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="7/12/2020 2:34 PM, 2049 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg\1.1.0_0\images
       Adds the file logo-white-text.png"="7/12/2020 2:34 PM, 0 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg\1.1.0_0\images\icons
       Adds the file 128x128.png"="10/5/2020 8:58 AM, 13110 bytes, A
       Adds the file 16x16.png"="10/5/2020 8:58 AM, 659 bytes, A
       Adds the file 64x64.png"="10/5/2020 8:58 AM, 5616 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg\1.1.0_0\scripts
       Adds the file background.js"="7/12/2020 2:34 PM, 514610 bytes, A
       Adds the file sitecontent.js"="7/12/2020 2:34 PM, 77 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg
       Adds the file 000003.log"="10/5/2020 8:58 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="10/5/2020 8:58 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="10/5/2020 8:58 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="10/5/2020 8:58 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="10/5/2020 8:58 AM, 41 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg
       Adds the file HDSportSearchs.ico"="10/5/2020 8:58 AM, 223451 bytes, A
       Adds the file HDSportSearchs.ico.md5"="10/5/2020 8:58 AM, 16 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg"="REG_SZ", "B219D27B9192BC5E9A6F39967B96EB3C81EA501BE8105478B4A667E74EA69205"

Malwarebytes log:
 

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 10/5/20
Scan Time: 9:08 AM
Log File: 92a14c8a-06d9-11eb-817e-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.2.1.89
Components Version: 1.0.1045
Update Package Version: 1.0.30812
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: 231772
Threats Detected: 11
Threats Quarantined: 11
Time Elapsed: 6 min, 3 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|nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg, Quarantined, 15388, 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\nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg, Quarantined, 15388, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\NLHPMJAGOJIOILGIKMNLJCEKALDNMPCG, Quarantined, 15388, 799722, 1.0.30812, , ame, , , 

File: 8
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 15388, 799722, , , , , 6C381908C21E7B8B87819115E225A9AC, 5C770D092379D265BD281E1DE930DAC26F3C63CE764ABFFF80640BDA64CB4D20
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15388, 799722, , , , , 48DC53E9CEF493F525A01AE36FF43D22, 8137625EDD62DB5D62E6ED53879D3A10B724DE9C9B17D72A8585276821E144C9
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg\000003.log, Quarantined, 15388, 799722, , , , , 42BF1A9EA8EA317D96199E7D38C4CE45, 06BDAB86591F2DCC9344B401569BD5360E4391AE0AA5187DC90A2A6BD5D3BF8C
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg\CURRENT, Quarantined, 15388, 799722, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg\LOCK, Quarantined, 15388, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg\LOG, Quarantined, 15388, 799722, , , , , CFFA3BAF9044E91C941D0B08A6EE1197, A634DCA8AE68EF408383DE1CBF5BBDFD908E9D4E70F16E7816061FB8375DA70D
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\nlhpmjagojioilgikmnljcekaldnmpcg\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 15388, 799722, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\NLHPMJAGOJIOILGIKMNLJCEKALDNMPCG\1.1.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 15388, 799722, 1.0.30812, , ame, , 2623E5429778BE1488DE1DF657CEFB1D, 8706D51A88DC6AFF70BC57AED2E53FFDA8AABFCBB842A957FAB70D7A283B2390

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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