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What is TopSearchConverter?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that TopSearchConverter 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. It also adds advertisements to your search results in the form of recommended searches.

notifications.png

recommendations.png

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

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

main.png

and these warnings during install:

warning1.png

warning3.png

warning4.png

and this changed setting:

warning5.png

How did TopSearchConverter 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 TopSearchConverter?

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 TopSearchConverter?

  • No, Malwarebytes removes TopSearchConverter 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 Malwarebytes Browser Guard, and the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the TopSearchConverter hijacker. It would have blocked their website, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.


 

protection1.png

 

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:


 

CHR Notifications: Default -> hxxps://install.topsearchconverter.com
CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://feed.topsearchconverter.com/?q={searchTerms}&publisher=topsearchconverter&barcodeid=588600000000000
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> TopSearchConverter
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxps://api.topsearchconverter.com/suggest/get?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (TopSearchConverter) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo [2021-02-17]

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\danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo\1.1.0_0
       Adds the file manifest.json"="2/17/2021 8:52 AM, 2156 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo\1.1.0_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="2/17/2021 8:52 AM, 6725 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="12/16/2020 11:16 AM, 2049 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo\1.1.0_0\images
       Adds the file logo-white-text.png"="12/16/2020 11:16 AM, 0 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo\1.1.0_0\images\icons
       Adds the file 128x128.png"="2/17/2021 8:52 AM, 6065 bytes, A
       Adds the file 16x16.png"="2/17/2021 8:52 AM, 654 bytes, A
       Adds the file 64x64.png"="2/17/2021 8:52 AM, 2957 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo\1.1.0_0\scripts
       Adds the file background.js"="12/16/2020 11:16 AM, 553493 bytes, A
       Adds the file sitecontent.js"="12/16/2020 11:16 AM, 77 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo
       Adds the file 000003.log"="2/17/2021 8:52 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file CURRENT"="2/17/2021 8:52 AM, 16 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOCK"="2/17/2021 8:52 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file LOG"="2/17/2021 8:52 AM, 0 bytes, A
       Adds the file MANIFEST-000001"="2/17/2021 8:52 AM, 41 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Web Applications\_crx_danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo
       Adds the file TopSearchConverter.ico"="2/17/2021 8:52 AM, 186697 bytes, A
       Adds the file TopSearchConverter.ico.md5"="2/17/2021 8:52 AM, 16 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo"="REG_SZ", "2D5B7FBDCCC9F65B43582271329826D2F348192E2033105E2008EA28952B9939"

Malwarebytes log:
 

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 2/17/21
Scan Time: 9:01 AM
Log File: 5f813e6e-70f6-11eb-a419-080027235d76.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.3.0.98
Components Version: 1.0.1173
Update Package Version: 1.0.37215
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: 233208
Threats Detected: 12
Threats Quarantined: 12
Time Elapsed: 4 min, 1 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|danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo, Quarantined, 15231, 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\danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo, Quarantined, 15231, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\DANLPOHCMJFBADHEJFPMDHBFKJJNDFBO, Quarantined, 15231, 799722, 1.0.37215, , ame, , , 

File: 9
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 15231, 799722, , , , , E7FDDE577CEF9905DD7D1EFAD2B45A8B, EC9CFAF0627F3969D3B31B3BB458B0F05DD86D1B8FA7E80B4545B9A446134FA0
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15231, 799722, , , , , D320BFA9FA2391F52560181CC15A138D, 558CA095B81C8D2664CACB7AD0D31EC46E5C4F0638EE94A8A55469588CA756FC
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo\000003.log, Quarantined, 15231, 799722, , , , , B7441C47CFEC225D1FDE33FAC314D967, A8E7F10F8AFD1D217F880ECE7F467263028C573D24CA41233EE830DF8F09FB32
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo\CURRENT, Quarantined, 15231, 799722, , , , , 46295CAC801E5D4857D09837238A6394, 0F1BAD70C7BD1E0A69562853EC529355462FCD0423263A3D39D6D0D70B780443
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo\LOCK, Quarantined, 15231, 799722, , , , , , 
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo\LOG, Quarantined, 15231, 799722, , , , , 674E168D43C7EDF6287AC2EAE8490C55, 8282D909F75F0023350F39C48F4B3CEBDD9417389C42A1F8EFA2F6F383D17774
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Sync Extension Settings\danlpohcmjfbadhejfpmdhbfkjjndfbo\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, 15231, 799722, , , , , 5AF87DFD673BA2115E2FCF5CFDB727AB, F9D31B278E215EB0D0E9CD709EDFA037E828F36214AB7906F612160FEAD4B2B4
Adware.SearchEngineHijack.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\DANLPOHCMJFBADHEJFPMDHBFKJJNDFBO\1.1.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, 15231, 799722, 1.0.37215, , ame, , 712D6751F9CFF213C0B5FE2EADC5A664, E2F1E18D4A1BBBFAB78FEFC60B4B952CC30DCF92F444CD93F5A1C06911A08C61
PUP.Optional.PushNotifications.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15848, 832955, 1.0.37215, , ame, , D320BFA9FA2391F52560181CC15A138D, 558CA095B81C8D2664CACB7AD0D31EC46E5C4F0638EE94A8A55469588CA756FC

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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