false positive: Easy Auto Refresh Chrome extension

[ksoft]

Hi, multiple users are reporting false positives from Malware Bytes for the Chrome extension, "Easy Auto Refresh" (aabcgdmkeabbnleenpncegpcngjpnjkc). It is being reported as "Adware.Hijacker". Could you please remove this false positive from the Malware Bytes database so that users may install the software?

I've included the Malwarebytes Report and a zip of the false positive detected file below.

The latest Easy Auto Refresh version 5.2 is 100% completely safe and free of any adware/malware. The app has been reviewed and approved by Google in the Chrome App Store through a strict and extensive review of all policies and all code. Thank you.

Virustotal Report (0/60 detections)
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/13fed016c5edad526bcbf6c032af7175c6629c6da31fcaf710c26f76043af032/detection

Product Download Page
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/easy-auto-refresh/aabcgdmkeabbnleenpncegpcngjpnjkc?hl=en

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 2/19/21
Scan Time: 4:58 PM
Log File: 8cd812c6-72fd-11eb-b473-54e1ad832b4f.json

-Software Information-
Version: 4.3.0.98
Components Version: 1.0.1173
Update Package Version: 1.0.37307
License: Trial

-System Information-
OS: Windows 10 (Build 19042.804)
CPU: x64
File System: NTFS
User: COMP\USERNAME

-Scan Summary-
Scan Type: Threat Scan
Scan Initiated By: Manual
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 363804
Threats Detected: 6
Threats Quarantined: 6
Time Elapsed: 12 min, 43 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: 3
PUM.Optional.DisableMRT, HKLM\SOFTWARE\POLICIES\MICROSOFT\MRT|DONTOFFERTHROUGHWUAU, Quarantined, 13145, 676880, 1.0.37307, , ame, , , 
PUM.Optional.DisableMRT, HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432NODE\POLICIES\MICROSOFT\MRT|DONTOFFERTHROUGHWUAU, Quarantined, 13145, 676880, 1.0.37307, , ame, , , 
Adware.Hijacker, HKU\S-1-12-1-636098676-1339303921-4204603777-1027108071\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|aabcgdmkeabbnleenpncegpcngjpnjkc, Quarantined, 15708, 910827, , , , , , 

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 1
Adware.Hijacker, C:\USERS\USERNAME\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\EXTENSIONS\aabcgdmkeabbnleenpncegpcngjpnjkc, Quarantined, 15708, 910827, 1.0.37307, , ame, , , 

File: 2
Adware.Hijacker, C:\USERS\USERNAME\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, 15708, 910827, , , , , CACE3EFDC93201130FD14E7A819B2015, CFBA1738B827F7F98B060C24B9AF36AC51823D00A2F149CD602558BFCED37771
Adware.Hijacker, C:\USERS\USERNAME\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, 15708, 910827, , , , , 47AB6DDAEFA5219A8DEE6A01428F419B, 9C659EC9B1561B90C21ABA7448874EA3C677E51713D0F516619A2D797E6758D0

Physical Sector: 0
(No malicious items detected)

WMI: 0
(No malicious items detected)

(end)

aabcgdmkeabbnleenpncegpcngjpnjkc.zip

[FrankMartin]

I also see this problem in my role as an administrator in Malwarebytes Endpoint., and have reported to Malwarebytes before. I have used Easy Auto refresh for years and have never had any reason to suspect— is a great little product. Malwarebytes for Mac has never displayed any adverse report on the extension, and the Little Snitch reverse firewall shows no suspicious activity.

Please take action and fix your software. Below is a sample of the false positive report, which is triggered every time I log in and launch Chrome under Windows (but not under Mac):

Endpoint Name: HorseBarn-NVR IP: 192.168.0.2 Scan Date and Time: 02/17/2021 - 01:52:00 PM Scan Type: ThreatScan Detections Cleaned: 4 Severity: warning Group: Ranch NVRs Policy: Default Policy

Displaying 4 of 4 detections below - additional details can be viewed via the Scan Report.   Name Type Category Status Path Adware.Hijacker File Malware Quarantined C:\USERS\FRANK MARTIN\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences Adware.Hijacker File Malware Quarantined C:\USERS\FRANK MARTIN\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences Adware.Hijacker Reg, Value Malware Quarantined HKU\S-1-5-21-818570679-793152695-1359777616-1001\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS.SETTINGS|AABCGDMKEABBNLEENPNCEGPCNGJPNJKC Adware.Hijacker Folder Malware Quarantined C:\USERS\FRANK MARTIN\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\EXTENSIONS\aabcgdmkeabbnleenpncegpcngjpnjkc

[Porthos]

Seems like this was recently added.

 

[AlexMartin]

I used this extension and I had problems with it for this reason I googled, found a topic on this website and posted on it. I see other users who posted bad reviews on this extension in chrome store and owner didn't reply to those reviews. Why?

I tried to check the code now, but it is obfuscated. This is not allowed by google: https://developer.chrome.com/docs/webstore/program_policies/ If I compare 2 versions of your extensions all names of all functions are changed and it's impossible to read them, fix that

[shadowwar]

This will be fixed in the next update. approximately 1 hour.