Browser Hi-jacker (royb2.fastsearch.me)

[MrBlackRain]

Hi Community,

Last night I downloaded a video editing plug-in from a sceptical website - and now I have a browser hi-jacker!

Every time I search in Chrome & Mircosoft Edge this pop-up appear (I have Malwarebytes so it block the website)

This is the search engine it takes me to (when Malwarebytes is off and allows me to go into the site)

Then I looked into my extensions and settings - an 'organisation' has installed an extension.

I've tried a number of malware removal services an none of them have done the trick.

 

Does anyone know how to fix this?

 

Thank you so much in advance.

 

Josh

[AdvancedSetup]

Hello @MrBlackRain

 

Please do the following so that we can get started and see what's going on.

The Farbar Recovery Scan Tool is a free Windows utility designed to create troubleshooting logs for your computer. These logs help our Support team to identify and resolve issues with your computer.

There are two versions of the Farbar Recovery Scan Tool available for download: 32-bit and 64-bit.
To find which operating system is installed on your computer, refer to Microsoft's article: 32-bit and 64-bit Windows: Frequently asked questions

Download and launch Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

1. Download the Farbar Recovery Scan Tool
   Do not click on any Ads.
    
2. Locate the file you downloaded on your computer.
   Downloaded files are often saved to the Downloads folder.
    
3. Double-click the downloaded file to run the Farbar Recovery Scan Tool.
   
   
    
4. A Windows protected your PC notification may appear. This notification is from the Windows Defender SmartScreen Filter which prevents unfamiliar apps from running on your PC.
   Disable smart screen ONLY if it interferes with software we may have to use:  What is SmartScreen and how can it help protect me?
   
        a.  Click More info.
   
   
        b.  Click Run anyway.
   
   
5. When the User Account Control window appears, click Yes.
   
   
   
    
6. To accept the Disclaimer of warranty, click Yes.
   
   
   
    
7. Ensure only the boxes listed below are checked
   
   

   Registry  Services  Drivers
   Processes  Internet  One month
   Addition.txt
   
   
   
    

8. Disable any Antivirus software you have installed ONLY if it stops software we may use from working.
   Please remember to re-enable any Antivirus software when we are finished running scans
   
   Click Scan. The scan may take a few minutes to complete.
   
   
    

9. When the scan completes, Farbar Recovery Scan Tool shows two messages:

• Scan completed. FRST.txt is saved in the same directory FRST is located.
  
  

• Addition.txt is saved in the same directory FRST is located.
  
  
   

• Click OK to close each message window

 

Please attach both of those logs on your next reply, DO NOT copy/paste the contents of the logs directly

 

 

Thanks

 

 

[MrBlackRain]

Hi @AdvancedSetup

 

Thank you so much for the prompt reply - attached are the following text files you asked for.

 

Cheers

Addition.txt FRST.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

The computer Event Logs show a lot of issues. We'll try to do some clean up and see how it goes.

To start out, let me have you go to Control Panel, Programs, Programs and Features and uninstall the following

 

• AVG AntiVirus FREE
• HitmanPro 3.8
• MalwareFox AntiMalware
   

Then run the following, after you remove the items above and have restarted the computer.

 

 

Please run the following steps and post back the logs as an attachment when ready.
Temporarily disable your antivirus or other security software first. Make sure to turn it back on once the scans are completed.
Temporarily disable Microsoft SmartScreen to download software below if needed. Make sure to turn it back on once the scans are completed.
If you still have trouble downloading the software please click on Reveal Hidden Contents below for examples of how to allow the download.
 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

When downloading with some browsers you may see a different style of screens that may block FRST from downloading. The program is safe and used hundreds of times a week by many users.

Example of Microsoft Edge blocking the download

 

STEP 01

• If you already have Malwarebytes installed then open Malwarebytes and click on the Scan button. It will automatically check for updates and run a Threat Scan.
• If you don't have Malwarebytes installed yet please download it from here and install it.
• Once installed then open Malwarebytes and select Scan and let it run.
• Once the scan is completed make sure you have it quarantine any detections it finds.
• If no detections were found click on the Save results drop-down, then the Export to TXT  button, and save the file as a Text file to your desktop or other location you can find and attach that log on your next reply.
• If there were detections then once the quarantine has completed click on the View report button, Then click the Export drop-down, then the Export to TXT  button, and save the file as a Text file to your desktop or other location you can find and attach that log on your next reply.
• If the computer restarted to quarantine you can access the logs from the Detection History, then the History tab. Highlight the most recent scan and double-click to open it. Then click the Export drop-down, then the Export to TXT  button, and save the file as a Text file to your desktop or other location you can find and attach that log on your next reply.
• If Malwarebytes won't run then please skip to the next step and let me know in your next reply that the scanner would not run.

STEP 02

Please download AdwCleaner by Malwarebytes and save the file to your Desktop.

• Double-click to run the program
• Accept the End User License Agreement.
• Wait until the database is updated.
• Click Scan Now.
• When finished, if items are found please click Quarantine.
• Your PC should reboot now if any items were found.
• After reboot, a log file will be opened. Attach or Copy its content into your next reply.

RESTART THE COMPUTER Before running Step 3

STEP 03
Please download the Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and save it to your desktop.

Note: You need to run the version compatible with your system. You can check here if you're not sure if your computer is 32-bit or 64-bit

• Double-click to run it. When the tool opens, click Yes to disclaimer.
• Press the Scan button.
• It will make a log (FRST.txt) in the same directory the tool is run. Please attach it to your reply.
• The first time the tool is run, it also makes another log (Addition.txt). If you've, run the tool before you need to place a check mark here each time
• Please attach the Additions.txt log to your reply as well.
• On your next reply, you should be attaching frst.txt and additions.txt to your post, every time.

 

Thanks

[MrBlackRain]

Thank you for the reply again - I've done the following.

What issues is my code showing! 😮

 

FRST.txt Addition.txt Malwarebytes_Scan_07_06.txt AdwCleaner[S02].txt

[AdvancedSetup]

Application errors:
==================
Error: (06/07/2022 11:23:45 PM) (Source: Windows Search Service) (EventID: 7042) (User: )
Description: The Windows Search Service is being stopped because there is a problem with the indexer: The catalog is corrupt.

 

Please see the following topic on how to fix the Windows Search issue.

How to Reset & Rebuild Windows Search Index Completely
https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/reset-rebuild-windows-search-index-fix-problems/

 

Left me have you run the following scanner from Microsoft.

Microsoft Safety Scanner

Please make sure you Exit out of any other program you might have open so that the sole task is to run the following scan.   
That goes especially for web browsers, make sure all are fully exited out of and messenger programs are exited and closed as well
 

STEP 1

Please set File Explorer to SHOW ALL folders, all files, including hidden ones.  Use OPTION ONE or TWO of this article

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/7078-turn-off-show-all-folders-windows-10-navigation-pane.html

STEP 2

I suggest a new scan for viruses & other malware. This may take several hours, depending on the number of files on the system and the speed of the computer.

The Microsoft Safety Scanner is a free Microsoft stand-alone virus scanner that can be used to scan for & remove malware or potentially unwanted software from a system. 

The download links & the how-to-run-the tool are at this link at Microsoft 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/intelligence/safety-scanner-download

 

Look on the Scan Options & select the FULL scan.

Then start the scan. Have lots of patience. It may take several hours.

• Once you see it has started, take a long long break;  walk away.  Do not pay credence if you see some intermediate early flash messages on the screen display.  The only things that count are the End result at the end of the run.
• The scan will take several hours.  Leave it alone. It will remove any other remaining threats as it goes along.  Take a very long break, do your normal personal errands .....just do not use the computer during this scan.

This is likely to run for many hours as previously mentioned  ( depending on the number of files on your machine & the speed of the hardware.)

The log is named MSERT.log  and the log will be at C:\Windows\debug\msert.log

Please attach that log with your next reply.

Thank you

 

[MrBlackRain]

Hi @AdvancedSetup

 

Done the following and attached the txt file.

 

Thank you once again

msert.log

[AdvancedSetup]

Great, that looks good. Just a setting is all, no infection.

Let me have you run the following, please.

 

Please exit out of Malwarebytes temporarily. Then run this.

 

 

SecurityCheck by glax24              

I would like you to run a tool named SecurityCheck to inquire about the current security update status of some applications.

• Download SecurityCheck by glax24: https://tools.safezone.cc/glax24/SecurityCheck/SecurityCheck.exe
• If Microsoft SmartScreen blocks the download, click through to save the file
• This tool is safe.   Smartscreen is overly sensitive.
• If SmartScreen blocks the file from running click on More info and Run anyway
• Right-click  with your mouse on the Securitycheck.exe  and select "Run as administrator"  and reply YES to allow to run & go forward
• Wait for the scan to finish. It will open a text file named SecurityCheck.txt Close the file.  Attach it with your next reply.
• You can find this file in a folder called SecurityCheck, C:\SecurityCheck\SecurityCheck.txt

 

 

Thank you

 

 

[MrBlackRain]

Done :)

Thanks,

 

Josh

SecurityCheck.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

Thanks, that log looks good.

How is the computer running now?

Are you still seeing any redirect or other signs of an infection?

 

[MrBlackRain]

My PC is running fine - however on Microsoft Edge & Chrome there are still search hijackers. So I am using firefox at the moment.

 

How do I get rid of them?

[AdvancedSetup]

Please see the following on how to clean up Google Chrome. We don't have an article like this for Microsoft Edge but it's based on the Chromium browser so similar methods should be used to clean it too.

 

[AdvancedSetup]

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If you need this topic reopened, please send a Private Message to any one of the moderating team members. Please include a link to this topic with your request.

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Tips to help protect from infection

Thanks