PUP.Optional.GoMusix

Short bio

PUP.Optional.GoMusix is the detection for a Chrome extension called MusicBoxSearch that hijacks the new tab and search results. This  PUP is a hijacker and part of a family of similar hijackers sometimes referred to as BLPSearch, because of the name of their default search keyword, but in this extensions case the keyword is MusicBox.

Symptoms

Chrome extension

the MusicBox Search Chrome extension

icons

icon

search settings hijacked

the PUP takes over the Search engine settings oof Chrome

Source and type of infection

webstore

also available in the webstore

website

firefox extension

Aftermath

Users that had their browsers hijacked should have a look at our Restore Browser page to see if additional measures are needed.

Protection

website block

Malwarebytes blocks the site that pushes the extension

domain block

Malwarebytes blocks the site that the extension contacts for "search results"

Remediation

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program without further user interaction.

  1. Please download Malwarebytes to your desktop.
  2. Double-click MBSetup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
  3. When your Malwarebytes for Windows installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen.
  4. Click on the Get started button.
  5. Click Scan to start a Threat Scan.
  6. Click Quarantine to remove the found threats.
  7. Reboot the system if prompted to complete the removal process.

Malwarebytes removal log

A Malwarebytes log of removal will look similar to this:

Malwarebytes www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details- Scan Date: 2/6/18 Scan Time: 1:10 PM Log File: c1eff460-0b36-11e8-9439-080027750297.json Administrator: Yes

-Software Information- Version: 3.3.1.2183 Components Version: 1.0.262 Update Package Version: 1.0.3881 License: Premium

-System Information- OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 CPU: x64 File System: NTFS User: {computername}\{username}

-Scan Summary- Scan Type: Threat Scan Result: Completed Objects Scanned: 241535 Threats Detected: 52 Threats Quarantined: 52 Time Elapsed: 2 min, 29 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: 0 (No malicious items detected)

Registry Data: 0 (No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0 (No malicious items detected)

Folder: 12 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\js\official\onesignal, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\images\rateshare, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\js\official, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\css\fonts, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\vertical, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\images, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\css, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\js, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\GMCOGIOMGBBNMABKNLDEIKBKNAPOLPDE, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881

File: 39 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\000003.log, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\CURRENT, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\LOCK, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\LOG, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Local Extension Settings\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\MANIFEST-000001, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\GMCOGIOMGBBNMABKNLDEIKBKNAPOLPDE\1.0.0_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\css\fonts\material-icons.css, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\css\fonts\MaterialIcons-Regular.eot, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\css\fonts\MaterialIcons-Regular.ijmap, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\css\fonts\MaterialIcons-Regular.svg, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\css\fonts\MaterialIcons-Regular.ttf, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\css\fonts\MaterialIcons-Regular.woff, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\css\fonts\MaterialIcons-Regular.woff2, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\css\fonts\RobotoCondensed-Light.ttf, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\css\fonts\RobotoCondensed-Regular.ttf, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\css\style.css, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\images\rateshare\close.png, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\images\rateshare\rate.jpg, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\images\rateshare\rate1.png, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\images\rateshare\share.jpg, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\images\rateshare\share1.png, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\images\icon128.png, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\images\icon16.png, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\images\icon38.png, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\js\official\onesignal\onesignal.js, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\js\official\bootstrap.min.js, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\js\official\jquery.min.js, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\js\official\material.min.js, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\js\base.js, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\js\init.js, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\js\main.js, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\vertical\440x280.jpg, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\vertical\init.js, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\vertical\pop.js, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881 PUP.Optional.GoMusix.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde\1.0.0_0\popup.html, Quarantined, [8314], [450916],1.0.3881

Physical Sector: 0 (No malicious items detected)

(end)

Add an exclusion

Should users wish to keep this program and exclude it from being detected in future scans, they can add the program to the exclusions list. Here’s how to do it.

  • Open Malwarebytes for Windows.
  • Click the Detection History
  • Click the Allow List
  • To add an item to the Allow List, click Add.
  • Select the exclusion type Allow a file or folder and use the Select a folder button to select the main folder for the software that you wish to keep.
  • Repeat this for any secondary files or folder(s) that belong to the software.

Traces/IOCs

Possible signs in a FRST log: 

CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxp://music.eanswers.com/go/?category=web&s=21ds&vert=music&q={searchTerms}
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> MusicBox
CHR DefaultSuggestURL: Default -> hxxp://sug.eanswers.com/search/index_sg.php?q={searchTerms}
CHR Extension: (MusicBox Search) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde [2018-02-06]
Domains:
superappbox.com
myfriendlyappz.com
eanswers.com
Chrome extension ID:
gmcogiomgbbnmabknldeikbknapolpde

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