PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz

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Short bio

PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz is Malwarebytes’ detection name for a family of search hijackers targeting the Chrome browser.

Symptoms

Users may see this type of warnings during the installation of PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz extensions

permissions
changed search

and they may notice the default search engine in Chrome has been changed.

search settings

Type and source of infection

example GlobalAppz website

GlobalAppz promotion for Mega Music Search

Aftermath

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

Protection

Malwarebytes blocks getawesome2.com

Remediation

Malwarebytes can detect and remove PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz without further user interaction. Removal does not require a reboot if you close Chrome before removal.

  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: 10/2/19
Scan Time: 12:11 PM
Log File: fd87ff08-e4fc-11e9-843f-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 3.8.3.2965
Components Version: 1.0.613
Update Package Version: 1.0.12733
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: 234908
Threats Detected: 31
Threats Quarantined: 31
Time Elapsed: 11 min, 4 sec

-Scan Options-
Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Enabled
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
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 10
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\browser_action\js, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\images\rateshare, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\browser_action, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\js\jquery, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\images, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\icons, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\js, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\JGOFJIIALCPBONGKNPJKLLIPMECBKCIC, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733

File: 20
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\browser_action\js\main.js, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\browser_action\browser_action.html, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\icons\icon128.png, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\icons\icon16.png, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\icons\icon38.png, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\images\rateshare\close.png, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\images\rateshare\rate.jpg, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\images\rateshare\rate1.png, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\images\rateshare\share.jpg, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\images\rateshare\share1.png, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\js\jquery\jquery.min.js, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\js\rate.js, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\background.js, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jgofjiialcpbongknpjkllipmecbkcic\1.0.2_0\manifest.json, Quarantined, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, [321], [738741],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [321], [635021],1.0.12733
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [321], [635021],1.0.12733

Physical Sector: 0
(No malicious items detected)

WMI: 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

Domains

globalappz.live

getawesome2.com

Associated threats

Mega Music Search

getawesome1.com

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