Removal instructions for Mega Media Start

[Metallica]

What is Mega Media Start?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Mega Media Start is a browser NewTab. These so-called "NewTabs" can 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.

How do I know if my computer is affected by Mega Media Start?

You may see this browser extension:



these warnings during install:







You may see this icon in your browsers menu-bar:



this new startpage:



and this new setting:



How did Mega Media Start get on my computer?

Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was downloaded from the webstore:



as a follow up to installing a serach hijacker:



How do I remove Mega Media Start?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.
You can use their own uninstall instructions first, but I would advise to follow the steps below anyway.

• Please download Malwarebytes to your desktop.
• Double-click mb3-setup-consumer-{version}.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
• Then click Finish.
• Once the program has fully updated, select Scan Now on the Dashboard. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
• If another update of the definitions is available, it will be implemented before the rest of the scanning procedure.
• When the scan is complete, make sure that all Threats are selected, and click Remove Selected.
• Restart your computer when prompted to do so.

Is there anything else I need to do to get rid of Mega Media Start?

• No, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware removes Mega Media Start completely.
• If your browsers have been hijacked, you should read our Restore Browser page. You can read there how to fix additional browser redirect methods.

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 the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the Mega Media Start hijacker. It would have blocked their website, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

 

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in a FRST log:

 

CHR NewTab: Default ->  Active:"chrome-extension://ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd/index.html"
CHR Extension: (Mega Media Start) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd [2019-04-14]

Significant changes 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\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0
       Adds the file index.html"="10/16/2018 4:30 AM, 103 bytes, A
       Adds the file load.js"="2/20/2019 12:01 PM, 1862 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="4/14/2019 11:15 AM, 1414 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="4/14/2019 11:15 AM, 658 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="2/20/2019 12:01 PM, 2088 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\imgs
       Adds the file icon128.png"="4/14/2019 11:15 AM, 6533 bytes, A
       Adds the file icon16.png"="4/14/2019 11:15 AM, 733 bytes, A
       Adds the file icon38.png"="4/1/2018 2:30 AM, 6009 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\js
       Adds the file load.js"="1/22/2019 5:11 PM, 6185 bytes, A
       Adds the file onInstallCallback.js"="1/2/2019 8:46 AM, 115 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd"="REG_SZ", "049E4F3EA66EF7ED78A47E1C6B8E0B446864624CBA5116C951E102FDF09018E9"

The Malwarebytes scan log:
 

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 4/14/19
Scan Time: 11:26 AM
Log File: 6be0e560-5e97-11e9-b7b8-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 3.7.1.2839
Components Version: 1.0.563
Update Package Version: 1.0.10154
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: 236500
Threats Detected: 18
Threats Quarantined: 18
Time Elapsed: 6 min, 7 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.Generic, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 5
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\imgs, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\js, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\IPPPAABBMNPHDFJCNBJJBMIMEFOMEGJD, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154

File: 12
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\IPPPAABBMNPHDFJCNBJJBMIMEFOMEGJD\1.0.3_0\MANIFEST.JSON, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\imgs\icon128.png, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\imgs\icon16.png, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\imgs\icon38.png, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\js\load.js, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\js\onInstallCallback.js, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\index.html, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154
PUP.Optional.GlobalAppz.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\ipppaabbmnphdfjcnbjjbmimefomegjd\1.0.3_0\load.js, Quarantined, [14693], [586066],1.0.10154

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.