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What is World Time News?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that World Time News is a search hijacker. These so-called "hijackers" 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.
This particular one hijacks the search results and changes the newtab setting.

How do I know if my computer is affected by World Time News?

You may see this entry in your list of installed Chrome extensions:

main.png

and these warnings during install:

warning1.png

warning2.png

warning3.png

warning4.png

You will see this icon in your Chrome menu-bar:

icons.png

and these changed settings:

warning5.png

How did World Time News get on my computer?

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

webstore.png

after a redirect from their website:

website.png

How do I remove World Time News?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.

  • 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 World Time News?

  • No, Malwarebytes removes World Time News completely.

How would the full version of Malwarebytes help protect me?

We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this hijacker.

The full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the World Time News 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 FRST logs:

 

CHR NewTab: Default ->  Active:"chrome-extension://jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb/redirect.html"
CHR DefaultSearchURL: Default -> hxxps://app.worldtime.news/?src=WorldTimeNews_ds&q={searchTerms}
CHR DefaultSearchKeyword: Default -> keyword.WorldTimeNews
CHR Extension: (WorldTimeNews Search) - C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb [2019-06-14]

Alterations 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\jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb\0.3_0
       Adds the file background.js"="5/26/2019 3:40 PM, 5591 bytes, A
       Adds the file logo.png"="6/14/2019 10:04 AM, 5917 bytes, A
       Adds the file manifest.json"="6/14/2019 10:04 AM, 2201 bytes, A
       Adds the file popup.html"="5/22/2019 3:07 PM, 533 bytes, A
       Adds the file redirect.html"="5/22/2019 3:07 PM, 366 bytes, A
       Adds the file redirect.js"="5/22/2019 3:46 PM, 1023 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb\0.3_0\_metadata
       Adds the file computed_hashes.json"="6/14/2019 10:04 AM, 499 bytes, A
       Adds the file verified_contents.json"="5/26/2019 3:41 PM, 1844 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\PreferenceMACs\Default\extensions.settings]
       "jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb"="REG_SZ", "4DE519D5EC104DE300F324102B54FEF3526FF3DC339D1F8348ABE5753D9A967F"

Malwarebytes log:
 

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 6/14/19
Scan Time: 10:24 AM
Log File: c31cf150-8e7d-11e9-9298-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 3.7.1.2839
Components Version: 1.0.586
Update Package Version: 1.0.11048
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: 236145
Threats Detected: 14
Threats Quarantined: 14
Time Elapsed: 4 min, 55 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.Imali.Generic, HKCU\SOFTWARE\GOOGLE\CHROME\PREFERENCEMACS\Default\extensions.settings|jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb, Quarantined, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 3
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb\0.3_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb\0.3_0, Quarantined, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\JPCBBGIPJMEBEJLLLPDKCGJOGDNBBKHB, Quarantined, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048

File: 10
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\JPCBBGIPJMEBEJLLLPDKCGJOGDNBBKHB\0.3_0\REDIRECT.JS, Quarantined, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb\0.3_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb\0.3_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb\0.3_0\background.js, Quarantined, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb\0.3_0\logo.png, Quarantined, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb\0.3_0\manifest.json, Quarantined, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb\0.3_0\popup.html, Quarantined, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\jpcbbgipjmebejlllpdkcgjogdnbbkhb\0.3_0\redirect.html, Quarantined, [4608], [443118],1.0.11048

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.

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