Author Topic: "Protect My Search" malware is not detected  (Read 951 times)

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Offline ifcsystems

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"Protect My Search" malware is not detected
« on: August 21, 2020, 12:28:42 AM »
For past couple of weeks, I have been getting a page opened in Chrome asking me to update my "Protect My Search" extension (which I have not done).  A brief check thru Google indicates this is a piece of malware that has been installed on computer.  Why doesn't an Avast scan find this malware?  it appears to have been around for some time.

Offline Asyn

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Re: "Protect My Search" malware is not detected
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2020, 06:58:03 AM »
Start a topic in V&W and post your logs there: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?action=post;board=4
Instructions (basic diagnostic logs): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=194892.0
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

Offline DavidR

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Re: "Protect My Search" malware is not detected
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2020, 11:27:27 AM »
For past couple of weeks, I have been getting a page opened in Chrome asking me to update my "Protect My Search" extension (which I have not done).  A brief check thru Google indicates this is a piece of malware that has been installed on computer.  Why doesn't an Avast scan find this malware?  it appears to have been around for some time.

By all accounts this is classed as a Potentially Unwanted program (PUP), so you would also have  to have PUP scanning enabled in avast.  That said as it is a browser add-on, I don't know if that is an area scanned in the regular avast scans.

You might want to read this article:
https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/257888-removal-instructions-for-protect-my-search-daily/
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security