Solved Chrome browser changes search results within seconds and to poorer results

[Mackiwi]

Hello

For around the last two months when I do a Google internet search on my laptop the displayed results are replaced within seconds with worse results. It doesn't happen on Google on my android phone or on Edge on my laptop (trying an alternative browser although Google would be my first preference).

I have also noticed a concomitant prioritisation of Reddit and Quora results. And in case this is related, some newspaper articles with comments enabled are coincedentally no longer loading correctly (article is hypertexty for the first several pages and comments do not load at all).

Please note, I failed to complete the ESET Online Scanner step as the download returned a 'virus scan failed' message. At no stage did any of the scans detect viruses/malware, including quick and malware scans using the Emsisoft Emergency Kit as recommended at the end of the above article. The last recommended step was this forum, hence this thread.

For information, I have the free version of Malwarebytes running alongside Windows Defender and I use NordVPN and NordPass and their associated extensions in Google Chrome. The only other extension is an ad blocker. All extensions have been deleted and reinstalled one by one as recommended elsewhere.

Please find attached the FRST.txt and Addition.txt reports.

Thank you in anticipation, HW

 

[icotonev]

Hello..! Welcome to MalwareTips..!

Excellent job..! Great idea that you used our admin Stelian Pilici's article (@Jack) The result is that no active infections are visible from the logs provided. There are some leftovers but we will write a fix and fix them.

But as it is already late with me and I am quite tired, I will ask you to do it tomorrow. Thank you very much for your understanding..!

 

[Mackiwi]

Hello..! Welcome to MalwareTips..!

Excellent job..! Great idea that you used our admin Stelian Pilici's article (@Jack) The result is that no active infections are visible from the logs provided. There are some leftovers but we will write a fix and fix them.

But as it is already late with me and I am quite tired, I will ask you to do it tomorrow. Thank you very much for your understanding..!

 

[Mackiwi]

Thank you for looking into the issue. I'll watch out for your further reply tomorrow. Best HW

 

[icotonev]

Hello , Mackiwi..!

Disabling Extensions in Google Chrome

• Press the Windows Key + R at the same time
• Copy and paste the following into the Open: box

chrome --disable-extensions

• Click OK
• Test the browser performance

Farbar Recovery Scan Tool - Fix

NOTICE: This script was written specifically for this user, for use on this particular machine. Running this on another machine may cause damage to your operating system that cannot be undone

Please download the attached file to the same folder where the Farbar tool is running from.
The location is listed in the 3rd line of the FRST.txt log you have submitted.

Run FRST and click Fix only once and wait.

The Computer will restart when the fix is completed.

It will create a log (Fixlog.txt) please post it to your reply.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In your next reply, please include:

• Fixlog.txt

 

[Mackiwi]

Hi icotonev

Thank you for helping with this problem.

A few issues arose in applying the solution.

First, I disabled the Chrome extensions and there was no improvement.

I applied the fix but it got caught in an endless loop when a new window appeared stating it could not find 10 items in my deleted items. I took a screenshot and then skipped to enable the fix to finish (perhaps I should have done something else at this point?)

After restart I realised when disabling the extensions I already had Chrome open and it had opened a new window where the extensions were still there but just unable to see and change info. I closed Chrome completely and disabled the extensions again and this time they had been deleted from Chrome. I did another search and still there was no improvement.

I thought I should apply the fix once more just in case but Farbar indicated there was no fix, presumably because I'd already run the available fix. At this point I thought I should get back to you.

I've attached both the screenshot and the fixlog for your information.

Cheers, HW

 

[icotonev]

Hello..! Fixlog.txt shows that everything went correctly..! Fix has fulfilled what we wanted..! Sorry to hear that your issue is not resolved...We will continue with the checks..!
When you turn off NordVPN do you see a change..?

Sophos Scan & Clean

• Download Sophos Scan & Clean and save it to your Desktop
• Right click on the icon and select Run as administrator
• Click Next, review the Terms and conditions and if you agree click Next again
• When completed click Next twice
• Click Save Log and save the log onto the Desktop
• Copy and paste the contents of the report in your reply

In your next reply, please post:

• Sophos report

 

[Mackiwi]

Thanks again and glad the fix worked correctly despite the interruption.

In terms of NordVPN, I signed out and still had the problem. However I then went through the process of looking at the extensions and found that both Ad Block Plus and NordPass were fine but the Malwarebytes extension was causing a problem. Thus, NordVPN and the Malwarebytes extension individually and in combination seem to be the culprits. I tried running NordVPN without connecting to any servers and using the trusted local network setting and still it changed the search results. Looks like I should be bothering Nord Security and not you, although I'm grateful for your fix for the malware leftovers.

For completeness I ran the Sophos scan, which reported no issues, and I've attached the report.

Thank you again for all your help and patience.

Best, HW

 

[icotonev]

Yes, I understand..! Let's just remove the tools we used:

KpRm by Kernel-panik

• Download KpRm and save it to your Desktop (see here if you must use Chrome)
• Note: If the file is detected as malware it is not and it is safe to download. The detection is a false positive.
• Right click on the icon and select Run as administrator
• Click Yes on the Disclaimer
• Place a check mark in Delete Tools, Create Restore Point, and Delete in 7 days
• Click Run
• Click OK on All operations are completed
• KpRm will delete itself from you Desktop and you can either save or remove the report that is generated
• You are free to remove any other tools/reports still remaining
• Please copy and paste its contents in your next reply.

 

[Mackiwi]

Downloaded and ran KpRm as instructed. Here's the report and, again, many thanks, HW

 

[icotonev]

Thank you..! All Clean..! Thank you for placing your trust in MalwareTips..!
Stay Safe...!