Malware Impostor: "AdBlock Plus '1.2'"

Everything about using Adblock Plus on Google Chrome
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discgolfdc
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 3:09 am

Malware Impostor: "AdBlock Plus '1.2'"

Post by discgolfdc »

I am fairly confident that what I'm posting here is accurate, so it is my hope that the developers take notice and, if I am causing any unnecessary stirs, then please let me know.

Over the past week, I noticed that when Chrome would start up, it would automatically default to a webpage, "lbpvideos.com/<something or other>," which is some kind of malware site imploring the user to "update" their Flash Player or some Media Player or something like that. It was really frustrating. I used multiple adware/junkware/crapware programs (AdwCleaner, Junk Removal Tool, Spybot S&D, RKill, etc.) to scan and rectify anything they found. Each said that it had found this or that and removed it. Nevertheless, it persisted. Eventually, I noticed that starting Chrome didn't bring up the "Google" logo as is normal. It also changed my default search engine to "DuckDuckGo." What a PITA.

I eventually ran Chrome's Cleanup Tool, and it, too, found "no programs." I then went to Chrome's settings and completed a full browser reset, which disables all of the extensions, restores the original search engine, etc. It was during my re-enabling my extensions, one by one, that I found what appeared to be an "impostor" AdBlock Plus (there were two AdBlock Plus extensions in my list). The first was version 1.13.1, which, I believe, is the latest official release for Chrome to date. The other was "version 1.2." When I eventually discovered that the 1.13.1 version led me to the legit Chrome Extension page for ABP and the 1.2 version led me to that mal/crapware site, I unloaded the fake ABP extension, and I believe the problem is gone.

I would advise people to check your extensions list in Chrome if you experience any similar behavior.

Thanks.
jojoanna
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jul 27, 2017 11:29 am

Re: Malware Impostor: "AdBlock Plus '1.2'"

Post by jojoanna »

Hello discgolfdc!
I use adblock plus for a short time and I confirm that I am serene when I surf the internet. But since yesterday I had this malicious site problem on my browser, and I came across your answer that solved my problem.
Thank you
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