PUP.Optional.Spigot

Short bio

PUP.Optional.Spigot is Malwarebytes’ generic detection name for a large family of browser hijackers.

Symptoms

Users of affected systems may find that their newtab page has changed and their default search engine is a different one.

Type and source of infection

PUP.Optional.Spigot extensions are promoted as useful additional search extensions for a specific subject (f.e. file converters).
PUP.Optional.Spigot extensions are usually installed by users themselves due to aggressive and misleading advertising.

Protection

Malwarebytes protects users from PUP.Optional.Spigot by using real-time protection.

Malwarebytes blocks PUP.Optional.Spigot

Malwarebytes also blocks the domains associated with these extensions.

Malwarebytes blocks the search domain of PUP.Optional.Spigot

Remediation

Malwarebytes can detect and remove PUP.Optional.Spigot without further user interaction.

1. Please download Malwarebytes to your desktop.
2. Double-click MBSetup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
3. When your Malwarebytes for Windows installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen.
4. Click on the Get started button.
5. Click Scan to start a Threat Scan.
6. Click Quarantine to remove the found threats.
7. Reboot the system if prompted to complete the removal process.

Add an exclusion

Should users wish to keep this program and exclude it from being detected in future scans, they can add the program to the exclusions list. Here’s how to do it.

• Open Malwarebytes for Windows.
• Click the Detection History
• Click the Allow List
• To add an item to the Allow List, click Add.
• Select the exclusion type Allow a file or folder and use the Select a folder button to select the main folder for the software that you wish to keep.
• Repeat this for any secondary files or folder(s) that belong to the software.

If you want to allow the program to connect to the Internet, for example to fetch updates, also add an exclusion of the type Allow an application to connect to the internet and use the Browse button to select the file you wish to grant access.

Traces/IOCs

Associated registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{28e56cfb-e30e-4f66-85d8-339885b726b8}

Associated folder:
%AppData%\Roaming\{28e56cfb-e30e-4f66-85d8-339885b726b8}