Related blog content
How to avoid potentially unwanted programs
PUP.Optional.Imali
Short bio
PUP.Optional.Imali is Malwarebytes’ generic detection name for a family of potentially unwanted programs PUPs targeting the Chrome browser. Their counterparts for Firefox generally have specific detection names.
Symptoms
You may find Chrome extensions of this type:
PUP.Optional.Imali installed
and users of affected computers may have seen these warnings during install:
and notice a newtab page similar to this one:
Type and source of infection
PUP.Optional.Imali usually comes in the form of a browser extension that hijacks the newtab of the affected browser setting it to one of their own search sites.
PUP.Optional.Imali generally is downloaded from the Chrome webstore since most of the extensions are Chrome extensions.
PUP.Optional.Imali in the Chrome webstore
Protection
Malwarebytes protects users from PUP.Optional.Imali by blocking their domains.
Malwarebytes blocks newtabtv.com
Remediation
Malwarebytes can detect and remove PUP.Optional.Imali without further user interaction.
- 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.
Malwarebytes removal log
A Malwarebytes log of removal will look similar to this:
Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com
-Log Details-
Scan Date: 11/12/18
Scan Time: 8:56 AM
Log File: 7593243e-e650-11e8-8808-00ffdcc6fdfc.json
-Software Information-
Version: 3.6.1.2711
Components Version: 1.0.482
Update Package Version: 1.0.7799
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: 237978
Threats Detected: 15
Threats Quarantined: 15
Time Elapsed: 2 min, 39 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|dlamfhohmjabfadgdmaogjbdjjadgkdb, Quarantined, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
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\dlamfhohmjabfadgdmaogjbdjjadgkdb\0.8_0\_metadata, Quarantined, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\dlamfhohmjabfadgdmaogjbdjjadgkdb\0.8_0, Quarantined, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\DLAMFHOHMJABFADGDMAOGJBDJJADGKDB, Quarantined, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
File: 11
PUP.Optional.NewTabTV, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MOZILLA\FIREFOX\PROFILES\{profile}.default\EXTENSIONS\{5849FC76-08E3-4D14-9D43-6BBA81FD99F0}.XPI, Quarantined, [2119], [507451],1.0.7799
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Preferences, Replaced, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\DEFAULT\EXTENSIONS\DLAMFHOHMJABFADGDMAOGJBDJJADGKDB\0.8_0\REDIRECT.JS, Quarantined, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\dlamfhohmjabfadgdmaogjbdjjadgkdb\0.8_0\_metadata\computed_hashes.json, Quarantined, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\dlamfhohmjabfadgdmaogjbdjjadgkdb\0.8_0\_metadata\verified_contents.json, Quarantined, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\dlamfhohmjabfadgdmaogjbdjjadgkdb\0.8_0\background.js, Quarantined, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\dlamfhohmjabfadgdmaogjbdjjadgkdb\0.8_0\logo.png, Quarantined, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\dlamfhohmjabfadgdmaogjbdjjadgkdb\0.8_0\manifest.json, Quarantined, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\dlamfhohmjabfadgdmaogjbdjjadgkdb\0.8_0\popup.html, Quarantined, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\dlamfhohmjabfadgdmaogjbdjjadgkdb\0.8_0\redirect.html, Quarantined, [4620], [443118],1.0.7799
Physical Sector: 0
(No malicious items detected)
WMI: 0
(No malicious items detected)
(end)
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.
The Exclusions tab includes a list of items to be excluded from scans. The items may include files, folders, websites, or applications that connect to the Internet, as well as previously detected exploits.
To access the exclusions in Malwarebytes:
- Click on the Settings tab in the left pane.
- Click on the Exclusions tab.
- Click the Add Exclusion button.
- Select the exclusion type Exclude a File or Folder and use the Browse button to select the main folder for the software that you wish to keep.
- Repeat this for any secondary folder(s) that belong to the software.
- If you want to allow the program to connect to the Internet, for example to fetch updates, add an exclusion of the type Exclude an application that Connects to the Internet and use the Browse button to select the file you wish to grant access.
Associated threats
- PUP.Optional.Imali.Generic
- PUP.Optional.NewTabTV