PUP.Optional.SearchFF

Short bio

PUP.Optional.SearchFF is Malwarebytes’ generic detection name for search hijackers targeting the Firefox browser.

Symptoms

Users may notice that their searches are redirected or that promoted search results get added to the regular results. These add-ons are normally blocked pretty quickly by Mozilla after they surface, but unfortunately they always manage to infect some systems.

Firefox blocks PUP.Optional.SearchFF

Type and source of infection

PUP.Optional.SearchFF are Firefox add-ons that where found to override search behavior without user consent or control.
PUP.Optional.SearchFF add-ons are usually promoted by ad-rotators as search enhancers for certain popular content like movies, music, and games. Other promise to keep your searches private.

Protection

PUP.Optional.SearchFF is a removal detection name. But we do protect our users by blocking the ad-rotators that promote them.

Malwarebytes blocks certain ad-rotators

Remediation

Malwarebytes can detect and remove PUP.Optional.SearchFF 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.

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

Often these Firefox add-ons will have associated Chrome extensions, but these are detected by less generic detection names.