{
  "family": "forcestartpage",
  "sample_count": 5,
  "category": "advanced_threat",
  "description": "BrowserModifier:Win32/Forcestartpage is a generic classification for aggressive Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUAs) functioning as **Browser Hijackers**. Its primary objective is to silently modify the settings of installed web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) without user consent, forcibly changing the default homepage, new tab page, and default search engine to point to monetized, affiliate-controlled domains or adware networks.<br><br><b>Understanding Browser Hijackers</b><br>To an end-user, Forcestartpage manifests as severe frustration: every time they open their browser or search for something, they are redirected to an unfamiliar, ad-heavy search portal (like Yahoo Search provided by a shady third party, or a completely fake search engine). For an enterprise, it represents a security risk because the hijacked search results are completely unvetted and often prioritize links to tech support scams or malware exploit kits. It also allows for the unauthorized tracking of all user search queries.<br><br><b>Execution and Hijacking Mechanics</b><br>Forcestartpage is almost exclusively distributed via deceptive software bundling (`T1189`), secretly attached to the installers of legitimate freeware downloaded from untrusted sources. During installation (`T1204.002`), it installs itself as a malicious browser extension or modifies the browser's shortcut properties directly (appending a URL to the target path) (`T1547`). It forcibly modifies the browser's preferences (`T1562.001`) to point to its own monetization portals. To maintain persistence, it often employs a background Windows service or Scheduled Task that constantly monitors the browser settings, immediately reverting them back to the hijacked state if the user attempts to manually fix them.<br><br><b>Indicators of Compromise & Impact</b><br>The primary impact is privacy violation (search tracking) and severe disruption of the user's workflow. IoCs include EDR alerts for unknown processes modifying browser preference files (e.g., Chrome's `Preferences` JSON file) or altering the properties of `.lnk` shortcut files on the Desktop. The user will report being unable to change their homepage back to Google or Bing. Network logs will show all search queries being routed through unknown tracking domains before reaching a search engine.",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.",
  "aliases": [],
  "enrichment_level": "expert-seo",
  "faq": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What is Forcestartpage and what threat category does it belong to?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Forcestartpage is classified as a Advanced Threat. Documented across security telemetry, it is engineered to execute unauthorized operations, establish persistent footholds on target endpoints, and facilitate malicious campaigns targeting enterprise and individual environments."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How does Forcestartpage establish persistence and evade defensive controls?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Forcestartpage typically establishes persistence through registry run keys, scheduled tasks, or service installations, while evading signature-based antivirus solutions through code obfuscation, memory injection, or anti-analysis sandbox checks."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What are the essential incident response steps for mitigating a Forcestartpage compromise?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Security teams responding to Forcestartpage should immediately isolate affected endpoints from the network, perform memory triage to capture volatile forensic artifacts, audit registry and startup persistence mechanisms, revoke exposed user credentials, and restore systems from verified, clean backups."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What lateral movement and credential access tactics does Forcestartpage leverage in enterprise intrusions?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Forcestartpage frequently utilizes privileged account harvesting techniques such as LSASS memory dumping, Kerberoasting, and token impersonation to escalate privileges. Once administrative credentials are acquired, it pivots across the victim network utilizing living-off-the-land binaries (LOLBins) such as WMI, PowerShell remoting, and PsExec, or abuses remote desktop protocols (RDP) to reach critical internal repositories and domain controllers."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How does Forcestartpage maintain covert communications and evade perimeter network monitoring?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Forcestartpage often relies on multi-stage command and control (C2) architectures utilizing encrypted protocols over standard web ports (HTTPS/443 or DNS tunneling) to blend in with legitimate enterprise network traffic. Many variants incorporate proxy networks, domain fronting, or cloud services (such as Microsoft Graph API, Google Drive, or Telegram) to masquerade C2 channels, bypassing traditional signature-based egress filtering."
      }
    }
  ],
  "faq_count": 5,
  "mitre_attack": [
    "T1189",
    "T1176",
    "T1562.001",
    "T1547.009"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-06-09",
  "mitre_attack_detail": [
    {
      "id": "T1562.001",
      "name": "Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools (Hijacking search/homepage settings)",
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1189",
      "name": "Drive-by Compromise (Software bundling)",
      "tactic": "Initial Access"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1547.009",
      "name": "Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Shortcut Modification (Appending URLs to browser shortcuts)",
      "tactic": "Persistence"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1176",
      "name": "Browser Extensions (Installing malicious extensions)",
      "tactic": "Persistence"
    }
  ],
  "containment_steps": [
    "Use the Windows Control Panel to uninstall the adware application and any other unknown software installed on the same date.",
    "Run a specialized enterprise adware removal tool (such as Malwarebytes) to eradicate the background services enforcing the persistence.",
    "Inspect all browser shortcut icons (on the Desktop and Taskbar) and remove any malicious URLs appended to the 'Target' field.",
    "Force a complete reset of all installed web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) to their factory defaults to clear hijacked settings and hidden extensions."
  ],
  "what_to_avoid": [
    "Avoid relying solely on removing the browser extension via the browser's UI, as the persistent updater process will simply reinstall it on the next reboot.",
    "Do not ignore the risk; hijacked search results are a primary vector for tricking users into downloading more severe malware."
  ],
  "target_industries": [
    "Global / Opportunistic"
  ],
  "motivation": "Opportunistic",
  "threat_actors": [
    "Unknown / Cybercriminal"
  ],
  "target_geographies": [
    "Global"
  ],
  "attack_stage": [
    "execution",
    "persistence"
  ],
  "ecosystem": [
    "windows_pe"
  ],
  "is_emerging": false,
  "target_platforms": [
    "Windows 11",
    "Windows 10",
    "Windows Server 2022",
    "Windows Server 2019"
  ]
}