TBNotifier.exe

Ask TBNotifier

APN LLC

This is a component of the Ask.com toolbar, a browser extension that will modify the default web browser's search provider, home page and various other settings. The application TBNotifier.exe, “Ask Toolbar Notifier” by APN has been detected as a potentially unwanted program by 1 anti-malware scanner with very strong indications that the file is a potential threat. It is set to automatically execute when any user logs into Windows (through the local user run registry setting) with the name ‘ApnTBMon’. Additionally, the file is typically installed by a number of programs including Teoma Search App by APN, LLC and Media Search App by Ask by APN, LLC, both potentially unwanted software.
Publisher:
APN  (signed by APN LLC)

Product:
Ask TBNotifier

Description:
Ask Toolbar Notifier

Version:
33.12.0.8342

MD5:
b74e336b9a8b1b610f5745aabcb69b2f

SHA-1:
1578ee280f5a330ed515b5dbb9a7cd4601d0d150

SHA-256:
bb85154f08a808c4c5ef77527974a9df42bf7fc312634616c1e09d6c0b059021

Scanner detections:
1 / 68

Status:
Potentially unwanted

Note:
Our current pool of anti-malware engines have not currently detected this file, however based on our own detection heuristics we feel that this file is unwanted.

Analysis date:
12/27/2024 11:28:37 PM UTC  (a few moments ago)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Ask (M)
16.11.16.19

File size:
1.8 MB (1,928,768 bytes)

Product version:
33.12.0.8342

Copyright:
© 2016 APN, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Original file name:
TBNotifier.exe

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Language:
English (United States)

Common path:
C:\Program Files\askpartnernetwork\toolbar\updater\tbnotifier.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:

Authority:
Symantec Corporation

Valid from:
11/8/2016 7:00:00 PM

Valid to:
5/27/2018 6:59:59 PM

Subject:
CN=APN LLC, O=APN LLC, L=Oakland, S=California, C=US

Issuer:
CN=Symantec Class 3 SHA256 Code Signing CA, OU=Symantec Trust Network, O=Symantec Corporation, C=US

Serial number:
68C47F5E2060C71C80910906B06BBB93

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
11/15/2016 2:47:41 PM

OS version:
5.1

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
12.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
24576:SI76GF5sIMdXDx+pIGdN0hdoUo9VDlAsha5Y4jmz1m5qlP2pV1+0uMJmy813i:2GIIMdmTUoAsI59jc1uq8pV1+VMRQ3i

Entry address:
0x10F261

Entry point:
E8, E6, 00, 01, 00, E9, 7F, FE, FF, FF, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, 8B, 4C, 24, 04, F7, C1, 03, 00, 00, 00, 74, 24, 8A, 01, 83, C1, 01, 84, C0, 74, 4E, F7, C1, 03, 00, 00, 00, 75, EF, 05, 00, 00, 00, 00, 8D, A4, 24, 00, 00, 00, 00, 8D, A4, 24, 00, 00, 00, 00, 8B, 01, BA, FF, FE, FE, 7E, 03, D0, 83, F0, FF, 33, C2, 83, C1, 04, A9, 00, 01, 01, 81, 74, E8, 8B, 41, FC, 84, C0, 74, 32, 84, E4, 74, 24, A9, 00, 00, FF, 00, 74, 13, A9, 00, 00, 00, FF, 74, 02, EB, CD, 8D, 41, FF, 8B, 4C, 24, 04, 2B, C1, C3, 8D, 41, FE, 8B...
 
[+]

Entropy:
6.4268

Code size:
1.2 MB (1,282,048 bytes)

Startup File (All Users Run)
Registry location:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Name:
ApnTBMon

Command:
"C:\Program Files\askpartnernetwork\toolbar\updater\tbnotifier.exe"


The file TBNotifier.exe has been discovered within the following programs.

Ask Toolbar  by APN LLC
The Ask Toolbar is a web browser extension and toolbar that delivers contextual based advertising as well as modify the user's web browser home and search pages to provide advertising and search.
apn.ask.com
74% remove it
69% remove it
Search App by Ask  by APN, LLC
Publisher's description - “Quixey and Ask have entered into a deal in which apps from Quixey’s database, whether for mobile or the PC, will be integrated into search results. It’s going live today and should be rolling out now, although it’s not yet live for me.”
www.apn.ask.com/products/toolbars
84% remove it
Shopping App by Ask  by APN, LLC
Publisher's description - “The Shopping Toolbar by Ask has the single purpose of enhancing a user’s online shopping experience by offering an enhanced shopping search experience, links to popular shopping sites and/or additional content such as coupons, special offers and the latest deals from many merchants.”
help.ask.com/link/portal/30015/30018/Article/227/What-features-does-the-Shopping-Toolbar-by-Ask-offer
79% remove it
Teoma Media Search App  by APN, LLC
61% remove it
Teoma Search App  by APN, LLC
75% remove it
Teoma Shopping App  by APN, LLC
61% remove it
 
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The executing file has been seen to make the following network communications in live environments.

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to 74.113.233.187.df.iaccap.com  (74.113.233.187:80)

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to bd062d10.virtua.com.br  (189.6.45.16:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to 86-120-38-8.rdsnet.ro  (86.120.38.8:80)

TCP (HTTP SSL):
Connects to no-dns-yet.ccanet.co.uk  (178.255.87.3:443)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to 199.36.100.106.df.iacapn.com  (199.36.100.106:80)

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to 199.36.102.106.df.iacapn.com  (199.36.102.106:80)

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a23-65-133-163.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.65.133.163:80)

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a23-212-53-173.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.212.53.173:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a219-117-32-97.deploy.akamaitechnologies.com  (219.117.32.97:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a201-048-038-195.deploy.akamaitechnologies.com  (201.48.38.195:80)

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