» TBNotifier.exe
Overview
Analysis
File Details
Behaviors (1)
Programs (8)
Network (5)

TBNotifier.exe

Ask TBNotifier

APN LLC

This installer is part of the Ask.com (APN) network which will install the Ask.com branded toolbar or browser extension which will take control of the web browser's search functions. 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. The program is a setup application that uses the APN Stub installer. 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 Search App by Ask by APN, LLC and Media Search App by Ask by APN, LLC, both potentially unwanted software.

File name:

TBNotifier.exe

Publisher:

APN (signed by APN LLC)

Product:

Ask TBNotifier

Description:

Ask Toolbar Notifier

Version:

33.6.0.7844

MD5:

7cd684876b0da38524be7ff732351908

SHA-1:

186ee5cc2b8956c2eecef5196161f1326913ead0

SHA-256:

ade8bc9b9a13c537ff8f1b61987d4f6839c63325a4a84426ef087da11241af17

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:

11/5/2024 2:47:20 AM UTC (today)

Scan engine

Detection

Engine version

Reason Heuristics

PUP.Ask (M)

17.3.13.18

File size:

1.7 MB (1,758,280 bytes)

Product version:

33.6.0.7844

Original file name:

TBNotifier.exe

File type:

Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Installer:

APN Stub

Language:

English (United States)

Common path:

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

Digital Signature

Signed by:

APN LLC

Authority:

Symantec Corporation

Valid from:

12/2/2015 6:00:00 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:

76A1FC71CE00683A2B887A2CFA2F5D6B

File PE Metadata

Compilation timestamp:

5/25/2016 7:09:55 PM

OS version:

5.1

OS bitness:

Win32

Subsystem:

Windows GUI

Linker version:

12.0

Entry address:

0xF7E9E

Entry point:

E8, 96, FF, 00, 00, E9, 7F, FE, FF, FF, CC, CC, CC, 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... 
[+]

Code size:

1.1 MB (1,177,088 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 Shopping Toolbar by APN LLC

This is an Ask.com ad-injection toolbar that is bundled with various 3rd-party programs and installers. From the site: "The enhanced shopping search experience includes rich content, a variety of product listings, and visual product search results.

help.ask.com/link/portal/30015/30018/Article/227/What-features-does-the-Shopping-Toolbar-by-Ask-offer

79% remove it

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

Avira SearchFree Toolbar by Avira GmbH

The Avira SearchFree Toolbar is a web browser toolbar and extension that modifies the browsers search and home pages as well as delivers contextual based advertising. This toolbar currently supports Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome.

www.avira.com/en/avira-searchfree-toolbar

76% remove it

Media Search App by Ask by APN, LLC

69% remove it

MySearch App by APN, LLC

63% 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.”

79% remove it

Teoma Media Search App by APN, LLC

61% remove it

The executing file has been seen to make the following network communications in live environments.

TCP (HTTP):

Connects to www.search-results.com (66.235.120.111:80)

TCP (HTTP):

Connects to www.search.ask.com (23.76.222.3:80)

TCP (HTTP):

Connects to websearch.search-results.com (199.36.100.106:80)

 http://websearch.search-results.com/redirect?client=ff&src=kw&tb=GET-SRS&o=630976096&locale=us_ZZ&apn_uid=1892943990&apn_ptnrs=2R&apn_sauid=1261962660&apn_dtid=get001YYPT&q=

TCP (HTTP):

Connects to ss.websearch.ask.com (174.129.25.170:80)

TCP (HTTP):

Connects to apnstatic.ask.com (23.67.242.17:80)

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