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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’.
Publisher:
APN  (signed by APN LLC)

Product:
Ask TBNotifier

Description:
Ask Toolbar Notifier

Version:
33.15.0.8488

MD5:
3a7819a180d34bb6a8ccdb3409dc4112

SHA-1:
51212cb1c62abb3d8c7d42e809e859851e070cbf

SHA-256:
0ae4b36435409b91f38e687bfde1caf2b86a5fe1da2a7b7c5af729e039d73a3d

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:
12/23/2024 11:10:11 PM UTC  (a few moments ago)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Ask (M)
17.3.16.5

File size:
1.9 MB (1,941,576 bytes)

Product version:
33.15.0.8488

Copyright:
© 2017 APN, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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:
12/22/2016 9:00:00 PM

Valid to:
5/30/2018 8:59:59 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:
643E1CE1B238C7969ABFC62773F3038C

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
2/21/2017 5:00:53 PM

OS version:
5.1

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
12.0

Entry address:
0x1108E1

Entry point:
E8, E3, 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...
 
[+]

Code size:
1.2 MB (1,288,192 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 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=634530606&locale=us_ZZ&apn_uid=1903607520&apn_ptnrs=2R&apn_sauid=1269071680&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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