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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 Search App by Ask by APN, LLC and Avery 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:
33.15.0.8488

MD5:
e2adbb633978703d346c137e367dea3e

SHA-1:
871e305d9bdc269f2e5402ba8b6573e06a1e1960

SHA-256:
8100a53b101c9a51afd4c3eaa87f41ee95beb6280f3b71eb6b5f8a6946cc0d4c

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 2:35:15 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Ask (M)
17.3.15.16

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)

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

Digital Signature
Signed by:
APN LLC

Authority:
Symantec Corporation

Valid from:
12/23/2016 9:00:00 AM

Valid to:
5/31/2018 8:59:59 AM

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:
2/22/2017 5:00:53 AM

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...
 
[+]

Entropy:
6.4282

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 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
Avery Search App by Ask  by APN, LLC
68% 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
 
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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=633821233&locale=us_ZZ&apn_uid=1901479401&apn_ptnrs=2R&apn_sauid=1267652934&apn_dtid=get001YYPT&q=

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

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