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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 10 anti-malware scanners. 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 Virtual DJ Toolbar by APN, LLC, both potentially unwanted software. This version of the file will bundle the Ask.com Toolbar, a potentially unwanted web browser extension.
Publisher:
APN  (signed by APN LLC)

Product:
Ask TBNotifier

Description:
Ask Toolbar Notifier

Version:
31.26.0.4623

MD5:
826e44bca51f86eb1151da98dd9b3f7a

SHA-1:
8f1950311da9bd69fe22da0851c6dba6ea3c192a

SHA-256:
3e7c89a326db4ebad9a7c41a9203ec23fbb39a8ff1f1e49442fc06845ab9a3d2

Scanner detections:
10 / 68

Status:
Potentially unwanted

Analysis date:
11/2/2024 1:41:42 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

AhnLab V3 Security
PUP/Win32.IECore
2013.11.27

Avira AntiVirus
TR/Trash.Gen
7.11.30.172

Baidu Antivirus
PUA.Win32.AskToolbar
4.0.3.15918

Bkav FE
W32.HfsAdware
1.3.0.6379

ESET NOD32
Win32/Bundled.Toolbar.Ask (variant)
9.9573

IKARUS anti.virus
Trojan.Trash
t3scan.1.9.2.0

Qihoo 360 Security
Malware.QVM20.Gen
1.0.0.1015

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Ask.APN.Toolbar (M)
15.9.18.21

Trend Micro House Call
TROJ_GEN.F47V0218
7.2.261

Vba32 AntiVirus
Malware-Cryptor.Hlux.2
3.12.26.3

File size:
1.6 MB (1,719,184 bytes)

Product version:
31.26.0.4623

Copyright:
(c) 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:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
2/26/2015 12:00:00 AM

Valid to:
5/27/2018 11:59:59 PM

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

Issuer:
CN=VeriSign Class 3 Code Signing 2010 CA, OU=Terms of use at https://www.verisign.com/rpa (c)10, OU=VeriSign Trust Network, O="VeriSign, Inc.", C=US

Serial number:
74BAC30967391B08242D79F7F79449E2

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
9/9/2015 11:27:43 PM

OS version:
5.1

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
12.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
49152:TYCG+1DJez+lRA5BXEEEEEEEEEEdlhJEJEEEEEEEEEEzY06:sCf1rR+ZT

Entry address:
0xF26CA

Entry point:
E8, 14, 01, 01, 00, E9, 7F, FE, FF, FF, CC, CC, CC, CC, 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...
 
[+]

Entropy:
6.4440

Code size:
1.1 MB (1,156,096 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
AVG SafeGuard by Ask  by APN, LLC
67% remove it
Media Search App by Ask  by APN, LLC
69% remove it
ooVoo Search App powered by Ask  by APN, LLC
ooVoo Search App is an advertising-supported web browser toolbar that may modify the browser's home page, search provider and new tab pages.
www.apn.ask.com/products/toolbars
88% 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.”
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
Virtual DJ Toolbar  by APN, LLC
Virtual DJ Toolbar is an Ask.com (Ask Partner Network) Toolbar that will provide limited web browser functionality but will modify the user's home and search pages and providers to an Ask.com managed partner search engine.
68% 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 a23-211-201-51.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.211.201.51:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a104-89-4-221.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (104.89.4.221:80)

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

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

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a104-81-117-29.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (104.81.117.29:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a104-86-2-246.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (104.86.2.246:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a104-93-100-248.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (104.93.100.248:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a104-108-57-208.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (104.108.57.208:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a23-54-235-27.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.54.235.27:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a104-80-91-146.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (104.80.91.146:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a104-120-217-108.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (104.120.217.108:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to 74.113.237.189.lv.iaccap.com  (74.113.237.189:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a23-76-74-237.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.76.74.237:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a23-50-197-9.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.50.197.9:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a23-4-43-27.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.4.43.27:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a23-35-43-27.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.35.43.27:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a23-15-155-27.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.15.155.27:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a104-86-49-28.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (104.86.49.28:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a23-74-237-212.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.74.237.212:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a23-55-155-27.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.55.155.27:80)

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