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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’. Additionally, the file is typically installed by a number of programs including Shopping App by Ask by APN, LLC and Virtual DJ Toolbar by APN, LLC, both potentially unwanted software.
Publisher:
APN  (signed by APN LLC)

Product:
Ask TBNotifier

Description:
Ask Toolbar Notifier

Version:
33.13.0.8398

MD5:
19deadb4bd28fdba88e07517cf3ff2b9

SHA-1:
acef30319d71b61d674e1cbc95699e57a82b9806

SHA-256:
85804b89b7648c247ac34788119c0f908efa5958263c9c7c30edb7d1480d9512

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 11:37:34 PM UTC  (a few moments ago)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Ask (M)
17.3.11.20

File size:
1.8 MB (1,935,936 bytes)

Product version:
33.13.0.8398

Copyright:
© 2016 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:
11/8/2016 9:00:00 PM

Valid to:
5/27/2018 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:
68C47F5E2060C71C80910906B06BBB93

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
12/7/2016 4:11:05 PM

OS version:
5.1

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
12.0

Entry address:
0x10F701

Entry point:
E8, 03, 01, 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 (1,283,584 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
Media Search App by Ask  by APN, LLC
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.”
79% remove it
Teoma Media Search App  by APN, LLC
61% remove it
Teoma Shopping App  by APN, LLC
61% 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 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=628192479&locale=us_ZZ&apn_uid=1884593139&apn_ptnrs=2R&apn_sauid=1256395426&apn_dtid=get001YYPT&q=

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

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