TheAnswerFinder.exe

TheAnswerFinder

Mime Ventures LLC

This is the Softpulse installer which bundles applications with offers for additional 3rd party software, mostly unwanted adware, and may be installed with minimal consent. The application TheAnswerFinder.exe by Mime Ventures has been detected as adware by 12 anti-malware scanners. The program is a setup application that uses the Softpulse SoftwareBundler installer. This executable runs as a local area network (LAN) Internet proxy server listening on port 50153 and has the ability to intercept and modify all inbound and outbound Internet traffic on the local host. The setup program bundles additional offers, mostly adware, using the InstallBrain installer, a pay-per-install monetization download manager. InstallBrain will also install a background updater service that will update any installed browser add-ons and plug-ins.
Publisher:
Mime Ventures  (signed by Mime Ventures LLC)

Product:
TheAnswerFinder

Version:
1.0

MD5:
ddac28d48a3d4a201ea90bcecb284a5e

SHA-1:
cac69bf87cc14028f66f6f79efabea136ef5f952

SHA-256:
7526906163f23875c770b865cb270e9d7aad473bb8f152e4173d68c1b5564c70

Scanner detections:
12 / 68

Status:
Adware

Explanation:
Uses the InstallBrain monetization platform from iBario to deliver bundled adware both search toolbars and PC optimizers from Performersoft.

Description:
This is also known as bundleware, or downloadware, which is an downloader designed to simply deliver ad-supported offers in the setup routine of an otherwise legitimate software.

Analysis date:
11/6/2024 12:47:38 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

AegisLab AV Signature
AdWare.W32.InstallBrain
2.1.4+

AhnLab V3 Security
Adware/Win32.IBryte
2015.01.17

avast!
Win32:IBryte-GY [PUP]
2014.9-150106

AVG
Generic
2016.0.3237

Baidu Antivirus
Adware.MSIL.iBryte
4.0.3.15121

Dr.Web
Trojan.iBryte.78
9.0.1.06

ESET NOD32
MSIL/Adware.iBryte (variant)
9.10962

Malwarebytes
PUP.Optional.TheAnswerFinder.A
v2015.01.06.12

McAfee
Artemis!73BCC0215CC3
5600.6878

Norman
IBryte.AJQ
11.20150106

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Softpulse
15.1.21.15

Trend Micro House Call
Suspicious_GEN.F47V0116
7.2.21

File size:
1.7 MB (1,786,312 bytes)

Product version:
1.0

Copyright:
Copyright © TheAnswerFinder 2014

Original file name:
TheAnswerFinder.exe

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
Softpulse SoftwareBundler

Language:
Language Neutral

Common path:
C:\users\{user}\appdata\roaming\theanswerfinder\theanswerfinder.exe

Digital Signature
Authority:
GlobalSign nv-sa

Valid from:
10/17/2014 11:09:32 PM

Valid to:
10/18/2015 11:09:32 PM

Subject:
E=admin@theanswerfinder.com, CN=Mime Ventures LLC, OU=TheAnswerFinder.com, O=Mime Ventures LLC, L=Los Angeles, S=California, C=US

Issuer:
CN=GlobalSign CodeSigning CA - SHA256 - G2, O=GlobalSign nv-sa, C=BE

Serial number:
1121EDDEAF81A380FF278B94B619A213DEEE

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
1/4/2015 5:04:24 PM

OS version:
4.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
8.0

.NET CLR dependent:
Yes

CTPH (ssdeep):
49152:1r3tNtKSIHckofCYiZdzgvCTbx7B2gnhOkRNgA:Z5yofCY+xjTbxN2AfRNd

Entry address:
0x1B167A

Entry point:
FF, 25, 00, 20, 40, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00...
 
[+]

Entropy:
7.7042

Developed / compiled with:
Microsoft Visual C# / Basic .NET

Code size:
1.7 MB (1,767,424 bytes)

Local Proxy Server
Proxy for:
Internet Settings

Local host address:
http://127.0.0.1:50153/

Local host port:
50153

Default credentials:
No


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

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to ec2-107-23-157-120.compute-1.amazonaws.com  (107.23.157.120:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to del01s07-in-f18.1e100.net  (173.194.36.114:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to del01s06-in-f15.1e100.net  (173.194.36.79:80)

TCP (HTTP SSL):
Connects to bn1301-c.1drv.com  (134.170.104.32:443)

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