updatetask.exe

Ask.com

This is the updater scheduled task run by the Ask.com branded toolbar that runs every 24 hours and suggests updates to the browser add-on (and the web browser) and will perform automatic updates to the toolbar with new functionality. The application updatetask.exe by Ask.com has been detected as a potentially unwanted program by 3 anti-malware scanners. It runs as a scheduled task under the Windows Task Scheduler triggered daily at a specified time. This file is typically installed with the program Ask Toolbar by Ask.com which is a potentially unwanted software program.
Publisher:
Ask.com  (signed and verified)

MD5:
2a474c9dbb9fbac669d86149f7ce5ff3

SHA-1:
c2eaff8ee17caa897838770f3344b4822a587cbf

SHA-256:
61b8df37dcc31e4843eedd12d3cb6d0831f4a8b9a5d28ccd305feaa904d7874f

Scanner detections:
3 / 68

Status:
Potentially unwanted

Analysis date:
11/15/2024 5:50:43 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Boost by Reason
Optional.Task.Ask.K
188838

Clam AntiVirus
Win.Worm.Chir-314
0.98/18355

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Ask
15.4.21.13

File size:
131.7 KB (134,824 bytes)

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Common path:
C:\Program Files\ask.com\updatetask.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:

Authority:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
6/20/2011 1:00:00 AM

Valid to:
6/19/2014 12:59:59 AM

Subject:
CN=Ask.com, OU=Distribution, OU=Digital ID Class 3 - Microsoft Software Validation v2, O=Ask.com, 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:
0965F2AC7236C7E1BDCA44ED139B273A

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
1/4/2012 12:30:00 AM

OS version:
5.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
9.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
1536:4wwt67n+GUBtYqMSzqsQ2+dEnor3AtVa/ekp2bV9x6S5nj5/M4R9Yib1:J7nAMSusQLnrQtVwMxnj5/xFb1

Entry address:
0xA67D

Entry point:
E8, 48, 4F, 00, 00, E9, 78, FE, FF, FF, 6A, 0C, 68, C0, A5, 41, 00, E8, C5, 1E, 00, 00, 83, 65, E4, 00, 8B, 75, 08, 3B, 35, 24, 05, 42, 00, 77, 22, 6A, 04, E8, B8, 13, 00, 00, 59, 83, 65, FC, 00, 56, E8, BF, 1B, 00, 00, 59, 89, 45, E4, C7, 45, FC, FE, FF, FF, FF, E8, 09, 00, 00, 00, 8B, 45, E4, E8, D1, 1E, 00, 00, C3, 6A, 04, E8, B3, 12, 00, 00, 59, C3, 8B, FF, 55, 8B, EC, 56, 8B, 75, 08, 83, FE, E0, 0F, 87, A1, 00, 00, 00, 53, 57, 8B, 3D, 90, 71, 41, 00, 83, 3D, 54, EB, 41, 00, 00, 75, 18, E8, CA, 45, 00...
 
[+]

Entropy:
6.4941

Code size:
87.5 KB (89,600 bytes)

Scheduled Task
Task name:
Scheduled Update for Ask Toolbar

Trigger:
Daily (Runs daily at 22:31)


The file updatetask.exe has been discovered within the following programs.

Ask Toolbar  by Ask.com
The Ask Toolbar is a web-browser add-on that can appear as an extra bar added to the browser's window and/or menu. It is often installed (sometimes without warning) during the installation of other software. Ask.
help.ask.com/link/portal/30015/30018/Article/1/How-do-I-remove-the-Ask-com-Toolbar
81% remove it
MAGIX Toolbar  by Ask.com
MAGIX Toolbar, powered by ASK, is a web-browser add-on that can appear as an extra bar added to the browser's window and/or menu. It is often installed (sometimes without warning) during the installation of other software.
sp.ask.com/toolbar
77% remove it
Support.com Toolbar  by Ask.com
Support.com Toolbar is an Ask.com powered toolbar. The Ask Toolbar is a web-browser add-on that can appear as an extra bar added to the browser's window and/or menu. It is often installed (sometimes without warning) during the installation of other software. Ask.
81% remove it
 
Powered by Should I Remove It?

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

TCP (HTTP):

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Connects to a23-37-165-163.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.37.165.163:80)

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

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Connects to a23-51-117-163.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.51.117.163:80)

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