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APNMCP.exe

APN Updater

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 APNMCP.exe 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 runs as a separate (within the context of its own process) windows Service named “Ask Update Service”. While running, it connects to the Internet address www.search.ask.com on port 80 using the HTTP protocol.
Publisher:
APN LLC.  (signed by APN LLC)

Product:
APN Updater

Version:
21.25.0.8489

MD5:
7bc9bb684377553afc9f695314ff9b73

SHA-1:
3327561973c3a89b02b66cdab751915f99df9ce8

SHA-256:
33025b2b0f5b07288d199eff780c8ff9cf5f6e20ccad21dde6ef3c82c732f891

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:
5/3/2024 11:58:26 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Ask (M)
17.3.16.1

File size:
190.1 KB (194,632 bytes)

Product version:
21.25.0.8489

Copyright:
© 2017 APN, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Original file name:
APNMCP.exe

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Language:
English (United States)

Common path:
C:\Program Files\askpartnernetwork\toolbar\apnmcp.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:
APN LLC

Authority:
Symantec Corporation

Valid from:
12/23/2016 8:00:00 AM

Valid to:
5/31/2018 7:59:59 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 9:31:05 AM

OS version:
5.1

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
10.0

Entry address:
0x1169E

Entry point:
E8, E4, 74, 00, 00, E9, 89, FE, FF, FF, 8B, FF, 55, 8B, EC, 8B, 4D, 0C, 53, 33, DB, 3B, CB, 76, 1B, 6A, E0, 33, D2, 58, F7, F1, 3B, 45, 10, 73, 0F, E8, 2C, 03, 00, 00, C7, 00, 0C, 00, 00, 00, 33, C0, EB, 41, 0F, AF, 4D, 10, 56, 57, 8B, F1, 39, 5D, 08, 74, 0B, FF, 75, 08, E8, 27, 3A, 00, 00, 59, 8B, D8, 56, FF, 75, 08, E8, 2F, 75, 00, 00, 8B, F8, 59, 59, 85, FF, 74, 14, 3B, DE, 73, 10, 2B, F3, 56, 6A, 00, 03, DF, 53, E8, 34, E5, FF, FF, 83, C4, 0C, 8B, C7, 5F, 5E, 5B, 5D, C3, 6A, 0C, 68, 08, 8B, 42, 00, E8...
 
[+]

Entropy:
6.3716

Code size:
127.5 KB (130,560 bytes)

Service
Display name:
Ask Update Service

Service name:
APNMCP

Description:
The Ask Update Service keeps your toolbar software powered by Ask up to date.

Type:
Win32OwnProcess


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=634267477&locale=us_ZZ&apn_uid=1902818133&apn_ptnrs=2R&apn_sauid=1268545422&apn_dtid=get001YYPT&q=

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

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