ask.exe

Ask Toolbar

Ask.com

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 ask.exe, “Wrapper Application” by Ask.com has been detected as a potentially unwanted program by 7 anti-malware scanners. The program is a setup application that uses the APN Stub installer. This version of the installer will bundle the Ask.com Toolbar, a potentially unwanted web browser extension. It is also typically executed from the user's temporary directory. The file has been seen being downloaded from apnmedia.ask.com and multiple other hosts.
Publisher:
Ask  (signed by Ask.com)

Product:
Ask Toolbar

Description:
Wrapper Application

Version:
1.15.9.0

MD5:
34879d578a2f7e6abd513e0c3bbaaaf2

SHA-1:
4a8e6ecdb3ec06a147ba16a78b7bbfef5cf885de

SHA-256:
ef630115c7a3ee613c774f4c7a43b511a6ea94d2474f3877e4030fd9dc271812

Scanner detections:
7 / 68

Status:
Potentially unwanted

Explanation:
Bundles that Ask.com toolbar as a third-party offer, a web browser extension that may modify a user's search and home pages.

Analysis date:
4/19/2024 3:43:49 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

AVG
Generic
2015.0.3343

Baidu Antivirus
Adware.Win32.Agent
4.0.3.14922

Dr.Web
Trojan.Crossrider.27621
9.0.1.0265

ESET NOD32
Win32/Bundled.Toolbar.Ask (variant)
8.9439

Malwarebytes
PUP.Optional.CrossRider
v2014.09.22.05

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Toolbar.Ask.D
14.8.8.2

XVirus List
Win.Detected
2.3.31

File size:
3.8 MB (3,954,888 bytes)

Product version:
1.15.9.0

Copyright:
Copyright (C) 2012 Ask.com.

Original file name:
wrapper.exe

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Installer:
APN Stub

Language:
English (United States)

Common path:
C:\users\{user}\appdata\local\temp\ask.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:

Authority:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
6/20/2011 3:00:00 AM

Valid to:
6/19/2014 2:59:59 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:
10/30/2012 3:22:53 AM

OS version:
5.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
9.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
98304:4FHXUfjDYKEgZ2jYUBtx4ShDQ04uCPF5D2qg/3x:4FHkfjCi2jYotx4Ssu2loh

Entry address:
0x1E83C

Entry point:
E8, FF, B2, 00, 00, E9, 79, FE, FF, FF, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, 55, 8B, EC, 57, 56, 8B, 75, 0C, 8B, 4D, 10, 8B, 7D, 08, 8B, C1, 8B, D1, 03, C6, 3B, FE, 76, 08, 3B, F8, 0F, 82, A4, 01, 00, 00, 81, F9, 00, 01, 00, 00, 72, 1F, 83, 3D, 38, 8A, 44, 00, 00, 74, 16, 57, 56, 83, E7, 0F, 83, E6, 0F, 3B, FE, 5E, 5F, 75, 08, 5E, 5F, 5D, E9, C6, B3, 00, 00, F7, C7, 03, 00, 00, 00, 75, 15, C1, E9, 02, 83, E2, 03, 83, F9, 08, 72, 2A, F3, A5, FF, 24, 95, C4, E9, 41, 00, 90, 8B, C7, BA, 03, 00, 00, 00, 83...
 
[+]

Entropy:
7.7055  (probably packed)

Code size:
210.5 KB (215,552 bytes)

The file ask.exe has been seen being distributed by the following 5 URLs.

http://apnmedia.ask.com/media/toolbar/supertoolbar/apnpartners/.../ApnToolbarInstaller.exe

http://apnmedia.ask.com/media/toolbar/supertoolbar/.../askToolbarInstaller-1.15.9.0.exe

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