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AskInstaller.exe

Offercast - APN Install Manager

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 AskInstaller.exe by Ask.com has been detected as a potentially unwanted program by 11 anti-malware scanners. The program is a setup application that uses the Offercast APN Install Manager installer. This version of the installer will bundle the Ask.com Toolbar, a potentially unwanted web browser extension. The file has been seen being downloaded from media.dictionary.com and multiple other hosts.
Publisher:
Ask.com  (signed and verified)

Product:
Offercast - APN Install Manager

Version:
2.8.0.2

MD5:
d6aad8aecc9a79c3ff18ef75442f1bd4

SHA-1:
af723243a3ef38d5eeebef0c3fa2859a595f41f5

SHA-256:
6b60df91adfc243b688894f640a337be8f2f1b728177166b557011ad14712393

Scanner detections:
11 / 68

Status:
Potentially unwanted

Explanation:
This is the APN Offercast install manager which will offer the user to opt-out of installing the Ask.com Toolbar as part of the setup routine.

Analysis date:
4/23/2024 2:57:26 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Agnitum Outpost
PUA.Toolbar.Ask
7.1.1

Avira AntiVirus
TR/Trash.Gen
7.11.124.138

Baidu Antivirus
Trojan.Win32.Bundled
4.0.3.1488

Dr.Web
Adware.Downware.1417
9.0.1.0102

Emsisoft Anti-Malware
Trojan-Ransom.Win32.LockScreen
8.14.04.12.01

ESET NOD32
Win32/Bundled.Toolbar.Ask (variant)
8.9648

Fortinet FortiGate
Adware/InstallQ
4/12/2014

Malwarebytes
PUP.Optional.Spigot.A
v2014.04.12.01

NANO AntiVirus
Trojan.Win32.Downware.crduvi
0.28.0.57029

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Installer.Ask.M
14.8.8.2

SUPERAntiSpyware
Trojan.Agent/Gen-Nullo[Short]
10435

File size:
1004.4 KB (1,028,528 bytes)

Product version:
2.8.0.2

Copyright:
2010 (c) Ask.com. All rights reserved.

Original file name:
AskInstaller.exe

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Installer:
Offercast APN Install Manager

Language:
English (United States)

Common path:
C:\users\{user}\downloads\askinstaller.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:
Ask.com

Authority:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
6/19/2011 8:00:00 PM

Valid to:
6/18/2014 7:59:59 PM

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:
6/26/2013 6:08:25 PM

OS version:
5.1

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
10.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
24576:+cEnMrtFER9XnHfvHzEtts01u7SVTrwlYt1iwNJokZYkCG:+6sRVnXzEtts01u+VTmYCwNkkCG

Entry address:
0x74983

Entry point:
E8, 88, EE, 00, 00, E9, 89, FE, FF, FF, 8B, FF, 55, 8B, EC, 83, EC, 20, 8B, 45, 08, 56, 57, 6A, 08, 59, BE, 34, 85, 49, 00, 8D, 7D, E0, F3, A5, 89, 45, F8, 8B, 45, 0C, 5F, 89, 45, FC, 5E, 85, C0, 74, 0C, F6, 00, 08, 74, 07, C7, 45, F4, 00, 40, 99, 01, 8D, 45, F4, 50, FF, 75, F0, FF, 75, E4, FF, 75, E0, FF, 15, D4, 72, 49, 00, C9, C2, 08, 00, 8B, FF, 55, 8B, EC, 8B, 45, 08, 33, C9, 3B, 04, CD, A8, 9C, 4B, 00, 74, 13, 41, 83, F9, 2D, 72, F1, 8D, 48, ED, 83, F9, 11, 77, 0E, 6A, 0D, 58, 5D, C3, 8B, 04, CD, AC...
 
[+]

Entropy:
6.7474

Code size:
598 KB (612,352 bytes)

The file AskInstaller.exe has been seen being distributed by the following 2 URLs.

http://media.dictionary.com/media/toolbar/supertoolbar/profile-dictionary/PIP/.../Dictionarycom Toolbar_DICT6_DDC010_Installer.exe

http://media.dictionary.com/media/toolbar/supertoolbar/profile-dictionary/PIP/.../Dictionary.com Toolbar_DICT6_DDC010_Installer.exe

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