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asksearchinit.exe

Stand Alone Default Search

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 asksearchinit.exe, “Stand Alone Default Search Call Home” by Ask.com has been detected as a potentially unwanted program by 1 anti-malware scanner with very strong indications that the file is a potential threat. The program is a setup application that uses the APN Stub installer.
Publisher:
Ask.com  (signed and verified)

Product:
Stand Alone Default Search

Description:
Stand Alone Default Search Call Home

Version:
1,0,0,2

MD5:
075d3f7f623d25fa1c7692b70cd641d8

SHA-1:
bab3c52d7abdc531783d08f862d67b5608066774

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:
4/27/2024 1:33:54 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Ask.Installer (M)
16.2.13.0

File size:
210.4 KB (215,432 bytes)

Product version:
1,0,0,2

Copyright:
Copyright (C) 2009

Original file name:
SADSCallHome

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Installer:
APN Stub

Language:
English (United States)

Common path:
C:\Program Files\asksearch\asksearchinit.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:
Ask.com

Authority:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
6/17/2008 4:30:00 AM

Valid to:
6/18/2011 4:29:59 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 2004 CA, OU=Terms of use at https://www.verisign.com/rpa (c)04, OU=VeriSign Trust Network, O="VeriSign, Inc.", C=US

Serial number:
286F8A30E2EAC6965B936F826A05305D

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
4/9/2009 8:48:18 PM

OS version:
5.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
9.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
3072:98qvZXF74Gb3bEILLVg72ylyvMdprcTfoL6xB3UCWT4zefVAbl:qqvFRA4LW7fI0dCzxZzV

Entry address:
0x8737

Entry point:
E8, DD, 7C, 00, 00, E9, 79, FE, FF, FF, 8B, FF, 55, 8B, EC, 8B, 45, 08, 33, C9, 3B, 04, CD, 70, 21, 42, 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, 74, 21, 42, 00, 5D, C3, 05, 44, FF, FF, FF, 6A, 0E, 59, 3B, C8, 1B, C0, 23, C1, 83, C0, 08, 5D, C3, E8, 10, 5D, 00, 00, 85, C0, 75, 06, B8, D8, 22, 42, 00, C3, 83, C0, 08, C3, E8, FD, 5C, 00, 00, 85, C0, 75, 06, B8, DC, 22, 42, 00, C3, 83, C0, 0C, C3, 8B, FF, 55, 8B, EC, 56, E8, E2, FF, FF, FF, 8B, 4D, 08...
 
[+]

Code size:
104.5 KB (107,008 bytes)

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