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ContentExplorer.exe

Application Genius, LLC

This adware bundler is distributed through Adknowledge's advertising supported software managers. The application ContentExplorer.exe by Application Genius has been detected as adware 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 Adknowledge Fusion installer. It is set to automatically start when a user logs into Windows via the current user run registry key under the display name ‘ContentExplorer’.
Publisher:
ContentExplorer  (signed by Application Genius, LLC)

Product:
ContentExplorer

Version:
8.0

MD5:
f924b422f9bba220013f77e1b0382472

SHA-1:
7a7651e9397b6d62c17f6a716f67c654719711a1

SHA-256:
c5e8b22b19fd223ef0c22415b4743d53ca1bc8649ecbd3426c4037ed74f90750

Scanner detections:
1 / 68

Status:
Adware

Explanation:
This installer bundles various adware prorgams that may include toolbars and web browser advertising injectors/extensions.

Description:
This 'download manager' is also considered bundleware, a utility designed to download software (possibly legitimate or opensource) and bundle it with a number of optional offers including ad-supported utilities, toolbars, shopping comparison tools and browser extensions.

Analysis date:
5/17/2024 3:51:22 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Adknowledge (M)
17.3.12.7

File size:
2.3 MB (2,392,760 bytes)

Product version:
8.0

Copyright:
Copyright © ContentExplorer 2014

Original file name:
ContentExplorer.exe

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
Adknowledge Fusion

Language:
Language Neutral

Common path:
C:\users\{user}\appdata\roaming\contentexplorer\contentexplorer.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:
Application Genius, LLC

Authority:
GoDaddy.com, Inc.

Valid from:
12/30/2014 9:32:38 PM

Valid to:
12/29/2016 6:07:38 PM

Subject:
CN="Application Genius, LLC", O="Application Genius, LLC", L=Walnut, S=California, C=US

Issuer:
CN=Go Daddy Secure Certificate Authority - G2, OU=http://certs.godaddy.com/repository/, O="GoDaddy.com, Inc.", L=Scottsdale, S=Arizona, C=US

Serial number:
629B575CD8F3186B

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
2/9/2015 8:30:28 PM

OS version:
4.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
8.0

.NET CLR dependent:
Yes

Entry address:
0x24714E

Entry point:
FF, 25, 00, 20, 40, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00...
 
[+]

Developed / compiled with:
Microsoft Visual C# / Basic .NET

Code size:
2.3 MB (2,380,288 bytes)

Startup File (User Run)
Registry location:
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Name:
ContentExplorer

Command:
"C:\users\{user}\appdata\roaming\contentexplorer\contentexplorer.exe" --restore-last-session --restore-last-session


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