contentexploreruninstall.exe

Installer

Application Genius, LLC

This adware bundler is distributed through Adknowledge's advertising supported software managers. The application contentexploreruninstall.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. This is the uninstaller utility registered in the Windows Control Panel for the program ContentExplorer by ContentExplorer. While running, it connects to the Internet address www.ibbalance.com on port 443.
Publisher:
Application Genius, LLC  (signed and verified)

Product:
Installer

Version:
1.0.0.0

MD5:
84e1c825cbdaf0a3fd11e7fcc1941c58

SHA-1:
fbbdf9f055b8dc81c1f69cf7b29185836b74f1ba

SHA-256:
35583cc7426a811f1f60e23fb55eb9e077b9ac8576d82cc6fd23f310b0a71b38

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 6:10:51 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Adknowledge (M)
17.3.5.20

File size:
901.6 KB (923,208 bytes)

Product version:
1.0.0.0

Copyright:
Copyright © 2014

Original file name:
ContentExplorer2Install.exe

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
Adknowledge Fusion

Language:
Language Neutral

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

Digital Signature
Authority:
GoDaddy.com, Inc.

Valid from:
12/30/2014 6:32:38 PM

Valid to:
12/29/2016 3:07:38 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:
3/2/2015 8:00:57 PM

OS version:
4.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
8.0

.NET CLR dependent:
Yes

Entry address:
0xDFA9A

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...
 
[+]

Entropy:
7.9627

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

Code size:
887 KB (908,288 bytes)

Program Uninstaller
Program name:
ContentExplorer

Display publisher:
ContentExplorer

Display version:
8.4

Uninstall string:
C:\users\{user}\appdata\roaming\contentexplorer\contentexploreruninstall.exe -uninstall


The executing file has been seen to make the following network communications in live environments.

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to www.softologic.com  (174.37.181.31:80)

TCP (HTTP SSL):
Connects to www.ibbalance.com  (173.192.190.227:443)

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