updatetask.exe

Ask.com

This is the updater scheduled task run by the Ask.com branded toolbar that runs every 24 hours and suggests updates to the browser add-on (and the web browser) and will perform automatic updates to the toolbar with new functionality. The application updatetask.exe by Ask.com has been detected as a potentially unwanted program by 2 anti-malware scanners. The program is a setup application that uses the APN Stub installer. It runs as a scheduled task under the Windows Task Scheduler triggered daily at a specified time. This file is typically installed with the program Ask Toolbar by Ask.com which is a potentially unwanted software program.
Publisher:
Ask.com  (signed and verified)

MD5:
5b3f24579167d45d05b000ef2571cf18

SHA-1:
939566bb7df69d8b85bccd2035d7abce5226dbc8

SHA-256:
25d0d89126f57100ff0ab263e0cef0f20a4bf35548287a39ff5a27b6be9e7592

Scanner detections:
2 / 68

Status:
Potentially unwanted

Analysis date:
4/25/2024 3:29:46 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Boost by Reason
Optional.Task.Ask.K
188838

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Ask.Installer
15.4.21.13

File size:
93.9 KB (96,136 bytes)

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Installer:
APN Stub

Common path:
C:\Program Files\ask.com\updatetask.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:

Authority:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
6/16/2008 9:00:00 PM

Valid to:
6/17/2011 8:59:59 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 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:
2/4/2010 10:47:38 PM

OS version:
5.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
9.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
1536:TefhGUqd4RkajOd/1aWcUgJckvtXt8vsp5+Ldeb6r:+Gzaj6teJhd8vsp5+Lcbc

Entry address:
0x7E64

Entry point:
E8, E2, 49, 00, 00, E9, 78, FE, FF, FF, 6A, 0C, 68, 78, 28, 41, 00, E8, 52, 1C, 00, 00, 83, 65, E4, 00, 8B, 75, 08, 3B, 35, 64, 5E, 41, 00, 77, 22, 6A, 04, E8, 44, 11, 00, 00, 59, 83, 65, FC, 00, 56, E8, 4B, 19, 00, 00, 59, 89, 45, E4, C7, 45, FC, FE, FF, FF, FF, E8, 09, 00, 00, 00, 8B, 45, E4, E8, 5E, 1C, 00, 00, C3, 6A, 04, E8, 3C, 10, 00, 00, 59, C3, 8B, FF, 55, 8B, EC, 56, 8B, 75, 08, 83, FE, E0, 0F, 87, A1, 00, 00, 00, 53, 57, 8B, 3D, E0, 00, 41, 00, 83, 3D, 04, 55, 41, 00, 00, 75, 18, E8, 63, 40, 00...
 
[+]

Code size:
59.5 KB (60,928 bytes)

Scheduled Task
Task name:
Scheduled Update for Ask Toolbar

Trigger:
Daily (Runs daily at 14:05)


The file updatetask.exe has been discovered within the following programs.

Ask Toolbar  by Ask.com
The Ask Toolbar is a web-browser add-on that can appear as an extra bar added to the browser's window and/or menu. It is often installed (sometimes without warning) during the installation of other software. Ask.
help.ask.com/link/portal/30015/30018/Article/1/How-do-I-remove-the-Ask-com-Toolbar
81% remove it
 
Powered by Should I Remove It?

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

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a23-64-165-163.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.64.165.163:80)

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a23-50-197-163.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.50.197.163:80)

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to a23-57-229-163.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com  (23.57.229.163:80)

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