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apnstub.exe

AskStub Application

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 apnstub.exe 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. It is also typically executed from the user's temporary directory.
Publisher:
Ask.com  (signed and verified)

Product:
AskStub Application

Version:
5.2.1.0

MD5:
4105797f4aae26181f3d2d17a34d715a

SHA-1:
e8aa6edd6786bc1e8f7997377955bc59a21fdc50

SHA-256:
081e67e2ebfdc0160da80b252ced5b1ab127bf9a8c98fb91d2cf0cf3e6ff56a4

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:
5/6/2024 11:49:52 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Ask (M)
17.3.13.21

File size:
424.6 KB (434,799 bytes)

Product version:
5.2.1.0

Copyright:
Copyright (C) Ask 2011

Original file name:
AskStub.exe

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Installer:
APN Stub

Language:
English (United States)

Common path:
C:\users\{user}\appdata\local\temp\{random}.tmp\apnstub.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:
Ask.com

Authority:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
6/19/2011 5:00:00 PM

Valid to:
6/18/2014 4:59:59 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:
2/1/2012 11:06:17 AM

OS version:
5.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
9.0

Entry address:
0x7294

Entry point:
E9, 9E, C5, FF, FF, E9, 79, FE, FF, FF, 8B, FF, 55, 8B, EC, 81, EC, 28, 03, 00, 00, A3, 48, D4, 41, 00, 89, 0D, 44, D4, 41, 00, 89, 15, 40, D4, 41, 00, 89, 1D, 3C, D4, 41, 00, 89, 35, 38, D4, 41, 00, 89, 3D, 34, D4, 41, 00, 66, 8C, 15, 60, D4, 41, 00, 66, 8C, 0D, 54, D4, 41, 00, 66, 8C, 1D, 30, D4, 41, 00, 66, 8C, 05, 2C, D4, 41, 00, 66, 8C, 25, 28, D4, 41, 00, 66, 8C, 2D, 24, D4, 41, 00, 9C, 8F, 05, 58, D4, 41, 00, 8B, 45, 00, A3, 4C, D4, 41, 00, 8B, 45, 04, A3, 50, D4, 41, 00, 8D, 45, 08, A3, 5C, D4, 41...
 
[+]

Entropy:
6.8961

Packer / compiler:
tElock 0.99 - 1.0 private

Code size:
78 KB (79,872 bytes)

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