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TBNotifier.exe

Ask TBNotifier

APN LLC

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 TBNotifier.exe, “Ask Toolbar Notifier” by APN 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 set to automatically execute when any user logs into Windows (through the local user run registry setting) with the name ‘ApnTBMon’. Additionally, the file is typically installed by a number of programs including Avira SearchFree Toolbar by Avira GmbH and Social Search App by Ask by APN, LLC, both potentially unwanted software.
Publisher:
APN  (signed by APN LLC)

Product:
Ask TBNotifier

Description:
Ask Toolbar Notifier

Version:
31.28.0.5381

MD5:
4c8962a0dcaebe9e298ecf0958128f59

SHA-1:
2c2466de473a47d559c18df610a04325ab7a94ec

SHA-256:
0ebfa6efad0196e31e29b23857954e3787b78c70c48bec25f3fb9d9d685bc1d4

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:
5/18/2024 5:41:36 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Ask (M)
17.3.16.9

File size:
1.7 MB (1,734,544 bytes)

Product version:
31.28.0.5381

Copyright:
(c) APN LLC. All rights reserved.

Original file name:
TBNotifier.exe

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Installer:
APN Stub

Language:
English (United States)

Common path:
C:\Program Files\askpartnernetwork\toolbar\updater\tbnotifier.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:
APN LLC

Authority:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
2/26/2015 1:00:00 AM

Valid to:
5/28/2018 1:59:59 AM

Subject:
CN=APN LLC, O=APN LLC, 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:
74BAC30967391B08242D79F7F79449E2

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
10/30/2015 10:47:40 PM

OS version:
5.1

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
12.0

Entry address:
0xF4F9A

Entry point:
E8, 24, 01, 01, 00, E9, 7F, FE, FF, FF, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, CC, 8B, 4C, 24, 04, F7, C1, 03, 00, 00, 00, 74, 24, 8A, 01, 83, C1, 01, 84, C0, 74, 4E, F7, C1, 03, 00, 00, 00, 75, EF, 05, 00, 00, 00, 00, 8D, A4, 24, 00, 00, 00, 00, 8D, A4, 24, 00, 00, 00, 00, 8B, 01, BA, FF, FE, FE, 7E, 03, D0, 83, F0, FF, 33, C2, 83, C1, 04, A9, 00, 01, 01, 81, 74, E8, 8B, 41, FC, 84, C0, 74, 32, 84, E4, 74, 24, A9, 00, 00, FF, 00, 74, 13, A9, 00, 00, 00, FF, 74, 02, EB, CD, 8D, 41, FF, 8B, 4C, 24, 04...
 
[+]

Code size:
1.1 MB (1,167,872 bytes)

Startup File (All Users Run)
Registry location:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Name:
ApnTBMon

Command:
"C:\Program Files\askpartnernetwork\toolbar\updater\tbnotifier.exe"


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

Ask Shopping Toolbar  by APN LLC
This is an Ask.com ad-injection toolbar that is bundled with various 3rd-party programs and installers. From the site: "The enhanced shopping search experience includes rich content, a variety of product listings, and visual product search results.
help.ask.com/link/portal/30015/30018/Article/227/What-features-does-the-Shopping-Toolbar-by-Ask-offer
79% remove it
Ask Toolbar  by APN LLC
The Ask Toolbar is a web browser extension and toolbar that delivers contextual based advertising as well as modify the user's web browser home and search pages to provide advertising and search.
apn.ask.com
74% remove it
AVG SafeGuard by Ask  by APN, LLC
67% remove it
AVG Search App powered by Ask  by APN, LLC
62% remove it
Avira SearchFree Toolbar  by Avira GmbH
The Avira SearchFree Toolbar is a web browser toolbar and extension that modifies the browsers search and home pages as well as delivers contextual based advertising. This toolbar currently supports Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome.
www.avira.com/en/avira-searchfree-toolbar
76% remove it
Media Search App by Ask  by APN, LLC
69% remove it
Search App by Ask  by APN, LLC
Publisher's description - “Quixey and Ask have entered into a deal in which apps from Quixey’s database, whether for mobile or the PC, will be integrated into search results. It’s going live today and should be rolling out now, although it’s not yet live for me.”
www.apn.ask.com/products/toolbars
84% remove it
Shopping App by Ask  by APN, LLC
Publisher's description - “The Shopping Toolbar by Ask has the single purpose of enhancing a user’s online shopping experience by offering an enhanced shopping search experience, links to popular shopping sites and/or additional content such as coupons, special offers and the latest deals from many merchants.”
79% remove it
Social Search App by Ask  by APN, LLC
62% remove it
 
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The executing file has been seen to make the following network communications in live environments.

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to www.search-results.com  (66.235.120.111:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to www.search.ask.com  (23.76.222.3:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to websearch.search-results.com  (199.36.100.106:80)

 
http://websearch.search-results.com/redirect?client=ff&src=kw&tb=GET-SRS&o=634790322&locale=us_ZZ&apn_uid=1904386668&apn_ptnrs=2R&apn_sauid=1269591112&apn_dtid=get001YYPT&q=

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to ss.websearch.ask.com  (174.129.25.170:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to apnstatic.ask.com  (23.67.242.17:80)

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