Ask Media Toolbar
from APN LLC
What is Ask Media Toolbar?
This is an ad-supported toolbar published by Ask.com. The toolbar/extension will install into your Internet browser or operating system and allows you to search the Internet with Ask.com by modifying the browser's search and home pages. An updater component may also automatically install alongside a Search Application in order to facilitate updates to the applicable Search Application. The browser default search feature will be set to the APN Search Service, and you will access such APN Search Service. During the Search Application download process, you may be given the option to reset your Internet browsers' default homepage (or similar page – e.g., a start page, start tab, etc.) to Ask.com or some other specified webpage. The Search Application may include functionality to prevent certain accidental or surreptitious changes your homepage, new tab page and/or default search settings by third parties . Such functionality will block and notify you of such attempted changes. The defense functionality will not prevent changes made by APN, its partners or affiliates.
About (from APN)
Your installation of a Search Application may be facilitated by APN’s or an APN partner’s installer technology which: (i) downloads the files necessary to install the software; and (ii) scans your computer for specific files and registry settings to ensure compatibility with your operating system and other software ins... Read more
Overview
- Possible malware installed by this program
- Automatically starts with Windows
- Loads into the web browser
- Hijacks the web browser's home page
- The wisdom of the crowd agrees, you should remove it!
Warning, multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in Ask Media Toolbar.
tbnotifier.exe (98a4358eb0bf7de055dbf5cf8f80d1b2) has been flagged by the following 2 scanners: |
Anti-Virus software | Version | Detection |
AhnLab-V3 |
N |
PUP/Win32.IECore |
ESET-NOD32 |
8.9601 |
a variant of Win32/Bundled.Toolbar.Ask.F |
Program details
Displayed publisher: APN, LLC
URL: help.ask.com/link/portal/30015/30018/ArticleFolder/11/Ask-com-Browser-Toolbar
Help link: apnstatic.ask.com/static/toolbar/everest/documents/faq/index.html
Installation folder: C:\Program Files\vnt
Uninstaller: MsiExec.exe /X{4152532D-4D45-4400-76A7-A758B70C0A02}
(The Windows Installer is used for the installation, maintenance, and removal.)
Estimated size: 496 KB
Files installed by Ask Media Toolbar
Program executable: | tbnotifier.exe (Malware detected) |
Name: | Ask TBNotifier |
| Ask Toolbar Notifier |
Path: | C:\Program Files\askpartnernetwork\toolbar\updater\tbnotifier.exe |
MD5: | 98a4358eb0bf7de055dbf5cf8f80d1b2 |
Additional files:
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vntldr.exe - Virtual New Tab (Virtual New Tab Loader)
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vntsrv.dll - Virtual New Tab Server
Behaviors exhibited
Scheduled Task (Boot/Login)
- tbnotifier.exe is automatically launched at startup through a scheduled task named ApnTBMon.
Startup File (User Run)
- vntldr.exe is loaded in the current user (HKCU) registry as an auto-starting executable named 'VNT' and executes as "C:\Program Files\VNT\vntldr.exe".
2 Startup Files (All Users Run)
- tbnotifier.exe is loaded in the all users (HKLM) registry as a startup file name 'ApnTBMon' which loads as "C:\Program Files\AskPartnerNetwork\Toolbar\Updater\TBNotifier.exe".
- vntldr.exe is loaded in the all users (HKLM) registry as a startup file name 'VNT' which loads as "C:\Program Files\VNT\vntldr.exe".
Windows Firewall Allowed Program
- tbnotifier.exe is added as a firewall exception for 'C:\Program Files\AskPartnerNetwork\Toolbar\Updater\TBNotifier.exe'.
How do I remove Ask Media Toolbar?
You can uninstall Ask Media Toolbar from your computer by using the Add/Remove Program feature in the Window's Control Panel.
- On the Start menu (for Windows 8, right-click the screen's bottom-left corner), click Control Panel, and then, under Programs, do one of the following:
- Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall a Program.
- Windows XP: Click Add or Remove Programs.
- When you find the program Ask Media Toolbar, click it, and then do one of the following:
- Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall.
- Windows XP: Click the Remove or Change/Remove tab (to the right of the program).
- Follow the prompts. A progress bar shows you how long it will take to remove Ask Media Toolbar.
- If for some reason uninstallation fails, please install Microsoft's uninstall fixer utility which will help fix problems with programs that can't be uninstalled at support.microsoft.com.
How do I reset my web browser?
If your web browser homepage and search settings have been modfied by Ask Media Toolbar you can restore them to their previous default settings.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Open Internet Explorer and click the Tools button, and then click Internet options.
- Click the Advanced tab, and then click Reset. Select the Delete personal settings check box if you would also like to remove search providers, Accelerators and home pages. When Internet Explorer finishes applying default settings, click Close, and then click OK.
- The changes will take effect the next time you open IE.
Mozilla Firefox
- At the top of the Firefox window, click the Firefox button, go over to the Help sub-menu and select Troubleshooting Information.
- To continue, click Reset Firefox in the confirmation window that opens. It will close and be reset.
- When it's done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click Finish and Firefox will open.
Google Chrome
- Open Chrome and click the Chrome menu on the browser toolbar.
- Select Settings. In the "Search" section, click Manage search engine. Check if (Default) is displayed next to your preferred search engine. If not, mouse over it and click Make default. Mouse over any other suspicious search engine entries that are not familiar and click X to remove them.
- When the "Show Home button" checkbox is selected, a web address appears below it. If you want the Homepage button to open up a different webpage, click Change to enter a link.
- Restart Google Chrome.
OS VERSIONS
Win 7 (SP1) 65%
Win XP 4%
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HOW IT STARTS
Automatically starts? Yes
(Found in the run registry)
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USER ACTIONS
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Uninstall it 74%
Keep it 26%
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Windows
Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
Windows 7 |
69.57% |
|
Windows 10 |
26.09% |
|
Windows XP |
4.35% |
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Which OS releases does it run on? |
Windows 7 Home Premium |
39.13% |
|
Windows 7 Professional |
17.39% |
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Windows 8.1 |
17.39% |
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Windows 8 |
4.35% |
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Windows 7 Home Basic |
4.35% |
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Windows 7 Ultimate |
4.35% |
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Geography
57.14% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
United States |
57.14% |
Malaysia |
7.14% |
Brazil |
3.57% |
United Kingdom |
3.57% |
India |
3.57% |
Qatar |
3.57% |
South Africa |
3.57% |
Australia |
3.57% |
DK |
3.57% |
DZ |
3.57% |
Netherlands |
3.57% |
Canada |
3.57% |
PC manufacturers
What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
Dell |
27.27% |
|
Hewlett-Packard |
27.27% |
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ASUS |
18.18% |
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Samsung |
4.55% |
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Intel |
4.55% |
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Lenovo |
4.55% |
|
Sony |
4.55% |
|
Toshiba |
4.55% |
|
Acer |
4.55% |
|
Common models |
Dell Inspiron 5520 |
10.00% |
|
Sony SVE14112FXW |
5.00% |
|
LENOVO 11432WG |
5.00% |
|
HP 2000 Notebook PC |
5.00% |
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TOSHIBA Satellite C660 |
5.00% |
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Samsung 870Z5E/880Z5E/680... |
5.00% |
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