Should I block it?

60%
60% of PCs block this file from running.
Possible reason:
Performance resource utilization

VersionsAdditional versions

5.15.4.23930 1.52%
5.15.4.23821 25.38%
5.15.2.23037 7.61%
5.15.1.22229 2.54%
5.14.1.20064 2.03%
5.14.1.20007 5.08%
5.13.2.19379 0.51%
1.4.445269 1.52%
1.4.445269 0.51%
1.4.342067 1.52%
1.4.236670 4.57%
1.4.134141 2.54%
1.4.1.29781 0.51%
1.4.1.28235 3.05%
1.4.0.25589 2.54%
1.2.536191 3.05%
1.2.436191 1.52%
1.2.436191 4.06%
1.2.435882 4.57%
1.2.333021 1.52%
1.2.333021 0.51%
1.2.6.45268 1.02%
1.2.6.45268 0.51%
1.2.6.44892 2.03%
1.2.5.42066 1.02%
View more

PE structurePE file structure

Show functions
Import table
advapi32.dll
RegQueryValueExW, GetUserNameW, RegEnumKeyExW, RegDeleteKeyW, RegDeleteValueW, RegNotifyChangeKeyValue, RegQueryInfoKeyW, RegEnumValueW, ConvertSidToStringSidA, GetSecurityInfo, GetAclInformation, GetAce, DeleteAce, SetSecurityInfo, RegOpenKeyExW, RegCreateKeyExW, RegSetValueExW, RegCloseKey, RegFlushKey, AllocateAndInitializeSid, CheckTokenMembership, FreeSid
crypt32.dll
CryptMsgGetParam, CertFindCertificateInStore, CertGetNameStringW, CryptQueryObject
gdi32.dll
SetTextColor, SetBkColor, SetBkMode, CreateSolidBrush, CreateCompatibleBitmap, BitBlt, GetObjectW, GetDeviceCaps, GetBkColor, CreatePen, SelectObject, Rectangle, CreateCompatibleDC, StretchBlt, DeleteDC, DeleteObject, GetStockObject, CreateFontIndirectW, GetTextColor, GetDIBColorTable, GetTextMetricsW
gdiplus.dll
GdiplusShutdown
kernel32.dll
SetEvent, InitializeCriticalSection, GetVersionExW, RemoveDirectoryW, FindClose, FindNextFileW, FindFirstFileW, GetSystemInfo, GetSystemDefaultLangID, Process32NextW, CreateToolhelp32Snapshot, GetFileAttributesW, CreateDirectoryW, CreateFileA, FlushFileBuffers, WriteConsoleW, GetConsoleOutputCP, WriteConsoleA, SetStdHandle, GetConsoleMode, GetConsoleCP, SetFilePointer, GetLocaleInfoA, GetStringTypeW, GetStringTypeA, InitializeCriticalSectionAndSpinCount, GetCurrentProcessId, GetTickCount, QueryPerformanceCounter, DeleteCriticalSection, GetFileType, SetHandleCount, GetCommandLineW, GetEnvironmentStringsW, FreeEnvironmentStringsW, LCMapStringW, LCMapStringA, GetModuleHandleA, GetModuleFileNameA, GetStdHandle, HeapCreate, HeapReAlloc, IsValidCodePage, GetOEMCP, GetACP, GetCPInfo, ExitProcess, HeapSize, Sleep, TlsFree, TlsSetValue, TlsAlloc, TlsGetValue, GetStartupInfoW, SetFileAttributesW, GetSystemTimeAsFileTime, IsDebuggerPresent, SetUnhandledExceptionFilter, UnhandledExceptionFilter, TerminateProcess, RtlUnwind, VirtualAlloc, VirtualFree, IsProcessorFeaturePresent, LoadLibraryA, HeapAlloc, GetProcessHeap, HeapFree, InterlockedCompareExchange, GetModuleHandleW, InterlockedIncrement, FormatMessageW, OutputDebugStringW, WaitForSingleObject, CreateEventW, LeaveCriticalSection, GlobalHandle, GlobalFree, SetLastError, GetCurrentProcess, FlushInstructionCache, EnterCriticalSection, lstrlenA, MultiByteToWideChar, GetModuleFileNameW, lstrcmpW, FindResourceW, LoadResource, LockResource, GetCurrentThreadId, RaiseException, LocalAlloc, GetLastError, LocalFree, CloseHandle, LoadLibraryW, GetProcAddress, FreeLibrary, GlobalAlloc, GlobalLock, GlobalUnlock, MulDiv, InterlockedDecrement, lstrlenW, WideCharToMultiByte, GetTempPathW, DeleteFileW, CreateFileW, WriteFile, GetStartupInfoA, DllMain
msimg32.dll
TransparentBlt, AlphaBlend
ole32.dll
OleLockRunning, CoTaskMemAlloc, StringFromGUID2, CLSIDFromProgID, CoGetClassObject, CLSIDFromString, OleInitialize, CreateStreamOnHGlobal, CoUninitialize, CoInitialize, CoInitializeSecurity, CoInitializeEx, CoTaskMemFree, OleUninitialize, CoCreateInstance
oleacc.dll
AccessibleChildren, AccessibleObjectFromPoint, AccessibleObjectFromEvent, WindowFromAccessibleObject, AccessibleObjectFromWindow, GetRoleTextW
psapi.dll
GetModuleFileNameExW
rpcrt4.dll
UuidCreate, RpcStringFreeW, UuidToStringW
shell32.dll
SHGetFolderPathW, ShellExecuteExW, ShellExecuteW
shlwapi.dll
PathFileExistsW, StrStrIW
user32.dll
IsWindow, ScreenToClient, GetWindowRect, MoveWindow, UnregisterClassA, ClientToScreen, InvalidateRect, ShowWindow, IsWindowVisible, GetDlgItem, DrawTextW, FillRect, GetClientRect, BeginPaint, EndPaint, DestroyWindow, LoadImageW, SetRectEmpty, PostMessageW, SendMessageW, GetDC, ReleaseDC, RegisterClassExW, LoadCursorW, GetClassInfoExW, RegisterWindowMessageW, DefWindowProcW, GetSystemMetrics, SetWindowLongW, GetWindowLongW, SetWindowTextW, PostThreadMessageW, PostQuitMessage, MessageBoxW, UpdateWindow, GetSysColorBrush, LoadStringW, LoadAcceleratorsW, GetWindowTextW, TranslateAcceleratorW, TranslateMessage, DispatchMessageW, OffsetRect, GetCursorPos, PtInRect, SystemParametersInfoW, CreateDialogIndirectParamW, CallWindowProcW, InvalidateRgn, SetCapture, ReleaseCapture, GetMessageW, CreateAcceleratorTableW, GetDesktopWindow, CharNextW, GetParent, RedrawWindow, IsChild, SetFocus, GetFocus, GetSysColor, DestroyAcceleratorTable, SendDlgItemMessageW, CreateWindowExW, MapDialogRect, SetWindowContextHelpId, SetWindowPos, GetWindow, EnumWindows, EnumChildWindows, GetClassNameW, SetTimer, GetWindowTextLengthW, EqualRect, MsgWaitForMultipleObjects, SetWinEventHook, EndDialog, DialogBoxIndirectParamW, GetWindowInfo, KillTimer, GetActiveWindow, DrawIconEx, SetActiveWindow, PeekMessageW, GetWindowThreadProcessId, SetForegroundWindow, WindowFromPoint, FindWindowW, SendMessageTimeoutW, UnhookWinEvent, SetLayeredWindowAttributes
version.dll
VerQueryValueW, GetFileVersionInfoSizeW, GetFileVersionInfoW
wininet.dll
HttpQueryInfoW, InternetSetOptionW, InternetCloseHandle, InternetReadFile, HttpSendRequestExW, HttpOpenRequestW, HttpSendRequestW, InternetConnectW, InternetCanonicalizeUrlW, InternetOpenW, InternetCrackUrlW, HttpEndRequestW

Updater.exe

Updater by Ask.com (Signed)

Remove Updater.exe
Version:   5.15.4.23930
MD5:   4c976d5913ff84fbf3ed55f8855641b1
SHA1:   ff01775cf3ff714f22955597c1b0a6a053433c2a
SHA256:   6dcd0fdff3286db60f21cb940d27aedc061843b3fc78653914436984a57ed3ca

What is Updater.exe?

The Ask Toolbar is a free browser add-on that allows you to search the Web using the Ask.com search engine directly from the Internet Explorer browser. The Ask Toolbar is integrated with the 3rd party software downloads. During the installation of some software, users are presented with an option of downloading the Ask Toolbar. This is the software update portion of teh toolbar which automatically checks for new versions and updates the toolbar.

About Updater.exe (from Ask.com)

The Ask Toolbar is a free browser add-on that allows you to search the Web using the Ask.com search engine directly from Internet Explorer or Firefox browsers. The toolbar software DOES NOT monitor th

DetailsDetails

File name:updater.exe
Publisher:Ask
Product name:Updater
Description:Ask Updater
Typical file path:C:\Program Files\ask.com\updater\updater.exe
File version:5.15.4.23930
Size:1.5 MB (1,568,976 bytes)
Certificate
Issued to:Ask.com
Authority (CA):VeriSign
Effective date:Monday, June 16, 2008
Expiration date:Friday, June 17, 2011
Digital DNA
Entropy:6.255219
File packed:No
.NET CLR:No
More details

ResourcesPrograms

The following programs will install this file
Ask.com
  74% remove
Avira SearchFree Toolbar plus Web Protection Updater installs with the Ask.com internet browser toolbar and keeps it automatically updated. Avira SearchFree Toolbar gets installed through bundled software. The default settings will automatically install the Avira SearchFree Toolbar as soon as you install the host bundler software on your PC. Sometimes Avira SearchFree Toolbar has a habit of leaving numerious files, settings and useless ...
Ask.com
  80% remove
APN (Ask Parnter Network) Updater is a software utility that installs with the Ask.com internet browser toolbar and keeps it automatically updated. The toolbar gets installed through bundled software. The default settings will automatically install toolbar as soon as you install the host bundler software on your PC. Sometimes the toolbar has a habit of leaving numerious files, settings and useless registry entries behind which might ca...
Ask.com
  81% remove
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.com has entered into partnerships with some software security vendors, whereby they are paid to distribute the toolbar alongside their software. When you use the Toolbar to submit a query, the Toolbar forwards such query inform...
Ask.com
  81% remove
The software is bundled in most version of the Free Avira AntiVirus product. After installation, the Free AV software will prompt the user through its OfferCast application to install the toolbar in order to "Browse the web and search safely". Avira SearchFree Toolbar installs with the Ask.com internet browser toolbar and keeps it automatically updated. Avira SearchFree Toolbar gets installed through bundled software. The default settin...
Ask.com
  85% remove
Avira SearchFree Toolbar plus Web Protection installs with the Ask.com internet browser toolbar and keeps it automatically updated. Avira SearchFree Toolbar gets installed through bundled software. The default settings will automatically install the Avira SearchFree Toolbar as soon as you install the host bundler software on your PC. Upon install, the software will: Set and keep Ask.com as the default search provider. Set the browser...
Ask.com
  71% remove
The ooVoo toolbar is a software utility that installs with the Ask.com internet browser toolbar and keeps it automatically updated. The toolbar gets installed through bundled software. The default settings will automatically install toolbar as soon as you install the host bundler software on your PC. Sometimes KMPlayer Toolbar has a habit of leaving numerious files, settings and useless registry entries behind which might cause some st...
Ask.com
  81% remove
Avira SearchFree Toolbar plus Web Protection Updater installs with the Ask.com internet browser toolbar and keeps it automatically updated. Avira SearchFree Toolbar gets installed through bundled software. The default settings will automatically install the Avira SearchFree Toolbar as soon as you install the host bundler software on your PC. Sometimes Avira SearchFree Toolbar has a habit of leaving numerious files, settings and useless ...

BehaviorsBehaviors

Startup files (all users) run
Runs under the registry key 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run'
  • 'ApnUpdater' → "C:\Program Files\Ask.com\Updater\Updater.exe"
Network connections
  • [TCP] 63.116.243.51:80

  • ResourcesResource utilization

    (Note: statistics below are averages based on a minimum sample size of 200 unique participants)
    Averages
     
    CPU
    Total CPU:0.08821689%
    0.028634%
    Kernel CPU:0.04567402%
    0.013761%
    User CPU:0.04254287%
    0.014873%
    Kernel CPU time:1,688 ms/min
    100,923,805ms/min
    Context switches:6/sec
    284/sec
    Memory
    Private memory:3.74 MB
    21.59 MB
    Private (maximum):2.29 MB
    Private (minimum):2.09 MB
    Non-paged memory:3.74 MB
    21.59 MB
    Virtual memory:90.4 MB
    140.96 MB
    Virtual memory (peak):104.66 MB
    169.69 MB
    Working set:2.27 MB
    18.61 MB
    Working set (peak):10.04 MB
    37.95 MB
    Resource allocations
    Threads:5
    12
    Handles:227
    600
    GUI GDI count:9
    103
    GUI GDI peak:11
    142
    GUI USER count:5
    49
    GUI USER peak:5
    71

    BehaviorsProcess properties

    Integrety level:Medium
    Platform:64-bit
    Command line:"C:\Program Files\ask.com\updater\updater.exe"
    Owner:User

    Windows OS versionsDistribution by Windows OS

    OS versiondistribution
    Windows 7 Ultimate 33.33%
    Microsoft Windows XP 16.67%
    Windows 7 Home Premium 12.96%
    Windows 7 Professional 9.26%
    Windows 8 9.26%
    Windows XP Professional 3.70%
    Windows 7 Ultimate N 3.70%
    Windows 7 Home Basic 1.85%
    Windows Vista Home Premium 1.85%
    Windows 7 Enterprise 1.85%
    Windows 8 Pro with Media Center 1.85%
    Windows 7 Starter 1.85%
    Windows Vista Ultimate 1.85%

    Distribution by countryDistribution by country

    United States installs about 26.53% of Updater.

    OEM distributionDistribution by PC manufacturer

    PC Manufacturerdistribution
    Hewlett-Packard 28.57%
    Dell 17.86%
    Acer 14.29%
    Lenovo 14.29%
    Sony 7.14%
    GIGABYTE 5.36%
    Samsung 3.57%
    Toshiba 3.57%
    ASUS 3.57%
    Sahara 1.79%
    Should I remove It? Clean your PC of unwanted adware, toolbars and bloatware.

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