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:   1.2.435882
MD5:   fc4e1f19025f2d936ebac74484d44948
SHA1:   c164be57294910e29d470e2b4ab8adba1f8df378
SHA256:   65ab4ddb39563465e95293364858917cfc7018583874968ab69503f197c01c90

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:1.2.435882
Size:1.57 MB (1,646,216 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
Alex Feinman
4% remove
ISO Recorder is a tool (power toy) for Windows XP, 2003 and now Windows Vista, that allows (depending on the Windows version) to burn CD and DVD images (DVD support is only available on Windows Vista), copy disks, make images of the existing data CDs and DVDs and create ISO images from a content of a disk folder. ISO Recorder has been conceived during Windows XP beta program, when Microsoft for the first time started distributing new OS...
Ask.com
  75% remove
The Ask Toolbar Updater is designed to periodically (once a day) check for an install updates to the toolbar without the interaction of the user. The Ask Toolbar and other applications are increasingly being bundled with programs; most notably freeware. It's usually installed during the installation of a program, and it's easy to miss the step where you can un-check the Ask Toolbar option.
Ask.com
  71% remove
YouSendIt Toolbar 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 cause some...
Ask.com
  87% remove
Auslogics Toolbar Updater gets installed through bundled software. The default settings will automatically install the Auslogics Toolbar as soon as you install the host bundler software on your PC. Sometimes Auslogics Toolbar has a habit of leaving numerious files, settings and useless registry entries behind which might cause some stability and performance issues. Unfortunately, this toolbar won’t be removed even you have uninstall the...
Ask.com
  73% remove
Foxit PDF Creator 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 registry entries behind whi...
Ask.com
  78% remove
Tracker Toolbar 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 cause some s...
Ask.com
  66% remove
Sopcast Ask Toolbar 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 cause so...
Ask.com
  66% remove
aTube Toolbar Updater gets installed through bundled software. The default settings will automatically install the Auslogics Toolbar as soon as you install the host bundler software on your PC. Sometimes aTube Toolbar has a habit of leaving numerious files, settings and useless registry entries behind which might cause some stability and performance issues. Unfortunately, this toolbar won’t be removed even you have uninstall the associa...
Ask.com
  85% remove
Avery Toolbar Updater gets installed through bundled software. The default settings will automatically install the Avery Toolbar as soon as you install the host bundler software on your PC. Sometimes Avery Toolbar has a habit of leaving numerious files, settings and useless registry entries behind which might cause some stability and performance issues. Unfortunately, Avery Toolbar won’t be removed even you have uninstall the associated...
Ask.com
  80% remove
Alawar Ask Toolbar Updater is a software utility that installs with the Ask.com internet browser toolbar and keeps it automatically updated.
Ask.com
  87% remove
Nero Toolbar 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 cause some stab...
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
  82% remove
Avery Toolbar , powered by ASK, 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. The Ask Toolbar and other applications are increasingly being bundled with programs; most notably freeware. It's usually installed during the installation of a program, and it's easy to miss the step where you can u...
Ask.com
  81% remove
YouSendIt Toolbar , powered by ASK, 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. The Ask Toolbar and other applications are increasingly being bundled with programs; most notably freeware. It's usually installed during the installation of a program, and it's easy to miss the step where you c...
Ask.com
  75% remove
Shockwave Game Bar Updater is an Ask.com powered toolbar update mechanism that is designed to keep the branded toolbar up to date. 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 during the installation of 3rd party software. Ask.com has entered into partnerships with some software security vendors, whereby they are paid to distribute the toolbar al...
Ask.com
  66% remove
This toolbar is typiclaly bundled with the installation of the free Foxit PDF Creator software. Foxit PDF Creator 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 ...
Ask.com
  81% remove
Support.com Toolbar is an Ask.com powered toolbar. 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 sub...
Ask.com
  78% remove
Power Technology Toolbar , powered by ASK, 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. The Ask Toolbar and other applications are increasingly being bundled with programs; most notably freeware. It's usually installed during the installation of a program, and it's easy to miss the step wher...
Ask.com
  76% remove
Alawar Ask Toolbar, powered by ASK, 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. The Ask Toolbar and other applications are increasingly being bundled with programs; most notably freeware. It's usually installed during the installation of a program, and it's easy to miss the step where you c...
Ask.com
  84% remove
VDownloader Toolbar is an Ask.com powered toolbar. 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 sub...

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"

ResourcesResource utilization

(Note: statistics below are averages based on a minimum sample size of 200 unique participants)
Averages
 
CPU
Total CPU:0.00155886%
0.028634%
Kernel CPU:0.00071959%
0.013761%
User CPU:0.00083927%
0.014873%
Kernel CPU time:18,471 ms/min
100,923,805ms/min
Context switches:88/sec
284/sec
Memory
Private memory:3.99 MB
21.59 MB
Private (maximum):11.46 MB
Private (minimum):9.15 MB
Non-paged memory:3.99 MB
21.59 MB
Virtual memory:75.71 MB
140.96 MB
Virtual memory (peak):88.23 MB
169.69 MB
Working set:11.45 MB
18.61 MB
Working set (peak):13.6 MB
37.95 MB
Page faults:77,133/min
2,039/min
Resource allocations
Threads:5
12
Handles:254
600
GUI GDI count:10
103
GUI GDI peak:11
142
GUI USER count:4
49
GUI USER peak:6
71

BehaviorsProcess properties

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

ResourcesThreads

Averages
 
Updater.exe (main module)
Total CPU:2.31975244%
0.272967%
Kernel CPU:1.04574799%
0.107585%
User CPU:1.27400445%
0.165382%
CPU cycles:67,091,982/sec
5,741,424/sec
Context switches:94/sec
79/sec
Memory:1.59 MB
1.16 MB
ntdll.dll
Total CPU:0.02678234%
Kernel CPU:0.01317203%
User CPU:0.01361031%
CPU cycles:669,020/sec
Context switches:15/sec
Memory:1.66 MB

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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