Some of our consumers have expressed concerned about the application apnstub.exe which connects to the Internet after Avira AntiVir Service Pack 2 (SP2) Update is installed. Please be assured that this is a authorized and legitimate system-check utility.

After the download of SP2, your AntiVir software checks whether the ASK-Toolbar is already installed on your computer. If the Toolbar is already present, AntiVir will not bother you with a slide-up alert asking you to install it.

The apnstub.exe utility will do this check three times (the next three times that you reboot your computer). An additional check is done whenever the AntiVir setup dialog is displayed, in order to once again confirm the presence or absence of the Toolbar. If the ASK-Toolbar is already present, AntiVir will not offer you the setup option for installing the Avira-Toolbar.

The technical purpose for apnstub.exe and the connection to apnmedia.ask.com is as follows:

1. To check the requirements for Avira-Toolbar with operating system and browser configuration
2. To check whether there is already an Ask-Toolbar installed
3. To ensure that customers are receiving the latest Avira-Toolbar if no Ask-Toolbar is installed

Please note that no further information is collected or passed on by the Toolbar, by apnstub.exe, or by apnmedia.ask.com.