Microsoft Confirms Ask Toolbar is Not Malware; Current Application is Compliant with Recently Updated Policies

OAKLAND, Calif., June 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ask Partner Network today announced the current version of the Ask Toolbar is compliant with Microsoft's updated policies and requirements for third party applications, a fact also confirmed by Microsoft.

"The latest Ask Toolbar is compliant with Microsoft's objective criteria for third party software," a Microsoft spokesperson said.

Microsoft's Malware Protection Center previously erroneously stated the Ask Toolbar was flagged as unwanted software due to its search protection feature, which alerts toolbar users to third party application requests to change their settings (the feature does not prevent users themselves from changing their own settings). This search protection feature was removed from the current product months ago in preparation for Microsoft's new policy roll out.

As Microsoft makes clear in its Malware Protection Center, "the latest version of this application is not detected by our objective criteria, and is not considered unwanted software."

A limited number (less than one percent) of outdated Ask Toolbars still include the legacy search protection feature, which alerts users to third party software attempting to change their settings. While most of these outdated toolbars should automatically update, Ask encourages users who suspect they have an outdated toolbar to restart their browsers and ensure they have the current working version.

About Ask Partner Network
The Ask Partner Network, APN, LLC (APN), an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IACI), is a leading provider of custom toolbar and search solutions to software and media companies. The company works closely with its partners in a number of industries such as Internet security, online gaming, news and entertainment to design and develop highly-targeted applications that extend services into the browser and enhance a user's web experience.

SOURCE Ask Partner Network