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Verdict Malicious

Analyzed , 3 days ago

Is setup.exe safe? No, we rate this exact file malicious.

This unsigned installer is flagged by 28 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it, including nine major ones, with several labelling it a software crack hacking tool.

Read the whole reasonShow less

Strong evidence · Two or more major antivirus engines agree.

Don't install this file

Do not run this file; delete it and get the software from its official publisher. If it was already executed, run a full scan with your antivirus kept enabled.

What to do now4 steps

This file is harmful. Don't run it, and remove it.

If you haven't installed it

  1. Don't install this file. Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin.

If you already installed it

  1. Disconnect the device from the internet, then run a full antivirus scan. Microsoft Defender Offline (Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options) also finds malware that hides while Windows runs.

  2. If you typed passwords on the device after running it, change them from another device you trust.

  3. If the scan keeps finding it, or the device still acts strangely, scan again with a second-opinion scanner from another company; if that doesn't fix it, back up your personal files and reinstall Windows.

If you already ran it, do these in order.

If you opened or installed it

Avoid banking and sign-ins on that device until it is clean. These free MalwareTips guides walk you through it.

Paste this report's link in your topic so helpers can see what was found.

Why we think so

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setup.exe: Malicious — MalwareTips file scan

The link always shows the latest result for this exact file (its SHA-256 fingerprint).

Antivirus results

28 of 71 flagged

  • Flagged 28
  • No detection 43
  • No result 4
Filesetup.exe1.6 MBSHA-256 0d3d579edaf0…36e0bc
  • Code signing Unsigned
  • Test run Completed
  • First seen 1y ago
1 strong detection rule matched this file.

Chapter 02

Why we think so

4 points against it and 2 in its favour, checked against the scan evidence.

MT AI Engine · Verdict analysis

The reasoning behind this verdict

Analyst conclusion

28 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flagged this unsigned setup file, among them ESET, Microsoft, Symantec, Sophos and Fortinet. ESET and several other engines label it a crack tool, and others report generic trojan detections. Software cracks are a frequent carrier for hidden malware, and the file carries no signature to identify its author.

Where this verdict could be wrong2 caveats
  • The combined sandbox verdict across six runs was clean, and the only recorded injection targets are the installer's own temporary setup process, which is typical of this installer type.
  • Many major labels are generic buckets rather than a named malware family, so the file may be a crack or keygen rather than a data-stealing trojan.

These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.

6 sources checked · all complete. See every source

Chapter 03

What it did in our test

It ran in 6 isolated tests; no test environment rated what it did as risky.

Test run summary

Capture complete
  • 6isolated sandbox runs
  • 25sandbox rule tags
  • 9spawned processes
  • 2network contacts
  • 30filesystem & mutex artifacts

What the test run showed

What the file did on a test computer

Confirmed in the test run

  • High concern: Injected code into another program on the test computer.

  • Moderate concern: Contains packed or scrambled code that is harder to inspect (common in installers too).

  • Moderate concern: Ran commands or a script on the test computer.

  • Moderate concern: Hid files or windows on the test computer.

  • Note: Deleted files or logs during the test run (installers often clean up after themselves).

  • Note: Talked to servers over the internet during the test run.

  • Note: Read basic details of the test computer, such as its Windows version.

Sandbox labels we could not confirm (common in safe files too)

  • Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as recording keystrokes; no keylogging was confirmed.

  • Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as changing how Windows loads code; nothing confirms it.

This file was run on a test computer (a sandbox), not on yours. Labels we could not confirm are listed so you can see them, but they are not treated as evidence against the file.

Threat context

How cracked-software installers work

A crack or patch installer is one of the most common ways to spread trojans. Even if the program seems to work, it can install malware in the background.

Bottom line:There is no safe copy of a cracked installer: delete it, and get the software from its real publisher.

Recorded behavior

What happened in the test

Grouped by step. The order is not a timeline.

Seen in the test runWorked out from other results

  1. Input file

    The submitted object

    1
    1. Evidence 1 of 7: FileSeen in the test run

      setup.exe

      0d3d579edaf0c74fabda1c319a4940d4a88656e06e6f4410c3ae3b19d236e0bc

      Uploaded file

  2. Processes

    What ran

    2
    1. Evidence 2 of 7: ProcessSeen in the test run

      setup.exe

      "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\setup.exe"

      Test run
    2. Evidence 3 of 7: ProcessSeen in the test run

      setup.tmp

      "C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-16HQM.tmp\setup.tmp" /SL5="$80046,780288,780288,C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\setup.exe"

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

  3. Files

    Created or changed

    2
    1. Evidence 4 of 7: Written fileSeen in the test run

      setup.tmp

      C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-16HQM.tmp\setup.tmp

      Test run
    2. Evidence 5 of 7: Written fileSeen in the test run

      iconcache_idx.db

      C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache_idx.db

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

  4. Network

    Hosts contacted

    2
    1. Evidence 6 of 7: Contacted hostSeen in the test run

      23.216.147.35

      Contacted during the test run.

      Test run
    2. Evidence 7 of 7: Contacted hostSeen in the test run

      23.53.122.196

      Contacted during the test run.

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

7 facts from the test run. See the full activity list.

Chapter 04

Technical details

28 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag it; no publisher signature.

Sources checked

Every check behind this verdict

6 sources checked · all complete. Complete means the check returned a usable result; it does not mean the file is safe.

SourceStatusResultChecked
Antivirus enginesVirusTotal · 75 enginesCompleteRisk signal: 28 of 71 engines flagged it · 4 gave no result Details for antivirus engines
Sandbox runVirusTotal sandboxes · C2AE, CAPA, CAPE SandboxComplete6 runs: 1 clean, 5 without a verdict Details for sandbox run
Contacted hostsMalwareTips URL scannerComplete8 contacted hosts checked Details for contacted hosts
Signature rulesYARAify community rules + MalwareTips rulesCompleteRisk signal: 1 MalwareTips behaviour rule Details for signature rules
Malware sample databaseabuse.ch MalwareBazaarCompleteNot listed
Known-software referenceCIRCL hashlookupCompleteNo match

Engines that flagged it 28

  • Avast (major engine)Win32:Malware-gen
  • AVG (major engine)Win32:Malware-gen
  • Avira (major engine)TR/W32.Malware
  • ESET-NOD32 (major engine)Win32/HackTool.Crack.PB potentially unsafe application
  • F-Secure (major engine)Trojan.TR/W32.Malware
  • Fortinet (major engine)Riskware/Crack
  • Ikarus (major engine)SuspectFile
  • Microsoft (major engine)Trojan:Win32/Pomal!rfn
20 more in the full engine list

File fingerprint

Last analyzed
Oct 29, 2026, 8:48 PM UTC
SHA-256
0d3d579edaf0c74fabda1c319a4940d4a88656e06e6f4410c3ae3b19d236e0bc
SHA-1
439c037bb4d8bbb979d331faebf8959a5d0430ab
MD5
a3d08d18cf45d17cf3b7192b7285dec4

About this file

setup.exe says it is SKD Installer Setup (SKD Installer), 1.6 MB.

Claims to be
SKD Installer Setup (SKD Installer)From the file's own version information, written by whoever built it.
Type and size
Win32 EXE · 1.6 MB
Signer
UnsignedNo code signature.
First seen
Jul 5, 2025On VirusTotal.
Submitted by
18 distinct sources
Packer
None detected
Entropy
6.30 of 8

First scanned

Chapter 05

Questions & answers

Short answers to the 8 questions people ask most about this file.

Is setup.exe a virus?
Yes. This copy of setup.exe (SHA-256 0d3d579e…e0bc) is malicious. Other files with the same name can be different, so check the hash. Don't install it. Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin. 28 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag it. Antivirus engines classify it as a trojan hidden in a cracked-software installer. If you've already installed it, see the steps below.
What is setup.exe?
setup.exe is a software installer, about 1.6 MB. Its version information says it is “SKD Installer Setup” (SKD Installer). Version information is written by whoever built the file, so it is a claim, not proof of who made it. VirusTotal first saw it on Jul 5, 2025.
How many antivirus engines detected setup.exe?
28 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag setup.exe, including Microsoft and ESET. We weigh which engines flagged it and what else the scan found, not just the count. The rating comes from all the evidence together, not from this count alone.
What should I do if I already installed setup.exe?
Act quickly. 1) Disconnect the device from the internet. 2) Run a full scan with your antivirus and let it remove what it finds. 3) Change your important passwords from another device you trust, starting with email and banking, and turn on two-step verification. 4) If you bank or shop on this device, watch your accounts and tell your bank about payments you don't recognise. 5) If the scan keeps finding it, back up your personal files and reinstall Windows.
How do I remove setup.exe?
To remove setup.exe: 1) run a full scan with your antivirus and let it remove what it finds. 2) Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin. 3) Check Settings > Apps, your browser extensions, startup apps (Task Manager > Startup apps) and scheduled tasks for anything you don't recognise. 4) Restart and scan again. If it keeps coming back, scan from Safe Mode with Networking, or back up your files and reinstall Windows.
What kind of malware is setup.exe?
Antivirus engines classify setup.exe as a trojan hidden in a cracked-software installer.
What is the SHA-256 hash of setup.exe?
The SHA-256 fingerprint of setup.exe is 0d3d579edaf0c74fabda1c319a4940d4a88656e06e6f4410c3ae3b19d236e0bc, and its MD5 is a3d08d18cf45d17cf3b7192b7285dec4. Two files with the same SHA-256 are identical, so use it to check you have exactly this file, not just one with the same name.
How up to date is this analysis of setup.exe?
This report reflects the scan on Oct 29, 2026. A file's fingerprint never changes, but antivirus engines keep learning, so a rating can change later. To get a newer result, scan the file again: we refresh the antivirus results when the saved ones are out of date.
Chapter 06

Community

Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.

Related file reports

Other files people checked with the same name. A matching name does not make two files the same: only the SHA-256 fingerprint identifies a file.

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This report and its SHA-256 fingerprint are public, so the next person who checks the same file gets an instant answer; documents and images are listed by type instead of their file name. A file we had not seen before is uploaded to VirusTotal, whose security partners and subscribers can download it; MalwareTips deletes its own copy after the scan. If you ran this file and are worried, scan your device with up-to-date security software.