MalwareTips
Threat LensFile scan report

Is plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe safe?

Verdict
Suspicious

Old signed PopCap EXE with adware label, process injection, LSASS access, and direct-IP contacts but minimal engine detections.

One tier-2 engine flags adware.netfilter; 17 tier-1 engines report clean. Sandbox shows T1055 injection, LSASS targeting, and 19 direct-IP connections without DNS. Revoked certificate and invalid signature add risk despite common_old prevalence.

Do not run it until verified

Treat as suspicious; avoid execution and scan with additional sources before any use.

Read the full analysis
Saved file evidenceAntivirus consensus
1of 74 flagged
Flagged 1No detection 73
Digital specimenplants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe1b93627bbd0ad30e17…ba1a31565c51cc
Size32.2 MB
Code signingPopCap Games
SandboxRuntime complete
First seen12y ago
Evidence3 priority signals
1 high-confidence signature or behavior rule matched this file.

Recommended next actions

01

Before running

Do not run it until the source and publisher can be verified independently.

02

If you already ran it

Stop using it, scan the device, and watch for unexpected behavior or security alerts. Get a fresh copy from the developer's official site or an official app store.

Chapter 02

Intelligence

The saved assessment, checked against the scan evidence and recorded coverage.

MT AI Engine · Verdict analysis

The reasoning behind this verdict

This section explains the evidence supporting the verdict and keeps conflicting or missing signals visible.

65%Confidence
High
Analyst conclusion

One tier-2 engine flags adware.netfilter; 17 tier-1 engines report clean. Sandbox shows T1055 injection, LSASS targeting, and 19 direct-IP connections without DNS. Revoked certificate and invalid signature add risk despite common_old prevalence.

Where this verdict could be wrong2 caveats
  • If the 2010 PopCap signature is legitimate and the file is an old installer, the MITRE techniques and direct-IP contacts could be installer artefacts rather than malice — but revoked-cert + invalid-signature tags and LSASS targeting contradict clean installer behaviour.
  • Single tier-2 adware label with 69 undetected and 17 tier-1 clean reports suggests possible FP, yet the combination of process injection, credential-dumper heuristics, and no-DNS C2 outweighs the low detection count.

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

Recommended action

Treat as suspicious; avoid execution and scan with additional sources before any use.

Scan transparency

Coverage & freshness

4 of 5 complete

Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.

  • Antivirus

    Complete

    1 of 74 engines flagged the file.

  • Sandbox

    Complete

    1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.

  • Network

    Partial

    20 runtime contacts were observed without a completed reputation cross-check.

  • YARA

    Complete

    3 signature or behavior rules matched.

  • External intel

    Complete

    3 of 3 independent reference sources completed.

Chapter 03

Behavior

Plain-English impact first, then the observed runtime evidence.

Runtime flight recorder

Capture complete
  • 1isolated sandbox run
  • 24MITRE ATT&CK techniques
  • 15spawned processes
  • 20network contacts
  • 40filesystem & mutex artifacts

What this file does

Observed actions and their security significance

  • High concern: Injected code into another process, a technique that can conceal execution.

  • High concern: Used an input-capture technique that can record credentials or keystrokes.

  • High concern: Used removable-media replication behaviour that can spread files between devices.

  • High concern: Changed an auto-start location that can make code run after sign-in or restart.

  • High concern: Manipulated how the operating system loads code, which can redirect execution.

  • Moderate concern: Contained obfuscated or packed code that makes inspection harder.

  • Moderate concern: Communicated over a common application protocol; malware can use this for command-and-control.

These are observed capabilities from an isolated analysis. A technique does not prove malicious intent on its own, and the file never ran on your device.

Recorded behavior

Attack story

Runtime observations grouped by analysis stage. Arrows organize the stages; they do not claim chronology or causality.

ObservedDerived

7 recorded facts from one runtime window. Every fact remains independently traceable in Analyst mode.

Chapter 04

Detection & Forensics

Consensus, attribution, signatures, code structure, prevalence, and identity.

Chapter 05

Safety & FAQ

Complete recovery guidance and answers for the next decision.

What to do now

We couldn't fully clear this file. Treat it with caution.

  1. Recovery step 01

    Don't run it unless you're certain it came from a source you trust.

  2. Recovery step 02

    Check where you got it — an unexpected attachment or a random download link is a red flag.

  3. Recovery step 03

    If its origin cannot be confirmed, delete this file and use a fresh copy from a trusted source. Get a fresh copy from the developer's official site or an official app store.

  4. Recovery step 04

    If you're still unsure, scan it again in a day or two — detections often catch up on newer files.

Safety FAQ

Direct answers grounded in the saved verdict and evidence in this report.

9 evidence-based answers
Is plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe safe, or is it malware?
Evidence-based answer
plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe is suspicious — treat it as unsafe until you're sure. 1 of 74 antivirus engines flag it (family: netfilter); that detection signal contributes to the cautious verdict. Don't run it unless you fully trust where it came from. Get a fresh copy from the developer's official site or an official app store.
What is plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe?
Evidence-based answer
plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe is a Windows executable program, about 32.2 MB. We identify a file by its cryptographic hash rather than its name, because the same filename can be reused by completely different files — the hash below is the reliable fingerprint.
How many antivirus engines detected plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe?
Evidence-based answer
1 of 74 antivirus engines flagged plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe, 1 of them as outright malicious. The raw count alone does not establish safety or danger; we also weigh which engines flagged it and corroborating behavior, identity, reputation, and rule evidence.
I already downloaded and ran plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe — what should I do?
Evidence-based answer
Act quickly. 1) Disconnect the device from the internet to stop the malware communicating or spreading. 2) Run a full scan with reputable anti-malware software (such as Malwarebytes) and quarantine everything it finds. 3) Change your important passwords from a DIFFERENT, clean device — many threats log keystrokes or steal saved credentials. 4) If you bank or shop on this device, watch closely for fraud and alert your bank. 5) For a confirmed infection, the most reliable fix is to back up your personal files and reinstall the operating system for a clean start.
How do I remove plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe?
Evidence-based answer
To remove plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe: 1) restart into Safe Mode (Safe Mode with Networking if you need to download a tool) so the malware doesn't auto-start. 2) Run a full scan with reputable anti-malware software and let it quarantine or delete the detections. 3) Delete this file from the device, then empty the Recycle Bin or Trash. 4) Check your browser extensions, startup items, and scheduled tasks for anything unfamiliar. 5) Reboot and scan again to confirm it's gone. If detections keep coming back, a clean operating-system reinstall is the most dependable cure.
What kind of malware is plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe?
Evidence-based answer
plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe is classified as adware or a potentially unwanted program (PUA) — not always destructive, but it bundles ads, trackers, or unwanted changes you didn't ask for. Engines attribute it to the netfilter family. Knowing the family matters because it tells you the likely impact — data theft, remote control, file encryption, or unwanted ads — and guides the cleanup.
Is plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe digitally signed?
Evidence-based answer
Yes — plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe carries a valid digital signature from PopCap Games, which confirms the file hasn't been tampered with since that publisher signed it. A valid signature is a positive signal, but note that malware is occasionally signed with stolen or abused certificates, so it isn't proof of safety on its own.
What is the SHA-256 hash of plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe?
Evidence-based answer
The SHA-256 hash of plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe is 1b93627bbd0ad30e17639a41a8a375400b87ea20b7e65fc4ccba1a31565c51cc, and its MD5 is fe7f05f76369fa10ca054790b1b4e4ec. This hash is the file's unique fingerprint — two files with the same SHA-256 are identical. Use it to confirm you're looking at exactly this file (not just one with the same name) when comparing against antivirus databases or a download's published checksum.
How up to date is this analysis of plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe?
Evidence-based answer
This report reflects the scan run on July 4, 2026. Because a file's hash never changes, the identity of plants-vs-zombies-1-0-25m.exe is fixed — but antivirus coverage improves over time, so a file that looks clean today can pick up detections later (and vice-versa). If you need the latest picture, MalwareTips staff can re-run the analysis from scratch.
Chapter 06

Community

Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.

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The raw file is processed temporarily and is not retained after processing. Its hash and report are public and permanent, so the next person who checks the same file gets an instant answer. Unknown files may be submitted to VirusTotal for analysis. If you ran this file on your computer and are worried, scan your system with an up-to-date antivirus and change critical passwords from a different device.