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Verdict Malicious

Analyzed , 4 months ago

Is JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe safe? No, we rate this exact file malicious.

Two major antivirus engines identify Wacatac infostealer; sandbox data confirms anti-analysis behaviour (bcdedit testsigning bypass).

Read the whole reasonShow less

Strong evidence · Two or more major antivirus engines agree.

Don't run this file

Isolate and remove this file immediately. Do not execute it under any circumstances. If already executed, perform a full system scan and reset credentials for sensitive accounts.

What to do now4 steps

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

If you haven't run it

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

If you already ran 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. From another device you trust, change the passwords of your important accounts (email and banking first) and turn on two-step verification.

  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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JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe: Malicious — MalwareTips file scan

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

Reads the latest antivirus results for this file's hash. Nothing is uploaded.

Antivirus results

2 of 71 flagged

  • Flagged 2
  • No detection 69
  • No result 4
FileJOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe3.0 MBSHA-256 1eea7acbe25f…ce75af
  • Code signing Unsigned
  • Test run Completed
  • First seen 4mo ago
2 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag it, including Microsoft and Symantec (Norton).

Chapter 02

Why we think so

5 points against it and 3 in its favour, checked against the scan evidence.

MT AI Engine · Verdict analysis

The reasoning behind this verdict

Analyst conclusion

Microsoft Defender and Symantec both flag this unsigned executable as malicious, with Microsoft naming the Wacatac infostealer family. Sandbox analysis captured process execution of 'bcdedit /set testsigning on', a known anti-analysis technique to disable driver signature enforcement. The combination of major antivirus engine consensus and offensive MITRE techniques indicates genuine malware, not a false positive.

Where this verdict could be wrong3 caveats
  • Only 2/71 engines flagged malicious; 69 engines silent. Could reflect a new variant not yet widely detected, or a false positive by two engines. However, both flagging engines are major (Microsoft, Symantec), not less reliable rule-based engines, which strengthens confidence.
  • No malicious sandbox verdict explicitly recorded (no sandbox returned a malicious verdict), but the process data itself (bcdedit testsigning) is the malicious artefact — sandbox analysis captured the behaviour even if no formal 'malicious' label was assigned.
  • No external YARA rules or CIRCL corroboration. Could indicate the sample is too new or too rare for community researchers to have published rules. Absence of external intel is weak evidence of safety, not strong evidence of malice, but paired with major consensus it does not override the verdict.

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 · 5 complete · 1 not needed or not applicable. See every source

Chapter 03

What it did in our test

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

Test run summary

Capture complete
  • 2sandbox rule tags
  • 5spawned processes
  • 0network contacts
  • 1filesystem & mutex artifacts

What the test run showed

What the file did on a test computer

Confirmed in the test run

  • High concern: Deleted backups or recovery data on the test computer.

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

  • Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as weakening security settings; no setting change was recorded.

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 password stealers work

A password stealer runs quietly in the background and copies your private data, such as saved passwords, browser cookies, autofill details and crypto wallets, then sends it to criminals. You usually won't notice anything.

Bottom line:Stolen logins are used to break into your accounts or sold in bulk, so change passwords from another device.

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 4: FileSeen in the test run

      JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe

      1eea7acbe25fa162f1dd4a1fef0575d53b1d273226280a54b917db4ceace75af

      Uploaded file

  2. Processes

    What ran

    2
    1. Evidence 2 of 4: ProcessSeen in the test run

      cmd.exe

      C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe /c bcdedit /set testsigning on

      Test run
    2. Evidence 3 of 4: ProcessSeen in the test run

      bcdedit

      bcdedit /set testsigning on

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

  3. Files

    Created or changed

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

      Connect

      \Device\ConDrv\\Connect

      Test run

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

Chapter 04

Technical details

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

Sources checked

Every check behind this verdict

6 sources checked · 5 complete · 1 not needed or not applicable. Complete means the check returned a usable result; it does not mean the file is safe.

SourceStatusResultChecked
Antivirus enginesVirusTotal · 75 enginesCompleteRisk signal: 2 of 71 engines flagged it · 4 gave no result Details for antivirus engines
Sandbox runVirusTotal sandboxesCompleteRuntime behaviour was recorded Details for sandbox run
Contacted hostsMalwareTips URL scannerNot neededThe sandbox recorded no contacted hosts to checkNo date recorded
Signature rulesYARAify community rules + MalwareTips rulesCompleteNo rule matched
Malware sample databaseabuse.ch MalwareBazaarCompleteNot listed
Known-software referenceCIRCL hashlookupCompleteNo match

Engines that flagged it 2

  • Microsoft (major engine)Trojan:Win32/Wacatac.B!ml
  • Symantec (major engine)ML.Attribute.HighConfidence

File fingerprint

Last analyzed
Jun 9, 2026, 8:13 PM UTC
SHA-256
1eea7acbe25fa162f1dd4a1fef0575d53b1d273226280a54b917db4ceace75af
SHA-1
ad0cad4e7a9b352b3931395d2562227f419ef1f6
MD5
14fbd49d28d6a639bc2141eb7a9f2d17

About this file

JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe is a Win32 EXE file of 3.0 MB.

Type and size
Win32 EXE · 3.0 MB
Signer
UnsignedNo code signature.
First seen
Jun 9, 2026On VirusTotal.
Submitted by
1 sourceRarely seen: few people have submitted this exact file.
Packer
None detected
Entropy
4.95 of 8

First scanned

Chapter 05

Questions & answers

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

Is JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe a virus?
Yes. This copy of JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe (SHA-256 1eea7acb…75af) is malicious. Other files with the same name can be different, so check the hash. Don't run it. Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin. 2 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag it. Antivirus engines classify it as a password stealer, built to copy saved passwords, cookies and crypto wallets. If you've already run it, see the steps below.
What is JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe?
JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe is a Windows program, about 3.0 MB. It carries no version information saying what it is or who made it. VirusTotal first saw it on Jun 9, 2026.
How many antivirus engines detected JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe?
2 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe, including Microsoft and Symantec (Norton). 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 ran JOAT(DEMOBUILD).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 JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe?
To remove JOAT(DEMOBUILD).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 JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe?
Antivirus engines classify JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe as a password stealer, built to copy saved passwords, cookies and crypto wallets.
What is the SHA-256 hash of JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe?
The SHA-256 fingerprint of JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe is 1eea7acbe25fa162f1dd4a1fef0575d53b1d273226280a54b917db4ceace75af, and its MD5 is 14fbd49d28d6a639bc2141eb7a9f2d17. 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 JOAT(DEMOBUILD).exe?
This report reflects the scan on Jun 9, 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.

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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.