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Verdict Suspicious

Analyzed , 13 days ago

Is 7za.exe safe? Treat it as suspicious.

This file looks like the standalone 7-Zip console tool and only 2 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flagged it, but a public malware-sharing listing and a split sandbox…

Read the whole reasonShow less

Why Suspicious? 2 antivirus engines flag it, but no major engine agrees and it is listed in MalwareBazaar, a public database that accepts automated uploads.

Moderate evidence · More than one sign points to a problem, but nothing confirms it is harmful.

Don't run it until you know where it came from

Treat this copy with caution and replace it with 7-Zip downloaded directly from the official 7-zip.org website. Keep your security software enabled.

What to do now4 steps

Some signs point to a problem, but nothing confirms it is harmful. Treat it with caution.

What to do

  1. Don't run it unless you're sure where it came from.

  2. Check where you got it: an unexpected attachment, a link someone sent you or a re-upload is a red flag.

  3. If you can't confirm where it came from, delete it. If you need the program, download it again from the publisher's own website.

If you already ran it

  1. Stop using it, run a full scan with your antivirus and watch for unexpected behavior or security alerts.

Not sure what to do?

Ask the MalwareTips community before you run it. If you already ran it, follow the cleanup guide.

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

Why we think so

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7za.exe: Suspicious — 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
File7za.exe858.1 kBSHA-256 268177256505…824cad
  • Code signing Unsigned
  • Test run Completed
  • First seen 1y ago
This exact file is listed in MalwareBazaar, a public malware database.

Chapter 02

Why we think so

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

MT AI Engine · Verdict analysis

The reasoning behind this verdict

Analyst conclusion

Only 2 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flagged this file, both less reliable machine-learning detections, and every major antivirus engine was silent. The file is old, widely seen and unpacked, which fits the real 7-Zip command-line tool. However, the hash is listed in a public malware-sharing database, and one sandbox run returned malicious while another returned clean, so we cannot clear it.

Where this verdict could be wrong2 caveats
  • The file is widely submitted, unpacked, and every major antivirus engine is silent, which fits the genuine 7-Zip standalone console tool rather than malware.
  • One community YARA rule names ransomware, but rules matching hash constants and the word 'encrypted' are expected in an archiver that supports encryption.

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 our isolated test environment; 1 test environment rated what it did as risky.

Test run summary

Capture complete
  • 14sandbox rule tags
  • 6spawned processes
  • 5network contacts
  • 4filesystem & mutex artifacts

What the test run showed

What the file did on a test computer

Confirmed in the test run

  • 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: Unpacked hidden content while it ran.

  • Moderate concern: Checked whether it was running on a test computer.

  • Note: Listed the programs running on the test computer.

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

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

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.

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

      7za.exe

      26817725650583d99ca3e617a618dd75c0f71bd316b5761780b7361f5f824cad

      Uploaded file

  2. Processes

    What ran

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

      executable.exe

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

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

      7za.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

      ConDrv

      \Device\ConDrv

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

      Connect

      \Device\ConDrv\\Connect

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

  4. Network

    Hosts contacted

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

      23.55.219.177

      Contacted during the test run.

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

      23.216.147.20

      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

2 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: 2 of 71 engines flagged it · 4 gave no result Details for antivirus engines
Sandbox runVirusTotal sandboxesCompleteWorth noting: Combined summary is split: malicious and clean verdicts Details for sandbox run
Contacted hostsMalwareTips URL scannerComplete17 contacted hosts checked Details for contacted hosts
Signature rulesYARAify community rules + MalwareTips rulesCompleteWorth noting: 7 community YARA rules (1 malware-specific) Details for signature rules
Malware sample databaseabuse.ch MalwareBazaarCompleteRisk signal: Listed (no family name published)
Known-software referenceCIRCL hashlookupCompleteNo match

Engines that flagged it 2

  • APEXMalicious
  • Trapminesuspicious.low.ml.score

File fingerprint

Last analyzed
Oct 12, 2026, 6:27 PM UTC
SHA-256
26817725650583d99ca3e617a618dd75c0f71bd316b5761780b7361f5f824cad
SHA-1
1195b7ff7090587b1c6d38a959ff7e86ebf22cc6
MD5
e96e28b3824abf6496fd0971b3ba7459

About this file

7za.exe is a Win32 EXE file of 858.1 kB.

Type and size
Win32 EXE · 858.1 kB
Signer
UnsignedNo code signature.
First seen
Aug 3, 2025On VirusTotal.
Submitted by
457 distinct sources
Packer
None detected
Entropy
6.45 of 8

First scanned Updated

Verdict history

  1. Malicious
  2. Suspiciousafter a re-check of the saved evidence

Ratings change when antivirus engines, our checks or MalwareTips staff learn more about a file.

Chapter 05

Questions & answers

Short answers to the 7 questions people ask most about this file.

Is 7za.exe safe, or is it malware?
7za.exe is rated Suspicious: some signs point to a problem, but nothing confirms it is harmful. 2 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag it. Don't run it unless you're sure where it came from. If you need the program, download it again from the publisher's own website.
What is 7za.exe?
7za.exe is a Windows program, about 858.1 kB. It carries no version information saying what it is or who made it. VirusTotal first saw it on Aug 3, 2025.
How many antivirus engines detected 7za.exe?
2 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag 7za.exe, including APEX and Trapmine. We weigh which engines flagged it and what else the scan found, not just the count.
What should I do if I already ran 7za.exe?
No infection is confirmed: the rating is a caution, not a malware finding. 1) Check where it came from. If you can't confirm the source, delete it. 2) Run a full scan with your security software. 3) If the scan finds something, follow its removal steps and change passwords you typed on the device since then.
Has 7za.exe been seen before?
Yes. This exact file is listed in MalwareBazaar, a public malware database, first listed on Sep 9, 2026. MalwareBazaar accepts uploads from anyone, including automated ones, so the listing supports the other evidence rather than proving malice on its own.
What is the SHA-256 hash of 7za.exe?
The SHA-256 fingerprint of 7za.exe is 26817725650583d99ca3e617a618dd75c0f71bd316b5761780b7361f5f824cad, and its MD5 is e96e28b3824abf6496fd0971b3ba7459. 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 7za.exe?
This report reflects the scan on Oct 12, 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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URL instead?
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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.