Is eicar.com-10074 safe?
This 68-byte sample is the standardized EICAR antivirus test pattern, intentionally designed to trigger security products without carrying an operational malware payload.
The sample is the established EICAR antivirus test pattern, corroborated by 66 of 74 engines and four EICAR-specific YARA rules. It is intended to verify that endpoint protection detects and blocks known test content, so protection should remain enabled.
275a021bbfb6489e54…538aabf651fd0fRecommended next actions
Before opening
Open it only when its sender or download source is one you independently trust.
If you already opened it
Keep normal device protection enabled and stop if the file behaves unexpectedly.
Intelligence
The saved assessment, checked against the scan evidence and recorded coverage.
The reasoning behind this verdict
This section explains the evidence supporting the verdict and keeps conflicting or missing signals visible.
The sample is the established EICAR antivirus test pattern, corroborated by 66 of 74 engines and four EICAR-specific YARA rules. It is intended to verify that endpoint protection detects and blocks known test content, so protection should remain enabled.
The strongest evidence is engines.anyTestFileLabel=true, which requires corroborated test-file labeling. Sixty-six of 74 engines reacted, and 12 tier-1 engines independently agreed on EICAR; that response is the intended purpose of this standardized pattern. Four researcher rules also identify EICAR specifically, while the sample has been submitted more than 1.16 million times since 2006. Runtime records include T1055 and direct-IP activity, but no sandbox supplied a malicious verdict, and those observations are inconsistent with the tiny 68-byte test artifact. The contacted-host reputation check was not completed or saved, so the observed no complete contacted-host reputation result was available or hostile from this evidence.
What We Detected
The 68-byte sample matches the standardized EICAR antivirus test pattern. A total of 66 of 74 engines reacted, with Avast, BitDefender, ESET-NOD32, Kaspersky, Microsoft, and other engines explicitly identifying EICAR. Four matching rules—malw_eicar, Multi_EICAR_ac8f42d6, SUSP_Just_EICAR, and SUSP_Just_EICAR_RID2C24—provide additional test-pattern corroboration.
Threat Behavior
EICAR is designed to trigger antivirus defenses without containing an operational malware payload. Saved runtime data includes T1055 and direct-IP activity, but no sandbox recorded a malicious verdict, and these artifacts are inconsistent with the tiny standardized test string. The host-reputation cross-check was not completed or saved, so no conclusion can be drawn about the listed IP addresses.
What To Do Now
If this file was intentionally downloaded for security testing, its detection confirms that protection is responding as expected. Keep antivirus and endpoint protection enabled, quarantine or delete the file after testing, and investigate only if it appeared unexpectedly or outside an authorized test.
Where this verdict could be wrong3 caveats
- behaviour.offensiveTechniques includes T1055, while triggeredHeuristics also reports possible credential-store access; these observations are atypical for the 68-byte test string and may be environmental noise.
- behaviour.contactedIps lists 15 addresses, but contactedHosts=null means no complete host-reputation cross-check is available.
- externalIntel.circl.knownMalicious references malshare.com, although the CIRCL record also identifies eicar.com and a legacy reference-software entry.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- engines.anyTestFileLabel=true confirms corroborated test-file labels.
- 12 tier-1 engines agree on the EICAR family.
- Four YARA rules specifically identify EICAR.
- The sample has 1,164,698 submissions and dates to 2006.
- behaviour.hasMaliciousSandboxVerdict=false.
- 66/74 engines trigger on the test signature by design.
- Runtime evidence maps activity to MITRE T1055.
- Observed IP contacts lack a completed host-reputation cross-check.
- The file may generate alerts or quarantine actions on protected systems.
Keep endpoint protection enabled and remove the file after any authorized detection test. If its presence was unexpected, review how it arrived and confirm no unrelated payload accompanied it.
Coverage & freshness
Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.
Antivirus
Complete66 of 74 engines flagged the file.
Sandbox
Complete1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.
Network
Partial20 runtime contacts were observed without a completed reputation cross-check.
YARA
Complete7 signature or behavior rules matched.
External intel
Complete3 of 3 independent reference sources completed.
Behavior
Plain-English impact first, then the observed runtime evidence.
Runtime flight recorder
Capture complete- 1isolated sandbox run
- 17MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 15spawned processes
- 20network contacts
- 32filesystem & mutex artifacts
Attack story
Runtime observations grouped by analysis stage. Arrows organize the stages; they do not claim chronology or causality.
Input file
The submitted object
- FileObserved
eicar.com-10074
275a021bbfb6489e54d471899f7db9d1663fc695ec2fe2a2c4538aabf651fd0f
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
xterm -hold -e /usr/bin/python /tmp/not virus _ _____ _8_ _ _____.py
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
/usr/bin/python /tmp/not virus _ _____ _8_ _ _____.py
03Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Files
Created or changed
- Written fileObserved
tty
/dev/tty
04Isolated runtime analysis - Written fileObserved
ptmx
/dev/ptmx
05Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Network
Hosts contacted
- Contacted hostObserved
185.125.188.57
Contact observed during runtime.
06Isolated runtime analysis - Contacted hostObserved
185.125.188.59
Contact observed during runtime.
07Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
7 recorded facts from one runtime window. Every fact remains independently traceable in Analyst mode.
What this file did when executed
This file was detonated in 1 sandbox and its runtime behaviour was observed.
Adversary techniques mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
- 185.125.188.57
- 185.125.188.59
- 17.248.195.64
- 17.253.5.207
- 17.248.195.73
- 17.248.195.69
- 17.157.64.66
- 44.235.78.64
- 23.223.199.184
- 17.36.202.255
- /dev/tty
- /dev/ptmx
- /dev/pts/0
- C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows PowerShell\Windows PowerShell.lnk
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations\PIIJL1IDGW5HS35J5EJ9.temp
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\CustomDestinations\590aee7bdd69b59b.customDestinations-ms~RFdc94.TMP
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\KnownGameList.bin
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\GameDVR\KnownGameList.update
- /Users/maria/Library/Caches/com.apple.remindd/fsCachedData_remove
- /var/db/powerlog/Library/BatteryLife/Archives/powerlog_2023-07-04-2023-07-05_E104859D.PLSQL-shm
- Global\冰㲧
- \Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\Local\SessionImmersiveColorMutex
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 10 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- 96ad1146eb96877eab59…87dcf7Never scannednever seen before
- 1cc796bce630bf6530e1…ef8e77Never scannednever seen before
- 168561fb18f8eba8043f…740e3fNever scannednever seen before
- 16997134e8eb21f83bd8…5e929cNever scannednever seen before
- c23066dc1a8143bdb3a7…95d57fNever scannednever seen before
- 6a17c684bc209562e101…cb8899Never scannednever seen before
- 4e7ae7d6f887d11c6983…e7939bNever scannednever seen before
- a7de5177c68a64bd48b3…5f65cfNever scannednever seen before
- 6b86b273ff34fce19d6b…875b4bNever scannednever seen before
- b24cb7441de0d2800494…e7f091Never scannednever seen before
Detection & Forensics
Consensus, attribution, signatures, code structure, prevalence, and identity.
Evidence integrity
Chain of custody for the facts preserved in this report.
- 7rule hits recorded
- 66 / 74engines flagged
- 3,557sources in submission history
Why these facts are shown
Each statement identifies whether it was directly recorded or derived from saved scan facts.
- 01
This is a recognized antivirus test file, not real malware; antivirus detections are expected.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceDerivedSourceCorroborated test-file classificationObserved at - 02
The hash has a long, established submission history across 3,557 sources.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceDerivedSourceSubmission historyObserved at - 03
66 of 74 antivirus engines flagged the file, including AhnLab-V3 and Alibaba.
ProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 04
Scanned file: eicar.com-10074 — 275a021bbfb6489e54d471899f7db9d1663fc695ec2fe2a2c4538aabf651fd0f
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — xterm -hold -e /usr/bin/python /tmp/not virus _ _____ _8_ _ _____.py
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — /usr/bin/python /tmp/not virus _ _____ _8_ _ _____.py
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: tty — /dev/tty
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
File written: ptmx — /dev/ptmx
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 09
Contacted host: 185.125.188.57 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 10
Contacted host: 185.125.188.59 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at
Detection sources at a glance
The available sources did not agree on a named threat category.
One or more independent reference databases matched this hash.
Signatures and behavior heuristics
A community signature or high-severity behavioral heuristic matched. Signatures identify known patterns; heuristics are strong leads but are not proof on their own.
- malw_eicar
- Multi_EICAR_ac8f42d6
- SUSP_Just_EICAR
- SUSP_Just_EICAR_RID2C24
The saved runtime evidence maps this activity to MITRE T1055 (Process Injection). The mapping supports possible process injection, but it does not prove the exact injection method or the operator's intent.
EvidenceC:\Windows\Explorer.EXESandbox observed process activity targeting LSASS (Windows credential store). Legitimate software has no business reading LSASS memory — this is Mimikatz-shape behaviour.
EvidenceC:\Windows\system32\lsass.exeThe sample contacted an external IP address directly and no application domain was recorded. Direct-IP traffic also occurs in legitimate installers and infrastructure, so this is supporting context only and requires corroboration from host reputation and other runtime evidence.
Evidence185.125.188.57 · 185.125.188.59 · 17.248.195.64
66 of 74 engines flagged this file
View all 74 engine results
PE structure
Not applicablePE structure analysis applies to Windows executable formats, not this file type.
How widely this file has been seen
Widely seen in the wild for a long time. High prior this is legitimate; isolated detections on common-old files are usually false positives.
Fingerprint and provenance
- File name
- eicar.com-10074
- Format
- Powershell
- Code signing
- Not applicable to this file type
- Size
- 68 B
- Last analyzed
- Sep 20, 2026, 12:35 AM UTC
275a021bbfb6489e54d471899f7db9d1663fc695ec2fe2a2c4538aabf651fd0fSafety & FAQ
Complete recovery guidance and answers for the next decision.
What to do now
This file appears low risk based on the evidence available now.
- Recovery step 01
Open it only when its sender or download source is one you independently trust.
- Recovery step 02
A clean result reduces known risk, but it cannot guarantee that every new or targeted threat has been detected.
- Recovery step 03
Keep your antivirus and Windows updates switched on so you stay protected.
Safety FAQ
Direct answers grounded in the saved verdict and evidence in this report.
Is eicar.com-10074 safe?
What is eicar.com-10074?
How many antivirus engines detected eicar.com-10074?
What is the SHA-256 hash of eicar.com-10074?
Is it safe to open eicar.com-10074?
How up to date is this analysis of eicar.com-10074?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.