Is MelonLoader.Installer.dll safe?
Only Zillya flagged this widely submitted MelonLoader installer, while 17 tier-one engines remained silent and observed downloads matched its official GitHub release channel.
The lone generic Zillya detection is not corroborated by any of 17 tier-one engines or by external malware intelligence. Runtime activity included T1055 and direct-IP connections, but the sandbox issued no malware finding, observed URLs matched the official project repository, and no inspected child was malicious.
27b9ec8d7e937e7533…adfe67c96d0232Recommended next actions
Before using
Use it only as part of software obtained from the developer's official site or another source you independently trust.
If you already used 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 lone generic Zillya detection is not corroborated by any of 17 tier-one engines or by external malware intelligence. Runtime activity included T1055 and direct-IP connections, but the sandbox issued no malware finding, observed URLs matched the official project repository, and no inspected child was malicious.
One of 75 engines detected the file, and that result was a generic Zillya Trojan.Agent label rather than a corroborated family identification. All 17 tier-one engines reported no detection, substantially weakening the isolated alert. A completed sandbox recorded T1055 and direct-IP traffic, but it produced no malicious verdict and the observed URLs targeted the official LavaGang MelonLoader release API. No inspected child was malicious, and neither MalwareBazaar nor YARAify supplied supporting intelligence. The unsigned status and incomplete contacted-host reputation coverage reduce certainty, but the file's substantial prevalence and official release-channel behavior favor a false positive.
What We Detected
Zillya was the only engine to flag the sample, using the generic label Trojan.Agent.Win32.4554238. The remaining results included no detections from all 17 tier-one engines, such as BitDefender, Kaspersky, ESET-NOD32, Avast, and Fortinet. The file has also been submitted 7,366 times by 3,578 sources, which indicates meaningful distribution rather than an isolated appearance.
Threat Behavior
One completed sandbox run mapped activity to T1055 Process Injection and observed direct-IP traffic. However, it returned no malicious sandbox verdict, found no persistence indicators, and the recorded URLs referenced the official LavaGang MelonLoader GitHub API and release paths. Three dropped children were inspected without a malicious result, while MalwareBazaar and YARAify provided no corroboration. Host-reputation coverage was incomplete because only one host was inspected despite multiple observed IP and URL contacts.
What To Do Now
Use a copy downloaded directly from the official LavaGang MelonLoader.Installer GitHub release page and verify any published checksum when available. Keep endpoint protection enabled, and avoid copies redistributed through unrelated download sites because this executable is unsigned.
Where this verdict could be wrong4 caveats
- signing.signed=false despite signing.applicable=true, so no verified publisher certificate authenticates this executable.
- The completed sandbox mapped activity to T1055 Process Injection, an offensive technique requiring caution even though no malicious sandbox verdict was produced.
- MalwareTips.Synth.DirectIpC2 fired for 140.82.114.5 and 162.159.36.2; contactedHosts inspected only 1 host, so complete reputation coverage of both observed IPs and all URL hosts is unavailable.
- Zillya labeled the sample Trojan.Agent.Win32.4554238, although no other engine corroborated that generic family label.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- Only 1/75 engines detected the sample
- engines.tier1Malicious=0 and 17 tier-one engines reported no detection
- Observed URLs matched the official LavaGang MelonLoader release API
- No malicious child among 3 inspected dropped files
- No MalwareBazaar or YARAify corroboration
- Unsigned Win32 executable despite code signing being applicable
- Runtime evidence mapped activity to MITRE T1055 Process Injection
- Direct-IP network activity was observed
- Contacted-host reputation coverage was incomplete
- One generic Trojan.Agent detection from Zillya
Obtain the installer only from the official LavaGang GitHub release page and keep endpoint protection enabled. Recheck or discard the file if its hash differs from the official release asset.
Coverage & freshness
Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.
Antivirus
Complete1 of 75 engines flagged the file.
Sandbox
Complete1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.
Network
Partial1 of 3 contacted hosts were cross-checked; coverage is incomplete.
YARA
Complete2 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
- 18MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 4spawned processes
- 8network contacts
- 19filesystem & 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
MelonLoader.Installer.dll
27b9ec8d7e937e75333f32a4c8b38cb448b389cba9bd4eec32adfe67c96d0232
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
C:\Windows\system32\services.exe
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\MelonLoader.Installer.exe"
03Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Files
Created or changed
- Written fileObserved
av_libglesv2.dll
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\.net\MelonLoader.Installer\15fc\av_libglesv2.dll
04Isolated runtime analysis - Written fileObserved
libHarfBuzzSharp.dll
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\.net\MelonLoader.Installer\15fc\libHarfBuzzSharp.dll
05Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Network
Hosts contacted
- Contacted hostObserved
140.82.114.5
Contact observed during runtime.
06Isolated runtime analysis - Contacted hostObserved
162.159.36.2
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.
- 140.82.114.5
- 162.159.36.2
- https://api.github.com:443/repos/LavaGang/MelonLoader.Installer/releases/latest
- https://api.github.com:443/repos/LavaGang/MelonLoader/actions/workflows/5411546/runs?branch=alpha-development&event=push&status=success&per_page=5
- https://api.github.com:443/repos/LavaGang/MelonLoader/releases
- https://api.github.com/repos/LavaGang/MelonLoader.Installer/releases/latest
- https://api.github.com/repos/LavaGang/MelonLoader/actions/workflows/5411546/runs?branch=alpha-development&event=push&status=success&per_page=5
- https://api.github.com/repos/LavaGang/MelonLoader/releases
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\.net\MelonLoader.Installer\15fc\av_libglesv2.dll
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\.net\MelonLoader.Installer\15fc\libHarfBuzzSharp.dll
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\.net\MelonLoader.Installer\15fc\libSkiaSharp.dll
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\.net\MelonLoader.Installer\RxHvaxYTQ7BH
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\MelonLoader Installer\process.lock
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\.net\MelonLoader.Installer\15fc
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\KnownGameList.bin
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\GameDVR\KnownGameList.update
- Local\SessionImmersiveColorMutex
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 3 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- 9d37fb8059b3492f1f32…7b6048Never scannednever seen before
- 9b203e40323b49dad295…a847d4Clean0/75 enginestrust 88from our cache
- e3b0c44298fc1c149afb…52b855Never 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.
- 2rule hits recorded
- 1 / 75engines flagged
- 3,578sources in submission history
Why these facts are shown
Each statement identifies whether it was directly recorded or derived from saved scan facts.
- 01
1 high-confidence signature or behavior rule matched this file.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceDerivedSourceSignature and behavior rulesObserved at - 02
1 of 75 antivirus engines flagged the file, including Zillya.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 03
The hash has been submitted 7,366 times from 3,578 sources.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceSaved report factsObserved at - 04
Scanned file: MelonLoader.Installer.dll — 27b9ec8d7e937e75333f32a4c8b38cb448b389cba9bd4eec32adfe67c96d0232
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — C:\Windows\system32\services.exe
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\MelonLoader.Installer.exe"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: av_libglesv2.dll — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\.net\MelonLoader.Installer\15fc\av_libglesv2.dll
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
File written: libHarfBuzzSharp.dll — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\.net\MelonLoader.Installer\15fc\libHarfBuzzSharp.dll
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 09
Contacted host: 140.82.114.5 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 10
Contacted host: 162.159.36.2 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at
Detection sources at a glance
The available sources did not agree on a named threat category.
MalwareBazaar, YARAify, and CIRCL hashlookup completed and returned no entries for 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.
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.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.
Evidence140.82.114.5 · 162.159.36.2
1 of 75 engines flagged this file
View all 75 engine results
Section entropy & packers
No high-entropy executable section or known packer signature was detected. Data and resource sections can still have high entropy without indicating packed code.
How widely this file has been seen
Moderate prevalence — neither rare nor common. No strong prior applies.
Fingerprint and provenance
- File name
- MelonLoader.Installer.dll
- Format
- Win32 EXE
- Code signing
- No verified publisher
- Size
- 21.6 MB
- Last analyzed
- Sep 13, 2026, 5:09 PM UTC
27b9ec8d7e937e75333f32a4c8b38cb448b389cba9bd4eec32adfe67c96d0232Safety & 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
Use it only as part of software obtained from the developer's official site or another source 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 MelonLoader.Installer.dll safe?
What is MelonLoader.Installer.dll?
How many antivirus engines detected MelonLoader.Installer.dll?
What is the SHA-256 hash of MelonLoader.Installer.dll?
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Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.