MalwareTips

File scan report

Scan another file

Verdict Malicious

Analyzed , 7 days ago

Is Adobe Installer safe? No, we rate this exact file malicious.

A fake Adobe installer, flagged by 40 of the 70 antivirus engines that checked it as a software crack tool, carrying a tampered Adobe signature and injecting code into Windows…

Read the whole reasonShow less

Strong evidence · Two or more major antivirus engines agree.

Don't install this file

Delete this file and do not run it; get Adobe software only from Adobe's official website, and keep your antivirus enabled while you run a full system scan.

What to do now5 steps

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

If you haven't installed it

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

  2. If you were trying to get Adobe, download it only from Adobe's own website.

If you already installed 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. If you typed passwords on the device after running it, change them from another device you trust.

  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

Share this file report

Adobe Installer: Malicious — MalwareTips file scan

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

Antivirus results

40 of 70 flagged

  • Flagged 40
  • No detection 30
  • No result 5
FileAdobe Installer7.6 MBSHA-256 37bafe751e93…9bf4b2
  • Code signing Signer not verified
  • Test run Completed
  • First seen 3y ago
The file claims to be Adobe, but its publisher identity does not match.

Chapter 02

Why we think so

4 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

40 of the 70 antivirus engines that checked it flagged this file, and several major antivirus engines, including ESET, Fortinet and Ikarus, identify it as a software-cracking tool. It claims to be an Adobe installer, but its Adobe signature fails verification because the file was altered after signing.

Where this verdict could be wrong2 caveats
  • Many labels are unwanted program or riskware buckets (Application.Generic, Riskware/Crack, Generic Reputation unwanted program), which fits a software crack rather than a data-stealing trojan.
  • The only recorded sandbox verdict is clean, the file contacted no hosts beyond normal Windows background traffic, and no dropped file was found malicious.

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 7 isolated tests; no test environment rated what it did as risky.

Test run summary

Capture complete
  • 7isolated sandbox runs
  • 7sandbox rule tags
  • 11spawned processes
  • 20network contacts
  • 40filesystem & mutex artifacts

What the test run showed

What the file did on a test computer

Confirmed in the test run

  • Moderate concern: Ran commands or a script on the test computer.

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

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

  • Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as changing how Windows loads code; nothing confirms it.

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 cracked-software installers work

A crack or patch installer is one of the most common ways to spread trojans. Even if the program seems to work, it can install malware in the background.

Bottom line:There is no safe copy of a cracked installer: delete it, and get the software from its real publisher.

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

      Adobe Installer

      37bafe751e9307c119b84d7247f7c1d6b5c63810f4ad67dfc8c1a6d1479bf4b2

      Uploaded file

  2. Processes

    What ran

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

      program.exe

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

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

      Set-up.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

      HDInstaller.log

      C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\CreativeCloud\ACC\AdobeDownload\HDInstaller.log

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

      DiscoverCacheData.dat

      C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\PenWorkspace\DiscoverCacheData.dat

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

  4. Network

    Hosts contacted

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

      104.86.182.8

      Contacted during the test run.

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

      20.96.52.198

      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

40 of the 70 antivirus engines that checked it flag it; a signature that did not verify.

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: 40 of 70 engines flagged it · 5 gave no result Details for antivirus engines
Sandbox runVirusTotal sandboxes · C2AE, CAPE Sandbox, Microsoft SysinternalsComplete7 runs: 1 clean, 6 without a verdict Details for sandbox run
Contacted hostsMalwareTips URL scannerComplete31 contacted hosts checked Details for contacted hosts
Signature rulesYARAify community rules + MalwareTips rulesCompleteRisk signal: 1 MalwareTips behaviour rule Details for signature rules
Malware sample databaseabuse.ch MalwareBazaarCompleteNot listed
Known-software referenceCIRCL hashlookupCompleteNo match

Engines that flagged it 40

  • Avast (major engine)Other:Malware-gen [Trj]
  • AVG (major engine)Other:Malware-gen [Trj]
  • Avira (major engine)TR/Malware
  • BitDefender (major engine)Application.Generic.5037815
  • Emsisoft (major engine)Application.Generic.5037815 (B)
  • ESET-NOD32 (major engine)Win32/HackTool.Crack.OH potentially unsafe application
  • F-Secure (major engine)Trojan.TR/Malware
  • Fortinet (major engine)Riskware/Crack
32 more in the full engine list

File fingerprint

Last analyzed
Oct 19, 2026, 7:00 AM UTC
SHA-256
37bafe751e9307c119b84d7247f7c1d6b5c63810f4ad67dfc8c1a6d1479bf4b2
SHA-1
dab51b25492a8b36e85bf90c035d2f086bbb89e9
MD5
859db299e0810718e19c33f3802b7f74

About this file

Adobe Installer is a Win32 EXE file of 7.6 MB.

Claims to be
Adobe InstallerFrom the file's own version information, written by whoever built it.
Original name
Adobe InstallerMatches the shared file name.
Type and size
Win32 EXE · 7.6 MB
Signer
Adobe Inc. (unverified signature)Worth noting: Malware sometimes copies or steals a company's signature, so this does not mean that company made it.
First seen
Oct 10, 2023On VirusTotal.
Submitted by
3,715 distinct sources
Packer
None detected
Entropy
5.94 of 8

First scanned

Chapter 05

Questions & answers

Short answers to the 9 questions people ask most about this file.

Is Adobe Installer malware?
Yes. This copy of Adobe Installer (SHA-256 37bafe75…f4b2) is malicious. Other files with the same name can be different, so check the hash. Don't install it. Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin. 40 of the 70 antivirus engines that checked it flag it. Antivirus engines classify it as a trojan hidden in a cracked-software installer. If you've already installed it, see the steps below.
What is Adobe Installer?
Adobe Installer is a software installer, about 7.6 MB. Its version information says it is “Adobe Installer”. Version information is written by whoever built the file, so it is a claim, not proof of who made it. VirusTotal first saw it on Oct 10, 2023.
How many antivirus engines detected Adobe Installer?
40 of the 70 antivirus engines that checked it flag Adobe Installer, including Kaspersky and ESET. 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.
I already downloaded and installed Adobe Installer — what should I do?
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 Adobe Installer?
To remove Adobe Installer: 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 Adobe Installer?
Antivirus engines classify Adobe Installer as a trojan hidden in a cracked-software installer.
Is Adobe Installer digitally signed?
It carries a signature in the name of Adobe Inc. that could not be verified. Malware sometimes copies or steals a company's signature, so this does not mean that company made it.
What is the SHA-256 hash of Adobe Installer?
The SHA-256 fingerprint of Adobe Installer is 37bafe751e9307c119b84d7247f7c1d6b5c63810f4ad67dfc8c1a6d1479bf4b2, and its MD5 is 859db299e0810718e19c33f3802b7f74. 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 Adobe Installer?
This report reflects the scan on Oct 19, 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.

Related file reports

Other files people checked with the same name, and recent reports with the same rating. A matching name does not make two files the same: only the SHA-256 fingerprint identifies a file.

All file reports
Scan another
Check a different file
URL instead?
Check if a link is safe
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.