Is dowser.exe safe?
Signed Paradox Interactive executable with zero engine detections and widespread legitimate distribution.
All 74 engines returned clean results. The file is signed by Paradox Interactive AB and has been submitted by 1646 sources over nearly four years with no malicious child files or sandbox verdicts.
3990514ea7d5568913…1738e84c417bb3Recommended next actions
Before running
Run it only when it came from the developer's official site or another source you independently trust.
If you already ran 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.
All 74 engines returned clean results. The file is signed by Paradox Interactive AB and has been submitted by 1646 sources over nearly four years with no malicious child files or sandbox verdicts.
Zero malicious detections across tier-1, tier-2 and low-trust engines combined with a verified Paradox Interactive signature and common_old prevalence classification indicate the file is the legitimate Paradox launcher component. Sandbox analysis recorded no malicious verdict and dropped children were clean. The single offensive MITRE technique (T1055) is a heuristic mapping only and is outweighed by the absence of detections and the established publisher.
What We Detected
74 engines scanned the 7.8 MB Win32 executable; none flagged it malicious. The binary is code-signed by Paradox Interactive AB (publ) with a verified certificate dated 2022. Prevalence data shows 1870 submissions from 1646 distinct sources since November 2022, classifying it as common_old.
Threat Behavior
One sandbox recorded MITRE T1055 (process injection) and direct-IP traffic, but returned no malicious verdict. Seven dropped child files were inspected and none received malicious verdicts. No external-intel hits from CIRCL, MalwareBazaar or YARAify.
What To Do Now
The file matches the expected Paradox Interactive launcher component. Keep endpoint protection enabled; no further action required.
Where this verdict could be wrong1 caveat
- contactedHosts=null — host-reputation cross-check not completed; cannot assert clean network behaviour.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- Verified Paradox Interactive signature
- Zero engine detections across 74 scanners
- Common_old prevalence with 1646 submitters
- No malicious dropped children
The sample can be considered safe; retain existing security software and allow normal operation.
Coverage & freshness
Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.
Antivirus
Complete0 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
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
- 17MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 15spawned processes
- 20network contacts
- 33filesystem & 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
dowser.exe
3990514ea7d5568913d0ee65b991434f55304959b19bb74b411738e84c417bb3
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\executable.exe"
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
msiexec /fa C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\launcher-installer-windows /passive
03Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Files
Created or changed
- Written fileObserved
launcher-dowser.log
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\launcher-dowser.log
04Isolated runtime analysis - Written fileObserved
BaseNamedObjects
\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects
05Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Network
Hosts contacted
- Contacted hostObserved
50.17.180.22
Contact observed during runtime.
06Isolated runtime analysis - Contacted hostObserved
100.52.117.45
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.
- 50.17.180.22
- 100.52.117.45
- 184.73.217.172
- 20.99.184.37
- 23.216.147.78
- a83f:8110:de01:0:0:0:0:0
- 23.216.147.76
- 20.99.133.109
- 192.229.211.108
- 131.253.33.203
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\launcher-dowser.log
- \Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects
- C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\launcher-dowser.log
- \??\NUL
- C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\launcher-installer.log
- C:\Windows\Installer\inprogressinstallinfo.ipi
- %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\launcher-installer.log
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERC30.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERC31.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERCDD.tmp.csv
- Global\MSILOG_4b35cbd91da92aegol.rellatsni-rehcnual_sgol_2v-rehcnual_evitcaretnI xodaraP_lacoL_ataDppA_onurB_sresU_:C
- Local\SM0:2992:304:WilStaging_02
- Global\_MSIExecute
- Local\SM0:3468:304:WilStaging_02
- Global\MSILOG_68baac561d8ecd6gol.rellatsni-rehcnual_sgol_2v-rehcnual_evitcaretnI xodaraP_lacoL_ataDppA_eruza_sresU_:C
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 7 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- 8e9b7c25c1eed09b1930…f3fc9dNever scannednever seen before
- 482d90c49d32b7db468e…9118e2Never scannednever seen before
- dd50f3c1b6f14198fc00…a5e58fNever scannednever seen before
- 0ce9ad8f6da60929a4dc…3d1c35Never scannednever seen before
- 6d6d4e155cf7748a6a92…224148Never scannednever seen before
- 9ffcc49ffd850615423e…dc8b55Never scannednever seen before
- 9e84c3c4a7fe33686d3f…b42c1eNever 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
- 0 / 74engines flagged
- 1,646sources in submission history
Why these facts are shown
Each statement identifies whether it was directly recorded or derived from saved scan facts.
- 01
0 of 74 antivirus engines flagged the file.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 02
The hash has a long, established submission history across 1,646 sources.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceDerivedSourceSubmission historyObserved at - 03
The file has a valid code signature from Paradox Interactive AB (publ).
ProvenanceObservedSourceCode-signing metadataObserved at - 04
Scanned file: dowser.exe — 3990514ea7d5568913d0ee65b991434f55304959b19bb74b411738e84c417bb3
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — "C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\executable.exe"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — msiexec /fa C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\launcher-installer-windows /passive
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: launcher-dowser.log — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\launcher-dowser.log
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
File written: BaseNamedObjects — \Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 09
Contacted host: 50.17.180.22 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 10
Contacted host: 100.52.117.45 — 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\system32\svchost.exe -k DcomLaunch -pThe 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.
Evidence50.17.180.22 · 100.52.117.45 · 184.73.217.172
0 of 74 engines flagged this file
View all 74 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
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
- dowser.exe
- Format
- Win32 EXE
- Code signing
- Signature valid: Paradox Interactive AB (publ)
- Size
- 7.5 MB
- Last analyzed
- Sep 7, 2026, 10:47 AM UTC
3990514ea7d5568913d0ee65b991434f55304959b19bb74b411738e84c417bb3Safety & 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
Run it only when it came 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 dowser.exe safe?
What is dowser.exe?
How many antivirus engines detected dowser.exe?
Is dowser.exe digitally signed?
What is the SHA-256 hash of dowser.exe?
Is it safe to run dowser.exe?
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Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.