File scan report
Verdict Safe
Is dowser.
Signed Paradox Interactive executable with zero engine detections and widespread legitimate distribution.
Strong evidence · A verified publisher signature, and no engine flags it.
The sample can be considered safe; retain existing security software and allow normal operation.
Good practice2 tips
We found nothing harmful in this file.
Run it only if it came from the developer's own website or an official app store.
Keep your antivirus and Windows updates switched on.
No scanner can promise a file is 100% safe.
Reads the latest antivirus results for this file's hash. Nothing is uploaded.
Antivirus results
0 of 70 flagged
- Flagged 0
- No detection 70
- No result 4
- Code signing Paradox Interactive AB (publ)
- Test run Completed
- First seen 3y ago
Chapter 02
Why we think so
0 points against it and 4 in its favour, checked against the scan evidence.
The reasoning behind this verdict
All 70 antivirus engines that checked it 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 files it created or sandbox verdicts.
Zero malicious detections across major, smaller and less reliable engines combined with a verified Paradox Interactive signature and widely seen and long established prevalence classification indicate the file is the legitimate Paradox launcher component. Sandbox analysis recorded no malicious verdict and files it created were clean. The single offensive MITRE technique is a rule-based 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 widely seen and long established.
Threat Behavior
One sandbox recorded MITRE T1055 (process injection) and direct-IP traffic, but returned no malicious verdict. Seven files for files it created 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 security software enabled; no further action required.
Where this verdict could be wrong1 caveat
- No contacted-host reputation result was saved — 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 files it created
6 sources checked · 5 complete · 1 partial. See every source
Chapter 03
What it did in our test
It ran in our isolated test environment; no test environment rated what it did as risky.
Test run summary
Capture complete- 17sandbox rule tags
- 7spawned processes
- 5network contacts
- 33filesystem & mutex artifacts
What this file did when executed
This file was run in a sandbox and its runtime behaviour was observed.
Techniques observed in the sandbox
17MITRE ATT&CK techniques the sandbox mapped. Highlighted ones are rare in normal software; the others are common in legitimate programs too.
- T1018
- T1027· Obfuscated code
- T1027.002· Obfuscated code
- T1036
- T1055· Process injection
- T1057· Lists programs
- T1059· Runs commands
- T1071· Application protocol
- T1082· System recon
- T1095· Custom network
- T1112
- T1129· Loads modules
- T1198
- T1518.001· Checks your AV
- T1553
- T1573
- T1574.002· Execution hijack
Observed activity
Processes started
7Programs the file ran, with their command lines.
executable.exe"C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\executable.exe"msiexecmsiexec /fa C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\launcher-installer-windows /passivemsiexecmsiexec /i C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\launcher-installer-windows /passive /L*v "C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\launcher-installer.log"msiexecmsiexec /i C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\launcher-installer-windows /L*v "C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\launcher-installer.log"3990514ea7d5568913d0ee65b991434f55304959b19bb74b411738e84c417bb3.exe%SAMPLEPATH%\3990514ea7d5568913d0ee65b991434f55304959b19bb74b411738e84c417bb3.exemsiexec.exeC:\Windows\System32\msiexec.exe
Show all 7 entries for processes started
file.exe%SAMPLEPATH%\file.exe
Network contacts
55 hosts, listed as 5 addresses. Links show the host and path only.
- IP address
50.17.180.22 - IP address
100.52.117.45 - IP address
184.73.217.172 - IP address
23.216.147.78 - IP address
104.96.203.51
Files
23Files the file created, changed or deleted.
- Written
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\launcher-dowser.log - Written
\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects - Written
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\launcher-dowser.log - Written
\??\NUL - Written
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\launcher-installer.log - Written
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive
Show all 23 entries for files
- Written
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2 - Written
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs - Deleted
C:\Windows\Installer\inprogressinstallinfo.ipi - Deleted
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2\logs\launcher-installer.log - Deleted
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERC30.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml - Deleted
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERC31.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml - Deleted
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERCDD.tmp.csv - Deleted
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERCDC.tmp.csv - Deleted
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERD1D.tmp.txt - Deleted
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERD1C.tmp.txt - Deleted
C:\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0\cache\cache.dat - Deleted
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER215E.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml - Deleted
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER2219.tmp.csv - Deleted
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER2249.tmp.txt - Deleted
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER2353.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml - Deleted
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER2354.tmp.csv - Deleted
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER2364.tmp.txt
Registry and auto-start
1Settings the file changed, including ways to start again after a restart.
- Deleted
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\AuthRoot\Certificates\AD7E1C28B064EF8F6003402014C3D0E3370EB58A
Mutexes
10Named locks a program uses so only one copy runs; malware families often reuse them.
Global\MSILOG_4b35cbd91da92aegol.rellatsni-rehcnual_sgol_2v-rehcnual_evitcaretnI xodaraP_lacoL_ataDppA_onurB_sresU_:CLocal\SM0:2992:304:WilStaging_02Global\_MSIExecuteLocal\SM0:3468:304:WilStaging_02Global\MSILOG_68baac561d8ecd6gol.rellatsni-rehcnual_sgol_2v-rehcnual_evitcaretnI xodaraP_lacoL_ataDppA_eruza_sresU_:CGlobal\MSILOG_d449a5901d8f0dbgol.rellatsni-rehcnual_sgol_2v-rehcnual_evitcaretnI xodaraP_lacoL_ataDppA_tluv.r_sresU_:C
Show all 10 entries for mutexes
Local\MSCTF.Asm.MutexDefault1\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\Global\MSILOG_bca2f61e1d8f064gol.rellatsni-rehcnual_sgol_2v-rehcnual_evitcaretnI xodaraP_lacoL_ataDppA_egroeg_sresU_:C\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\Global\_MSIExecute\BaseNamedObjects\Local\SM0:7932:304:WilStaging_02
Sandbox background — not the file
23The analysis machine's own processes and connections, recorded in every run.
- VM process
services.exeC:\Windows\system32\services.exe - VM process
svchost.exeC:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k DcomLaunch -p - VM process
msiexec.exeC:\Windows\system32\msiexec.exe /V - VM process
SecurityHealthService.exeC:\Windows\system32\SecurityHealthService.exe - VM process
wuapihost.exeC:\Windows\System32\wuapihost.exe - VM process
updater.exeC:\Program Files\Google1400_583847156\bin\updater.exe
Show all 23 entries for sandbox background — not the file
- VM process
UI0Detect.exeC:\Windows\System32\UI0Detect.exe - VM process
updater.exeC:\Program Files\Google3964_400264292\bin\updater.exe - VM host
20.99.184.37 - VM host
a83f:8110:de01:0:0:0:0:0 - VM host
23.216.147.76 - VM host
20.99.133.109 - VM host
192.229.211.108 - VM host
131.253.33.203 - VM host
20.69.140.28 - VM host
104.86.182.43 - VM host
20.99.186.246 - VM host
a83f:8110:e5c0:7cff:e5c0:7cff:e5c0:7cff - VM host
192.168.0.1 - VM host
23.216.147.64 - VM host
20.99.185.48 - VM host
a83f:8110:0:0:6780:21:0:0 - VM host
a83f:8110:0:0:beac:bf78:cce1:d301
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 7 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache. 7 have no saved verdict and were not checked; that is missing coverage, not a finding.
- 8e9b7c25c1eed09b1930…f3fc9dNot checkedno saved verdict
- 482d90c49d32b7db468e…9118e2Not checkedno saved verdict
- dd50f3c1b6f14198fc00…a5e58fNot checkedno saved verdict
- 0ce9ad8f6da60929a4dc…3d1c35Not checkedno saved verdict
- 6d6d4e155cf7748a6a92…224148Not checkedno saved verdict
- 9ffcc49ffd850615423e…dc8b55Not checkedno saved verdict
- 9e84c3c4a7fe33686d3f…b42c1eNot checkedno saved verdict
Chapter 04
Technical details
None of the 70 antivirus engines that checked it flag it; signed by Paradox Interactive AB (publ).
Sources checked
Every check behind this verdict
6 sources checked · 5 complete · 1 partial. Complete means the check returned a usable result; it does not mean the file is safe.
File fingerprint
- Last analyzed
- Sep 7, 2026, 10:47 AM UTC
- SHA-256
3990514ea7d5568913d0ee65b991434f55304959b19bb74b411738e84c417bb3- SHA-1
fe6e4a2b99ce989d4d01f06b2e2dd2413e7bf9f8- MD5
7fe817df05fe87b9e701e58acc4f6a78
About this file
dowser.exe is a Win32 EXE file of 7.8 MB.
- Type and size
- Win32 EXE · 7.8 MB
- Signer
- Paradox Interactive AB (publ)Valid code signature.
- First seen
- Nov 4, 2022On VirusTotal.
- Submitted by
- 1,646 distinct sources
- Packer
- None detected
- Entropy
- 7.64 of 8
First scanned
Antivirus consensus
0 of 70 engines flagged this file
4 of the 74 engines returned no result for this file (file type not supported, or the scan did not finish), so they did not check it.
- Tier-118 engines0flagged
- Tier-235 engines0flagged
- Low-trust17 engines0flagged
View all 74 engine results
- AcronisClean
- AhnLab-V3Clean
- AlibabaClean
- alibabacloudClean
- ALYacClean
- Antiy-AVLClean
- APEXClean
- ArcabitClean
- AvastClean
- Avast-MobileNo result
- AVGClean
- AviraClean
- BitDefenderClean
- BitDefenderFalxNo result
- BkavClean
- CAT-QuickHealClean
- ClamAVClean
- CMCClean
- CrowdStrikeClean
- CTXClean
- CylanceClean
- CynetClean
- DrWebClean
- ElasticClean
- EmsisoftClean
- ESET-NOD32Clean
- F-SecureClean
- FortinetClean
- GDataClean
- GoogleClean
- GridinsoftClean
- huorongClean
- IkarusClean
- JiangminClean
- K7AntiVirusClean
- K7GWClean
- KasperskyClean
- KingsoftClean
- LionicClean
- MalwarebytesClean
- MaxSecureClean
- McAfeeDClean
- MicrosoftClean
- MicroWorld-eScanClean
- NANO-AntivirusClean
- PaloaltoClean
- PandaClean
- RisingClean
- SangforClean
- SentinelOneClean
- SkyhighClean
- SophosClean
- SUPERAntiSpywareClean
- SymantecClean
- SymantecMobileInsightNo result
- TACHYONClean
- tehtrisClean
- TencentClean
- TrapmineClean
- TrellixENSClean
- TrendMicroClean
- TrendMicro-HouseCallClean
- TrustlookNo result
- VaristClean
- VBA32Clean
- VIPREClean
- VirITClean
- ViRobotClean
- WebrootClean
- XcitiumClean
- YandexClean
- ZillyaClean
- ZoneAlarmClean
- ZonerClean
Signatures and behavior heuristics
Low-severity pattern matches — worth noting but not on their own cause for alarm.
VirusTotal's sandbox summary maps this run to MITRE T1055 (Process Injection), but no injected process of the sample's own was recorded (the analysis VM's own WMI adapter, crash handlers and Chrome updater are not counted). VirusTotal maps T1055 on about half of all files no engine flags, so the mapping alone is not evidence of injection.
EvidenceT1055 (sandbox MITRE mapping)
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.
Chapter 05
Questions & answers
Short answers to the 7 questions people ask most about this file.
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?
How up to date is this analysis of dowser.exe?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.