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Verdict Safe

Analyzed , 2 days ago

Is backgroundTaskHost.exe safe? Yes, no threats found.

This validly Microsoft-signed 64-bit executable was flagged by none of the 69 antivirus engines that checked it, the sandbox runs were clean, and five earlier files with the same…

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Strong evidence · A verified publisher signature, and no engine flags it.

Run it as usual if it came from the official source

No action is needed; this appears to be a genuine signed Microsoft component. Keep your antivirus protection enabled.

Good practice2 tips

We found nothing harmful in this file.

  1. Run it only if it came from the developer's own website or an official app store.

  2. Keep your antivirus and Windows updates switched on.

No scanner can promise a file is 100% safe.

Why we think so

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backgroundTaskHost.exe: Safe — MalwareTips file scan

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

Antivirus results

0 of 69 flagged

  • Flagged 0
  • No detection 69
  • No result 6
FilebackgroundTaskHost.exe60.8 kBSHA-256 3cb5ec154072…161f6f
  • Code signing Microsoft Windows
  • Test run Completed
  • First seen 1mo ago
It has a valid digital signature from Microsoft Windows.

Chapter 02

Why we think so

0 points against it and 4 in its favour, checked against the scan evidence.

MT AI Engine · Verdict analysis

The reasoning behind this verdict

Analyst conclusion

None of the 69 antivirus engines that checked it flagged this file, and it carries a valid Microsoft Windows signature. The combined sandbox verdict was clean with no injected processes or dropped files. Five similar earlier files from the same signer were all clean.

Where this verdict could be wrong1 caveat
  • A community YARA rule named for a ransomware family matched, but it is classed as generic and nothing else (engines, sandbox behaviour, dropped files) supports it.

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

Test run summary

Capture complete
  • 3isolated sandbox runs
  • 9sandbox rule tags
  • 2spawned processes
  • 0network contacts
  • 1filesystem & mutex artifacts

Chapter 04

Technical details

None of the 69 antivirus engines that checked it flag it; signed by Microsoft Windows.

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 enginesCompletePositive signal: 0 of 69 engines flagged it · 6 gave no result Details for antivirus engines
Sandbox runVirusTotal sandboxes · CAPA, CAPE Sandbox, ZenboxComplete3 runs: 1 clean, 2 without a verdict Details for sandbox run
Contacted hostsMalwareTips URL scannerComplete1 contacted host checked
Signature rulesYARAify community rules + MalwareTips rulesComplete2 community YARA rules (generic only) · 1 MalwareTips behaviour rule Details for signature rules
Malware sample databaseabuse.ch MalwareBazaarCompleteNot listed
Known-software referenceCIRCL hashlookupCompleteNo match

File fingerprint

Last analyzed
Oct 23, 2026, 4:55 PM UTC
SHA-256
3cb5ec15407212ab5220d6ec38c8304f834840e6e38b2b43ebe5c3bf7a161f6f
SHA-1
50b13589b2f0e59da9fe30cc902abf90af8e273f
MD5
9ffd4330ed2f9f777b6965f279a8a91c

About this file

backgroundTaskHost.exe is a Win32 EXE file of 60.8 kB.

Claims to be
Background Task Host (Microsoft® Windows® Operating System)From the file's own version information, written by whoever built it.
Original name
backgroundTaskHost.exeMatches the shared file name.
Type and size
Win32 EXE · 60.8 kB
Signer
Microsoft WindowsValid code signature.
First seen
Sep 22, 2026On VirusTotal.
Submitted by
48 distinct sources
Packer
None detected
Entropy
1.41 of 8

First scanned

Chapter 05

Questions & answers

Short answers to the 7 questions people ask most about this file.

Is backgroundTaskHost.exe safe?
We found nothing harmful in backgroundTaskHost.exe. None of the 69 antivirus engines that checked it flag it. It has a valid digital signature from Microsoft Windows. Run it only if it came from the developer's own website or an official app store.
What is backgroundTaskHost.exe?
backgroundTaskHost.exe is a Windows program, about 60.8 kB. Its version information says it is “Background Task Host” (Microsoft® Windows® Operating System). The digital signature from Microsoft Windows checks out. VirusTotal first saw it on Sep 22, 2026.
How many antivirus engines detected backgroundTaskHost.exe?
None of the 69 antivirus engines that checked it flag backgroundTaskHost.exe. That is a good sign, but not proof, so we also weigh who made it, how widely it is used and what it did in a test run.
Is backgroundTaskHost.exe digitally signed?
Yes. backgroundTaskHost.exe has a valid digital signature from Microsoft Windows, which shows the file hasn't been changed since that publisher signed it. Malware is sometimes signed with stolen certificates, so a signature alone isn't proof of safety.
What is the SHA-256 hash of backgroundTaskHost.exe?
The SHA-256 fingerprint of backgroundTaskHost.exe is 3cb5ec15407212ab5220d6ec38c8304f834840e6e38b2b43ebe5c3bf7a161f6f, and its MD5 is 9ffd4330ed2f9f777b6965f279a8a91c. 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.
Is it safe to run backgroundTaskHost.exe?
We found nothing harmful in backgroundTaskHost.exe, and its digital signature checks out. The main caveat is where you got it: attackers sometimes spread malware under the name of real software, so get it from the official website. If your own antivirus warns about it, check the source before you ignore the warning.
How up to date is this analysis of backgroundTaskHost.exe?
This report reflects the scan on Oct 23, 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 or signer, 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.

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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.