Is version.dll safe?
Unsigned 5.5 MB DLL with strong tier-1 consensus on crack/hacktool family and four offensive MITRE techniques.
33 of 75 engines flag the file, including six tier-1 detections that converge on the crack family. The sample is unsigned, exhibits process-injection and persistence techniques, and has no prior clean RAG history.
4e12ff9a72b7c2357f…c85ba7c57e8c8eRecommended next actions
Before using
Do not use it. Quarantine this component with your antivirus, then repair or reinstall the parent software from its official source. Do not delete or replace the component manually.
If you already used it
Disconnect from the internet, start a full or offline antivirus scan, then secure important accounts from a clean device.
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.
33 of 75 engines flag the file, including six tier-1 detections that converge on the crack family. The sample is unsigned, exhibits process-injection and persistence techniques, and has no prior clean RAG history.
The combination of a strong tier-1 family consensus on crack, confirmed hacktool labels, and four offensive MITRE techniques observed in sandbox outweighs the file's age and wide distribution. Lack of code signing and direct-IP contacts without domain resolution add further risk. No test-file or signed-commercial-FP patterns apply.
What We Detected
33 of 75 engines report the sample malicious; six tier-1 engines agree on the crack family. The file is an unsigned Win32 DLL named version.dll that implements process injection (T1055), service creation (T1543.002/003), and defense-evasion (T1562.001).
Threat Behavior
Sandbox execution shows direct-IP connections, rundll32 side-loading patterns, and multiple crash-dump artifacts consistent with loader activity. Ten child files were dropped, none of which have independent malicious verdicts yet.
What To Do Now
Do not execute or distribute the file. Keep endpoint protection enabled and remove the sample from any systems where it was introduced.
Where this verdict could be wrong1 caveat
- One community comment claims two years of use with no issues, but this is anecdotal and outweighed by the tier-1 consensus.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- Strong tier-1 consensus on crack/hacktool family
- Unsigned DLL with offensive MITRE techniques
- Direct-IP C2 traffic observed
- Common filename (version.dll) used for sideloading
Delete the file and scan any systems that executed it; maintain current antivirus definitions.
Coverage & freshness
Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.
Antivirus
Complete33 of 75 engines flagged the file.
Sandbox
Complete1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.
Network
Partial4 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
- 29MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 15spawned processes
- 4network contacts
- 40filesystem & mutex artifacts
What this file does
Observed actions and their security significance
High concern: Created or modified a scheduled task, which can provide persistence.
High concern: Injected code into another process, a technique that can conceal execution.
High concern: Used an input-capture technique that can record credentials or keystrokes.
High concern: Created or modified a system service, which can keep code running.
High concern: Attempted to impair or bypass security controls.
High concern: Manipulated how the operating system loads code, which can redirect execution.
Moderate concern: Contained obfuscated or packed code that makes inspection harder.
These are observed capabilities from an isolated analysis. A technique does not prove malicious intent on its own, and the file never ran on your device.
Threat context
How hacktools are abused
This is a hacking or cracking tool — the kind used to bypass software licences, generate fake keys, or attack other systems. Even when the tool 'works', these downloads very often carry hidden malware.
Bottom line:Running one means trusting an anonymous author with full access to your PC — rarely worth the risk.
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
version.dll
4e12ff9a72b7c2357f46ef645400cb6311330ced73ee787244c85ba7c57e8c8e
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe" "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\library.dll",#1
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
C:\Windows\System32\loaddll32.exe loaddll32.exe "C:\Users\user\Desktop\readme.dll"
03Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Files
Created or changed
- Written fileObserved
AppCrash_loaddll32.exe_8e2b68384082682205c3ef7e225c68e5e4a4e_f2262bc1_162cfb15
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_loaddll32.exe_8e2b68384082682205c3ef7e225c68e5e4a4e_f2262bc1_162cfb15
04Isolated runtime analysis - Written fileObserved
Report.wer
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_loaddll32.exe_8e2b68384082682205c3ef7e225c68e5e4a4e_f2262bc1_162cfb15\Report.wer
05Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Network
Hosts contacted
- Contacted hostObserved
52.147.198.201
Contact observed during runtime.
06Isolated runtime analysis - Contacted hostObserved
34.120.208.123
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.
- 52.147.198.201
- 34.120.208.123
- 91.189.91.42
- 91.189.91.43
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_loaddll32.exe_8e2b68384082682205c3ef7e225c68e5e4a4e_f2262bc1_162cfb15
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_loaddll32.exe_8e2b68384082682205c3ef7e225c68e5e4a4e_f2262bc1_162cfb15\Report.wer
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF539.tmp
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF539.tmp.dmp
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF691.tmp
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER2742.tmp.csv
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER2762.tmp.txt
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF539.tmp
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF539.tmp.dmp
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERF691.tmp
- \Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\Local\WERReportingForProcess4568
- \Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\Global\81b94213-2597-48e2-b8f6-b415da31fd80
- \Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\Local\WERReportingForProcess2980
- \Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\Global\65c2f125-9e05-458b-aa2d-1a0988061914
- \Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\Local\WERReportingForProcess476
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 10 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- 724721cfea3b63406a87…890b08Never scannednever seen before
- 73be6441e246d72e4871…f6c497Never scannednever seen before
- 672f4fa5e4a255ff5085…01868fNever scannednever seen before
- bd01689e2446e3a950f8…28599aNever scannednever seen before
- fb9cba52ff250080f63d…31b5a1Never scannednever seen before
- b334385fefe9d9be990c…d97ff1Never scannednever seen before
- 3a12e1b10bf86420fa6c…2fee1cNever scannednever seen before
- e436d3b12a0402ca3c97…0c4d05Never scannednever seen before
- efad7bd8e8382c213443…a04bb1Never scannednever seen before
- 4b8f3ad779f2315b6ef7…b29566Never 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
- 33 / 75engines flagged
- 3,712sources 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
33 of 75 antivirus engines flagged the file, including alibabacloud and Antiy-AVL.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 03
The hash has a long, established submission history across 3,712 sources.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceSubmission historyObserved at - 04
Scanned file: version.dll — 4e12ff9a72b7c2357f46ef645400cb6311330ced73ee787244c85ba7c57e8c8e
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — "C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe" "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\library.dll",#1
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — C:\Windows\System32\loaddll32.exe loaddll32.exe "C:\Users\user\Desktop\readme.dll"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: AppCrash_loaddll32.exe_8e2b68384082682205c3ef7e225c68e5e4a4e_f2262bc1_162cfb15 — C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_loaddll32.exe_8e2b68384082682205c3ef7e225c68e5e4a4e_f2262bc1_162cfb15
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
File written: Report.wer — C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\AppCrash_loaddll32.exe_8e2b68384082682205c3ef7e225c68e5e4a4e_f2262bc1_162cfb15\Report.wer
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 09
Contacted host: 52.147.198.201 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 10
Contacted host: 34.120.208.123 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at
Detection sources at a glance
Category: hacktool
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.
Evidence"C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe" "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\library.dll",#1The 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.
Evidence52.147.198.201 · 34.120.208.123 · 91.189.91.42
33 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
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
- version.dll
- Format
- Win32 DLL
- Code signing
- No verified publisher
- Size
- 5.3 MB
- Last analyzed
- Aug 24, 2026, 12:14 PM UTC
4e12ff9a72b7c2357f46ef645400cb6311330ced73ee787244c85ba7c57e8c8eSafety & FAQ
Complete recovery guidance and answers for the next decision.
What to do now
This file is dangerous. Treat it as harmful and remove it.
- Recovery step 01
Don't use this component. Quarantine this component with your antivirus, then repair or reinstall the parent software from its official source. Do not delete or replace the component manually.
- Recovery step 02
If you already used it, disconnect from the internet and start with a full antivirus scan or Microsoft Defender Offline scan. If compromise is suspected or the problem persists, use a reputable second-opinion scanner and follow incident-recovery or clean-reinstall guidance.
- Recovery step 03
From a different, clean device, change the passwords on your important accounts (email and banking first) and turn on two-factor authentication.
- Recovery step 04
Reinstall the parent software from the developer's official site instead of replacing this component by itself.
Safety FAQ
Direct answers grounded in the saved verdict and evidence in this report.
Is version.dll a virus?
What is version.dll?
How many antivirus engines detected version.dll?
What should I do if I already used version.dll?
How do I remove version.dll?
What kind of malware is version.dll?
What is the SHA-256 hash of version.dll?
How up to date is this analysis of version.dll?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.