Threat LensFile scan report

Is Unknown safe?

57/100

Safety rating

Elevated risk

Verdict

Suspicious

No antivirus engine detected the PDF, but one sandbox recorded possible credential access, process injection, destructive activity, and an unchecked direct-IP connection.

All 75 antivirus engines were non-detecting, including 17 reporting tier-1 engines. However, the completed sandbox recorded techniques associated with credential access, process injection, and destructive activity, while the observed IP contact lacks a complete reputation check; the PDF should therefore be handled cautiously.

Do not open it until verified

Verify the sender and expected document content before opening it. If review is necessary, use an isolated environment with an updated PDF reader and keep endpoint protection enabled.

Read the full analysis

Saved file evidenceAntivirus consensus

0of 75 flagged

Flagged 0No detection 75

Digital specimenUnknown4f53920d7957867b20…771c064adbbc96

Size262.0 KB

Code signingNot applicable

SandboxRuntime complete

First seen14d ago

Evidence3 priority signals

1 high-confidence signature or behavior rule matched this file.

Before opening

Do not open it until the source can be verified independently.

If you already opened it

Stop using it, scan the device, and watch for unexpected behavior or security alerts. Get a fresh copy from the original trusted source and verify its exact hash when possible.

Chapter 02

Intelligence

The saved assessment, checked against the scan evidence and recorded coverage.

Analyst conclusion

Where this verdict could be wrong3 caveats

The single sandbox labeled the run clean, and no persistence indicators were recorded.
Both inspected child hashes lack verdicts, so droppedChildren.hasMaliciousChild=false does not establish that the children are benign.
The Acrobat-heavy process list could mean some MITRE mappings reflect reader or environment activity rather than actions initiated by the PDF.

These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.

Recommended action

Verify the sender and expected document content before opening it. If review is necessary, use an isolated environment with an updated PDF reader and keep endpoint protection enabled.

Scan transparency

Coverage & freshness

4 of 5 complete

Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.

Antivirus
Complete
0 of 75 engines flagged the file.
Updated Sep 23, 2026, 3:56 AM UTC
Sandbox
Complete
1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.
Updated Oct 7, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC
Network
Partial
1 runtime contact was observed without a completed reputation cross-check.
Updated Oct 7, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC
YARA
Complete
3 signature or behavior rules matched.
Updated Oct 7, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC
External intel
Complete
3 of 3 independent reference sources completed.
Updated Oct 7, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC

Chapter 03

Behavior

Plain-English impact first, then the observed runtime evidence.

Runtime flight recorder

Capture complete

1isolated sandbox run
16MITRE ATT&CK techniques
13spawned processes
1network contacts
23filesystem & mutex artifacts

What this file does

Observed actions and their security significance

High concern: Accessed operating-system credential data, which can expose saved passwords.
High concern: Injected code into another process, a technique that can conceal execution.
Moderate concern: Contained obfuscated or packed code that makes inspection harder.
Moderate concern: Communicated over a common application protocol; malware can use this for command-and-control.
Moderate concern: Checked the environment for virtualisation or analysis tools.
Note: Reads your Windows user-account details.
Note: Collects details about your system.

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.

Recorded behavior

Attack story

Runtime observations grouped by analysis stage. Arrows organize the stages; they do not claim chronology or causality.

ObservedDerived

Input file

The submitted object

FileObserved
Unknown
4f53920d7957867b20fbd035137f2428c0644fabfe749e796d771c064adbbc96
01Uploaded file

Processes

Runtime execution

ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe" "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\readme.pdf"
02Isolated runtime analysis
ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\Adobe Crash Processor.exe"
03Isolated runtime analysis
+1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode

Files

Created or changed

Written fileObserved
acroNGLLog.txt
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\acroNGLLog.txt
04Isolated runtime analysis
Written fileObserved
NGL
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\NGL\
05Isolated runtime analysis
+1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode

Network

Hosts contacted

Contacted hostObserved
162.159.36.2
Contact observed during runtime.
06Isolated runtime analysis

6 recorded facts from one runtime window. Every fact remains independently traceable in Analyst mode.

Runtime behaviour

What this file did when executed

This file was detonated in 1 sandbox and its runtime behaviour was observed.

1 clean detonation

Sandbox verdicts

VT: CLEAN·clean

MITRE ATT&CK

Adversary techniques mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework.

T1003· Credential theftT1012T1027· Obfuscated codeT1033· Reads user infoT1047T1055· Process injectionT1069T1071· Application protocolT1082· System reconT1203T1485T1497· Sandbox evasionT1564· Hides artifactsT1564.003· Hides artifactsT1566.002T1573

Spawned processes

$(unnamed)

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe" "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\readme.pdf"

$(unnamed)

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\Adobe Crash Processor.exe"

$(unnamed)

C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE

$(unnamed)

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\CRWindowsClientService.exe" "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat" updatepvbpreference 9c60f6d8-a0d6-46c4-a68e-faa2562c50da 0 0

$(unnamed)

C:\Windows\system32\services.exe

$(unnamed)

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\CRLogTransport.exe" "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat" "C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\LocalLow\Adobe\CRLogs\crashlogs"

$(unnamed)

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\CRLogTransport.exe" "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat" "C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\LocalLow\Adobe\CRLogs\dumps"

$(unnamed)

C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe -k NetworkService -p

+5 more processes captured.

Network activity

IP addresses1

162.159.36.2

Filesystem & mutexes

Files written15

C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\acroNGLLog.txt
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\NGL\
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\Tmp7BB.tmp
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\TmpA3D.tmp
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\FontCache\Fonts\Download-1.tmp

+10 more

Files deleted3

C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Acrobat\DC\JSCache\GlobSettings
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\KnownGameList.bin
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\GameDVR\KnownGameList.update

Mutexes created5

Global\_MSIExecute
Global\AdobeCrashProcessorLocalLowLock
\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\{100184D2-BDC3-477a-B8D3-65548B67914C}_6948
\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\Local\{100184D2-BDC3-477a-B8D3-65548B67914C}_7032
\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\Local\Acrobat Instance Mutex

Dropped payload

Files this sample writes at runtime

This file drops 2 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.

2 unseen

eacad3e01b8b0a44ac03…df796dNever scanned
never seen before
513fb5d3b4195ab59af2…64de2eNever scanned
never seen before

Chapter 04

Detection & Forensics

Consensus, attribution, signatures, code structure, prevalence, and identity.

RecordedObserved or authoritative facts

DerivedEvidence-backed analyst inferences

3rule hits recorded
0 / 75engines flagged
2sources in submission history

Evidence provenance

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 chapter
ProvenanceDerived
SourceSignature and behavior rules
Observed atOct 7, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC
02
0 of 75 antivirus engines flagged the file.
View chapter
ProvenanceObserved
SourceAntivirus analysis
Observed atSep 23, 2026, 3:56 AM UTC
03
The hash has been submitted 2 times from 2 sources.
View chapter
ProvenanceDerived
SourceSaved report facts
Observed atOct 7, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC
04
Scanned file: Unknown — 4f53920d7957867b20fbd035137f2428c0644fabfe749e796d771c064adbbc96
View chapter
ProvenanceObserved
SourceUploaded file
Observed atOct 7, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC
05
Observed process — "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe" "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\readme.pdf"
View chapter
ProvenanceObserved
SourceIsolated runtime analysis
Observed atOct 7, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC
06
Observed process — "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\Adobe Crash Processor.exe"
View chapter
ProvenanceObserved
SourceIsolated runtime analysis
Observed atOct 7, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC
07
File written: acroNGLLog.txt — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\acroNGLLog.txt
View chapter
ProvenanceObserved
SourceIsolated runtime analysis
Observed atOct 7, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC
08
File written: NGL — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\NGL\
View chapter
ProvenanceObserved
SourceIsolated runtime analysis
Observed atOct 7, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC
09
Contacted host: 162.159.36.2 — Contact observed during runtime.
View chapter
ProvenanceObserved
SourceIsolated runtime analysis
Observed atOct 7, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC

Evidence map

Detection sources at a glance

4 completed · 0 unavailable

Antivirus

No match

0/75 flagged

Malware samples

No match

no match

Researcher rules

No match

no match

Reference software

No match

no match

Threat attribution

No specific family attributed

The available sources did not agree on a named threat category.

External intelligence

No researcher-database hits

MalwareBazaar, YARAify, and CIRCL hashlookup completed and returned no entries for this hash.

Rule-based evidence

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.

3 heuristics

MITRE ATT&CK profile

Defense evasion× 1Cred access× 1C2× 1

Behavior heuristics

Deterministic patterns derived from scan data and observed runtime behavior

ProcessInjection
T1055
high
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\Explorer.EXE
CredentialDumper
T1003 T1003.001
medium
Sandbox observed process activity targeting LSASS (Windows credential store). Legitimate software has no business reading LSASS memory — this is Mimikatz-shape behaviour.
Evidence
C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe
DirectIpC2
T1071
low
The 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.
Evidence
162.159.36.2

Antivirus consensus

0 of 75 engines flagged this file

0 malicious0 suspicious75 not flagged

Tier-117 engines

0flagged

Tier-241 engines

0flagged

Low-trust17 engines

0flagged

No antivirus engine flagged this file.

View all 75 engine results

AcronisOK

AhnLab-V3OK

Alibabatyp

alibabacloudOK

ALYacOK

Antiy-AVLOK

APEXtyp

ArcabitOK

AvastOK

Avast-Mobiletyp

AVGOK

AviraOK

BitDefenderOK

BitDefenderFalxtyp

BkavOK

CAT-QuickHealOK

ClamAVOK

CMCOK

CrowdStrikeOK

CTXOK

CylanceOK

CynetOK

DeepInstincttyp

DrWebOK

Elastictyp

EmsisoftOK

ESET-NOD32OK

F-SecureOK

FortinetOK

GDataOK

GoogleOK

GridinsoftOK

huorongOK

IkarusOK

JiangminOK

K7AntiVirusOK

K7GWOK

KasperskyOK

KingsoftOK

LionicOK

MalwarebytesOK

MaxSecureOK

McAfeeDOK

MicrosoftOK

MicroWorld-eScanOK

NANO-AntivirusOK

Paloaltotyp

PandaOK

RisingOK

SangforOK

SentinelOneOK

SkyhighOK

SophosOK

SUPERAntiSpywareOK

SymantecOK

SymantecMobileInsighttyp

TACHYONOK

tehtristyp

TencentOK

Trapminetyp

TrellixENSOK

TrendMicroOK

TrendMicro-HouseCallOK

Trustlooktyp

VaristOK

VBA32OK

VIPREOK

VirITOK

ViRobotfai

Webroottyp

XcitiumOK

YandexOK

ZillyaOK

ZoneAlarmOK

ZonerOK

PE structure

Not applicable

PE structure analysis applies to Windows executable formats, not this file type.

Prevalence

How widely this file has been seen

Moderate prevalence — neither rare nor common. No strong prior applies.

Medium

Unique uploaders

Very few people have ever uploaded this — rare.

Total submissions

Includes repeat uploads by the same source.

First seen

14d ago

Sep 23, 2026

Prevalence quadrant

Rare · New

Needs evidence-led scrutiny

Common · New

Just-released software

Rare · Old

Niche or internal tooling

Common · Old

Often established software

File identity

Fingerprint and provenance

File name: Unknown
Format: PDF
Code signing: Not applicable to this file type
Size: 262.0 KB
Last analyzed: Oct 7, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC

SHA-256

4f53920d7957867b20fbd035137f2428c0644fabfe749e796d771c064adbbc96

Chapter 05

Safety & FAQ

Complete recovery guidance and answers for the next decision.

What to do now

We couldn't fully clear this file. Treat it with caution.

Recovery step 01
Don't open it unless you're certain it came from a source you trust.
Recovery step 02
Check where you got it — an unexpected attachment or a random download link is a red flag.
Recovery step 03
If its origin cannot be confirmed, delete this file and use a fresh copy from a trusted source. Get a fresh copy from the original trusted source and verify its exact hash when possible.
Recovery step 04
If you're still unsure, scan it again in a day or two — detections often catch up on newer files.

Safety FAQ

Direct answers grounded in the saved verdict and evidence in this report.

7 evidence-based answers

Is Unknown safe, or is it malware?

Evidence-based answer

Unknown is suspicious — treat it as unsafe until you're sure. No antivirus engine flagged it; the cautious verdict comes from other saved evidence such as identity, prevalence, signing, or runtime signals. Don't open it unless you fully trust where it came from. Get a fresh copy from the original trusted source and verify its exact hash when possible.

What is Unknown?

Evidence-based answer

Unknown is a document file, about 262 KB. We identify a file by its cryptographic hash rather than its name, because the same filename can be reused by completely different files — the hash below is the reliable fingerprint.

How many antivirus engines detected Unknown?

Evidence-based answer

None — 0 of 75 antivirus engines flagged Unknown. A clean antivirus result is not proof of safety; the cautious verdict comes from other saved evidence such as identity, prevalence, signing, or runtime signals.

What should I do if I already opened Unknown?

Evidence-based answer

Act quickly. 1) Disconnect the device from the internet to stop the malware communicating or spreading. 2) Run a full scan with reputable anti-malware software (such as Malwarebytes) and quarantine everything it finds. 3) Change your important passwords from a DIFFERENT, clean device — many threats log keystrokes or steal saved credentials. 4) If you bank or shop on this device, watch closely for fraud and alert your bank. 5) For a confirmed infection, the most reliable fix is to back up your personal files and reinstall the operating system for a clean start.

How do I remove Unknown?

Evidence-based answer

To remove Unknown: 1) restart into Safe Mode (Safe Mode with Networking if you need to download a tool) so the malware doesn't auto-start. 2) Run a full scan with reputable anti-malware software and let it quarantine or delete the detections. 3) Delete this file from the device, then empty the Recycle Bin or Trash. 4) Check your browser extensions, startup items, and scheduled tasks for anything unfamiliar. 5) Reboot and scan again to confirm it's gone. If detections keep coming back, a clean operating-system reinstall is the most dependable cure.

What is the SHA-256 hash of Unknown?

Evidence-based answer

The SHA-256 hash of Unknown is 4f53920d7957867b20fbd035137f2428c0644fabfe749e796d771c064adbbc96, and its MD5 is 917b2e916f0f2dd989528faf945939d1. This hash is the file's unique fingerprint — two files with the same SHA-256 are identical. Use it to confirm you're looking at exactly this file (not just one with the same name) when comparing against antivirus databases or a download's published checksum.

How up to date is this analysis of Unknown?

Evidence-based answer

This report reflects the scan run on October 7, 2026. Because a file's hash never changes, the identity of Unknown is fixed — but antivirus coverage improves over time, so a file that looks clean today can pick up detections later (and vice-versa). If you need the latest picture, MalwareTips staff can re-run the analysis from scratch.

Chapter 06

Community

Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.

Is Unknown safe?

No antivirus engine detected the PDF, but one sandbox recorded possible credential access, process injection, destructive activity, and an unchecked direct-IP connection.

Recommended next actions

Before opening

If you already opened it

What We Detected

Threat Behavior

What To Do Now

Coverage & freshness

Antivirus

Sandbox

Network

YARA

External intel

Runtime flight recorder

What this file does

Attack story

Unknown

Observed process

Observed process

acroNGLLog.txt

NGL

162.159.36.2

Why these facts are shown

Detection sources at a glance

PE structure

Fingerprint and provenance

What to do now