Is vlc.exe safe?
The verified VideoLAN signature, broad antivirus silence, and long-established prevalence outweigh generic YARA matches and an uncorroborated process-injection mapping.
No antivirus engine flagged this established, verified VideoLAN executable, including the reporting tier-1 products. Generic YARA matches and a T1055 mapping merit awareness, but there is no malware-family detection, hostile sandbox verdict, malicious child, or verified brand conflict.
5d695d8a0bb1d919cc…e458120630aaf9Recommended 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.
No antivirus engine flagged this established, verified VideoLAN executable, including the reporting tier-1 products. Generic YARA matches and a T1055 mapping merit awareness, but there is no malware-family detection, hostile sandbox verdict, malicious child, or verified brand conflict.
The file carries a verified VideoLAN signature, and the trusted-publisher record matches the claimed VLC identity. None of 75 antivirus engines flagged it, while 16 tier-1 engines explicitly reported no detection. Its history spans 835 days, 2,248 sources, and 2,849 submissions, which supports an established distribution profile. One sandbox recorded activity mapped to T1055 and several direct-IP contacts, but it did not issue a malicious verdict, and no complete host-reputation check is available. Five community YARA rules matched, yet their names indicate broad structural or analysis-evasion properties rather than a recognized malware family. With no malicious child, persistence indicator, packing finding, or brand mismatch, the counter-signals do not outweigh the publisher and antivirus evidence.
What We Detected
The executable is signed with a verified certificate for VideoLAN, and the publisher matches the VLC identity. Across 75 antivirus engines, none reported a malicious or suspicious result; 16 reporting tier-1 products also returned no detection. The file has been observed for 835 days through 2,248 sources and 2,849 submissions.
Threat Behavior
One completed sandbox run recorded a technique mapped to T1055 and multiple direct-IP connections, but it produced no malicious sandbox verdict, dropped no recorded child hashes, and showed no persistence indicators. Host-reputation coverage was not completed or saved, so the no complete contacted-host reputation result was available. Five YARA rules matched generic traits such as a digital certificate, TLS callbacks, debugger checks, and possible obfuscation; no named malware family was identified. Static analysis found neither high-entropy code nor likely packing.
What To Do Now
Use the file only if its origin is the official VideoLAN distribution channel or another trusted source, and keep endpoint protection enabled. If its download source is uncertain, verify this SHA-256 and the VideoLAN signature before execution.
Where this verdict could be wrong4 caveats
- externalIntel.yaraify.ruleCount=5 is a meaningful research signal, but none of the listed rules identifies a malware family and several describe broad PE characteristics.
- MalwareTips.Synth.ProcessInjection mapped saved activity to T1055, although the evidence does not establish the injection method or intent.
- MalwareTips.Synth.DirectIpC2 recorded multiple external IP contacts; contactedHosts=null leaves their reputation unresolved.
- adversarialInputFlags.commentInjectionSuspected=true, so community comments were disregarded rather than treated as reliable evidence.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- 0/75 antivirus engines reported a malicious or suspicious result.
- The code signature is verified and matches trusted publisher VideoLAN.
- The file is established across 2,248 sources and 2,849 submissions.
- No malicious sandbox verdict or persistence indicator was recorded.
- peAnalysis.highEntropyCode=false and peAnalysis.likelyPacked=false.
- Saved runtime evidence maps activity to MITRE T1055.
- Five community YARA rules matched broad PE and analysis-evasion characteristics.
- Multiple direct-IP contacts were recorded without a complete host-reputation cross-check.
- No historical signer statistics were available for the VideoLAN certificate.
Prefer a copy downloaded directly from VideoLAN and verify the publisher signature and SHA-256 before use. Keep antivirus and endpoint protection enabled.
Coverage & freshness
Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.
Antivirus
Complete0 of 75 engines flagged the file.
Sandbox
Complete1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.
Network
Partial20 runtime contacts were observed without a completed reputation cross-check.
YARA
Complete7 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
- 12MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 15spawned processes
- 20network contacts
- 7filesystem & 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
vlc.exe
5d695d8a0bb1d919cc77a2aa2488a61797bfa065238160278ee458120630aaf9
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
%SAMPLEPATH%\vlc.exe
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
%SAMPLEPATH%\5d695d8a0bb1d919cc77a2aa2488a61797bfa065238160278ee458120630aaf9.exe
03Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Files
Created or changed
- Written fileObserved
Logs
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Security Health\Logs
04Isolated runtime analysis
Network
Hosts contacted
- Contacted hostObserved
151.101.22.172
Contact observed during runtime.
05Isolated runtime analysis - Contacted hostObserved
184.25.191.235
Contact observed during runtime.
06Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
6 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.
- 151.101.22.172
- 184.25.191.235
- 20.99.186.246
- 23.198.171.50
- 192.168.0.33
- 20.99.185.48
- 20.99.133.109
- 23.216.81.152
- 192.168.0.13
- 104.100.61.237
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Security Health\Logs
- C:\Windows\System32\wbem\Performance\WmiApRpl.h
- C:\Windows\System32\wbem\Performance\WmiApRpl.ini
- \BaseNamedObjects\Local\SM0:2756:304:WilStaging_02
- \BaseNamedObjects\Local\SM0:2756:120:WilError_03
- \BaseNamedObjects\Local\ZonesCacheCounterMutex
- \BaseNamedObjects\Local\ZonesLockedCacheCounterMutex
Detection & Forensics
Consensus, attribution, signatures, code structure, prevalence, and identity.
Evidence integrity
Chain of custody for the facts preserved in this report.
- 7rule hits recorded
- 0 / 75engines flagged
- 2,248sources 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 75 antivirus engines flagged the file.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 02
The hash appears in a known-software reference database.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceReference software databaseObserved at - 03
The hash has a long, established submission history across 2,248 sources.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceDerivedSourceSubmission historyObserved at - 04
Scanned file: vlc.exe — 5d695d8a0bb1d919cc77a2aa2488a61797bfa065238160278ee458120630aaf9
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — %SAMPLEPATH%\vlc.exe
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — %SAMPLEPATH%\5d695d8a0bb1d919cc77a2aa2488a61797bfa065238160278ee458120630aaf9.exe
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: Logs — C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Security Health\Logs
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
Contacted host: 151.101.22.172 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 09
Contacted host: 184.25.191.235 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at
Detection sources at a glance
The available sources did not agree on a named threat category.
One or more independent reference databases matched 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.
- DebuggerCheck__API
- golang_bin_JCorn_CSC846
- pe_detect_tls_callbacks
- PE_Digital_Certificate
- Sus_Obf_Enc_Spoof_Hide_PE
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%SAMPLEPATH%\vlc.exeThe 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.
Evidence151.101.22.172 · 184.25.191.235 · 20.99.186.246
0 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
- vlc.exe
- Format
- Win32 EXE
- Code signing
- Signature valid: VideoLAN
- Size
- 969.4 KB
- Last analyzed
- Sep 21, 2026, 6:29 PM UTC
5d695d8a0bb1d919cc77a2aa2488a61797bfa065238160278ee458120630aaf9Safety & 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 vlc.exe safe?
What is vlc.exe?
How many antivirus engines detected vlc.exe?
Is vlc.exe digitally signed?
What is the SHA-256 hash of vlc.exe?
Is it safe to run vlc.exe?
How up to date is this analysis of vlc.exe?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.