Is MSPAINT.EXE safe?
Zero detections across 76 engines, clean sandbox behaviour, and a CIRCL reference to a legitimate Windows system component.
All 76 engines returned clean results with 17 tier-1 engines explicitly marking it harmless. Sandbox execution showed only ambient techniques and no malicious indicators. The CIRCL hit points to a known Windows WinSxS mspaint component rather than malware.
717e1378945bd09c89…4e28d0326db6afRecommended 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.
All 76 engines returned clean results with 17 tier-1 engines explicitly marking it harmless. Sandbox execution showed only ambient techniques and no malicious indicators. The CIRCL hit points to a known Windows WinSxS mspaint component rather than malware.
The file presents a textbook clean profile: complete absence of malicious detections, no offensive MITRE techniques, and no malicious sandbox or network signals. The external CIRCL reference explicitly maps the sample to a legitimate Microsoft Windows component path. Medium prevalence over five years further supports that this is a known benign DLL rather than a new or rare threat. Lack of signing is the only minor caveat, but it is outweighed by the unanimous engine consensus and clean behavioural record.
What We Detected
Zero malicious detections from 76 engines, including 17 tier-1 engines that explicitly reported the file as clean. No YARA or MalwareBazaar hits. Sandbox analysis recorded only four ambient techniques and no offensive MITRE activity.
Threat Behavior
No contacted malicious domains or hosts. No dropped malicious children. The single sandbox run produced only standard Windows system mutexes and registry activity consistent with normal DLL loading.
What To Do Now
The file can be considered safe for normal use. If this DLL appeared unexpectedly on a system, verify its location against the legitimate Windows WinSxS path referenced in the CIRCL record.
Where this verdict could be wrong1 caveat
- File is unsigned with no signer history, which could indicate a sideloaded or renamed DLL in some contexts, but the complete absence of detections and clean sandbox behaviour outweigh this.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- Zero malicious engine detections
- Clean sandbox verdict
- CIRCL reference to legitimate Windows component
- Medium prevalence over 2235 days
Treat as a benign system component. No further action required unless the file appears outside expected Windows directories.
Coverage & freshness
Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.
Antivirus
Complete0 of 76 engines flagged the file.
Sandbox
Complete1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.
Network
Not runNo contacted-host reputation check is recorded.
No timestamp recordedYARA
CompleteRule evaluation completed with no recorded matches.
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
- 4MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 6spawned processes
- 0network 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
MSPAINT.EXE
717e1378945bd09c89b1b1503c01ced9b09670192bd4b8f2c04e28d0326db6af
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe" "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\readme.dll",#1
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
C:\Windows\System32\loaddll32.exe loaddll32.exe "C:\Users\user\Desktop\attachment.dll"
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 - Written fileObserved
Connect
\Device\ConDrv\\Connect
05Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
5 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.
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Security Health\Logs
- \Device\ConDrv\\Connect
- \BaseNamedObjects\Local\SM0:2312:304:WilStaging_02
- \BaseNamedObjects\Local\SM0:2312:120:WilError_03
- \BaseNamedObjects\Local\ZonesCacheCounterMutex
- \BaseNamedObjects\Local\ZonesLockedCacheCounterMutex
- \Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\Local\SessionImmersiveColorMutex
Detection & Forensics
Consensus, attribution, signatures, code structure, prevalence, and identity.
Evidence integrity
Chain of custody for the facts preserved in this report.
- 0rule hits recorded
- 0 / 76engines flagged
- 46sources 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 76 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 been submitted 51 times from 46 sources.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceSaved report factsObserved at - 04
Scanned file: MSPAINT.EXE — 717e1378945bd09c89b1b1503c01ced9b09670192bd4b8f2c04e28d0326db6af
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — "C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe" "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\readme.dll",#1
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — C:\Windows\System32\loaddll32.exe loaddll32.exe "C:\Users\user\Desktop\attachment.dll"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: Logs — C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Security Health\Logs
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
File written: Connect — \Device\ConDrv\\Connect
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.
YARA rules
No matchesThe rule pass completed without a saved public match.
0 of 76 engines flagged this file
View all 76 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
Moderate prevalence — neither rare nor common. No strong prior applies.
Fingerprint and provenance
- File name
- MSPAINT.EXE
- Format
- Win32 DLL
- Code signing
- No verified publisher
- Size
- 2.4 MB
- Last analyzed
- Jul 9, 2026, 10:25 AM UTC
717e1378945bd09c89b1b1503c01ced9b09670192bd4b8f2c04e28d0326db6afSafety & 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 MSPAINT.EXE safe?
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Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.