File scan report
Verdict Suspicious
Is Screen Connect. Client Setup. msi safe? Treat it as suspicious.
Two major antivirus engines and multiple smaller detections label the MSI as a ConnectWise remote-administration tool.
Read the whole reasonShow less
Why Suspicious? 10 antivirus engines flag it; nothing else confirms it.
Limited evidence · One sign points to a problem; nothing else confirms it.
If it came from a link, an attachment or a stranger, delete it.
What to do now4 steps
Some signs point to a problem, but nothing confirms it is harmful. Treat it with caution.
What to do
Don't install it unless you're sure where it came from.
Check where you got it: an unexpected attachment, a link someone sent you or a re-upload is a red flag.
If you can't confirm where it came from, delete it. If you need the program, download it again from the publisher's own website.
If you already installed it
Stop using it, run a full scan with your antivirus and watch for unexpected behavior or security alerts.
Not sure what to do?
Ask the MalwareTips community before you run it. If you already ran it, follow the cleanup guide.
- Ask for free help on the MalwareTips forumWindows malware removal help, answered by volunteers. (opens malwaretips.com in a new tab)
- Remove malware from WindowsStep-by-step cleanup with free tools. (opens malwaretips.com in a new tab)
Paste this report's link in your topic so helpers can see what was found.
Reads the latest antivirus results for this file's hash. Nothing is uploaded.
Antivirus results
10 of 62 flagged
- Flagged 10
- No detection 52
- No result 13
- Code signing ConnectWise, LLC
- Test run Completed
- First seen 1mo ago
Chapter 02
Why we think so
3 points against it and 2 in its favour, checked against the scan evidence.
The reasoning behind this verdict
The file is legitimately signed by ConnectWise, yet it exhibits offensive MITRE techniques and a prior similar sample was rated suspicious.
The sample triggers hacktoolConfirmed because at least one major antivirus engine and several smaller engines explicitly label it a ConnectWise hacktool. Offensive techniques T1055, T1485, and observed in the sandbox raise the risk profile. The signer is ConnectWise, but the absence of historical signer statistics and the rare and prevalence classification prevent a clean verdict. The single prior signer-matched sample also received a suspicious rating, reinforcing the mixed-signal assessment.
What We Detected
10 of the 62 antivirus engines that checked it flagged the MSI. Two major antivirus engines (DrWeb, Kaspersky) and several smaller engines returned remote-admin or hacking tool labels. The file is signed by ConnectWise and verified.
Threat Behavior
Six external IPs were contacted directly; no complete contacted-host reputation result was available were identified in our cache. Eight files it created were dropped, none flagged malicious.
What To Do Now
If this installer was obtained from the official ConnectWise site or your IT department, treat it as expected remote-support software. Otherwise, verify the download source and keep security software enabled.
Where this verdict could be wrong1 caveat
- contactedHosts.maliciousHosts.length=0 and droppedChildren.hasMaliciousChild=false — no confirmed malicious infrastructure or child payloads observed.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- Digitally signed and verified by ConnectWise
- No malicious files it created or known-malicious hosts contacted
- Two major detections on remote-admin/hacking tool category
- Offensive MITRE techniques observed in sandbox
- Rare and recently submitted file (rare and newly seen)
6 sources checked · 5 complete · 1 partial. See every source
Chapter 03
What it did in our test
It ran in our isolated test environment; no test environment rated what it did as risky.
Test run summary
Capture complete- 28sandbox rule tags
- 7spawned processes
- 5network contacts
- 27filesystem & mutex artifacts
What the test run showed
What the file did on a test computer
Confirmed in the test run
Moderate concern: Contains packed or scrambled code that is harder to inspect (common in installers too).
Moderate concern: Ran commands or a script on the test computer.
Moderate concern: Downloaded a file during the test run.
Moderate concern: Checked whether it was running on a test computer.
Moderate concern: Hid files or windows on the test computer.
Note: Read the user name of the test computer.
Note: Deleted files or logs during the test run (installers often clean up after themselves).
Sandbox labels we could not confirm (common in safe files too)
Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as code injection, but no injected program was recorded.
Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as spreading through USB drives; nothing confirms it.
Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as setting up auto-start; no auto-start entry was recorded.
Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as weakening security settings; no setting change was recorded.
This file was run on a test computer (a sandbox), not on yours. Labels we could not confirm are listed so you can see them, but they are not treated as evidence against the file.
Recorded behavior
What happened in the test
Grouped by step. The order is not a timeline.
- 1
Input file
The submitted object
- Evidence 1 of 7: FileSeen in the test run
ScreenConnect.ClientSetup.msi
72265f63179181b63a71516d4eb68bd2a463b9dd75741307ba637ca26865c84e
Uploaded file
- 2
Processes
What ran
- Evidence 2 of 7: ProcessSeen in the test run
msiexec.exe
"C:\Windows\system32\msiexec.exe" /I "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\ScreenConnect.ClientSetup.msi" /qb ACCEPTEULA=1 LicenseAccepted=1
Test run - Evidence 3 of 7: ProcessSeen in the test run
ScreenConnect.ClientService.exe
"C:\Program Files (x86)\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\ScreenConnect.ClientService.exe" "?e=Access&y=Guest&h=instance-e4nogh-relay.screenconnect.com&p=443&s=29f38bb1-620f-4a83-b051-b4b03c2700c7&k=BgIAAACkAABSU0ExAAgAAAEAAQDJb4UxGns%2bDdWnv50eJpt9%2fhLA9Ly5I%2bD%2fRBJ5sdUbbgEzsWxp4HCNcwq4eQxBAlj4r%2bHupxSkD2%2blWaV6i8AxUeQwImQlZLdg4F6vsEKofeFKM6UqsN8O%2fmZZKld015wvsgv0LVhniSVplMOdib2SEnt8JwWQ8Gc1teS8gMPFX9Zn%2b8NE%2bePw9nmVFQFP5JDHwwtfVs%2fsKRzFktsLBzy7noyXVCTtsORIPxbzyKqnmDyuFFiK1xskSvqWE0t8rLEP5gYmEqNrQEiaEyFz7mSOfNGaW4mI6WlsI6UB%2byRfmX82TqzkEERwTA%2fONz968lBCBY2ANC0EIHYgkWCJP%2fDO"
Test run - +1 more recorded observation
- 2
Files
Created or changed
- Evidence 4 of 7: Written fileSeen in the test run
hm3hlfjo.tmp
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\hm3hlfjo.tmp
Test run - Evidence 5 of 7: Written fileSeen in the test run
hm3hlfjo.newcfg
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\hm3hlfjo.newcfg
Test run - +1 more recorded observation
- 2
Network
Hosts contacted
- Evidence 6 of 7: Contacted hostSeen in the test run
15.204.186.18
Contacted during the test run.
Test run - Evidence 7 of 7: Contacted hostSeen in the test run
34.193.20.205
Contacted during the test run.
Test run - +1 more recorded observation
7 facts from the test run. See the full activity list.
What this file did when executed
This file was run in a sandbox and its runtime behaviour was observed.
Techniques observed in the sandbox
28MITRE ATT&CK techniques the sandbox mapped. Highlighted ones are rare in normal software; the others are common in legitimate programs too.
- T1027· Obfuscated code
- T1033· Reads user info
- T1047
- T1055· Process injection
- T1059· Runs commands
- T1070.006· Covers its tracks
- T1071· Application protocol
- T1074
- T1082· System recon
- T1091· USB spreading
- T1105· Network file transfer
- T1106
- T1112
- T1120
- T1129· Loads modules
- T1218.011
- T1485
- T1497· Sandbox evasion
- T1518· Checks your AV
- T1539
- T1547· Auto-start
- T1547.001· Auto-start
- T1562· Disables security
- T1562.001· Disables security
- T1564· Hides artifacts
- T1564.002· Hides artifacts
- T1573
- T1574· Execution hijack
Observed activity
Processes started
7Programs the file ran, with their command lines.
msiexec.exe"C:\Windows\system32\msiexec.exe" /I "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\ScreenConnect.ClientSetup.msi" /qb ACCEPTEULA=1 LicenseAccepted=1ScreenConnect.ClientService.exe"C:\Program Files (x86)\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\ScreenConnect.ClientService.exe" "?e=Access&y=Guest&h=instance-e4nogh-relay.screenconnect.com&p=443&s=29f38bb1-620f-4a83-b051-b4b03c2700c7&k=BgIAAACkAABSU0ExAAgAAAEAAQDJb4UxGns%2bDdWnv50eJpt9%2fhLA9Ly5I%2bD%2fRBJ5sdUbbgEzsWxp4HCNcwq4eQxBAlj4r%2bHupxSkD2%2blWaV6i8AxUeQwImQlZLdg4F6vsEKofeFKM6UqsN8O%2fmZZKld015wvsgv0LVhniSVplMOdib2SEnt8JwWQ8Gc1teS8gMPFX9Zn%2b8NE%2bePw9nmVFQFP5JDHwwtfVs%2fsKRzFktsLBzy7noyXVCTtsORIPxbzyKqnmDyuFFiK1xskSvqWE0t8rLEP5gYmEqNrQEiaEyFz7mSOfNGaW4mI6WlsI6UB%2byRfmX82TqzkEERwTA%2fONz968lBCBY2ANC0EIHYgkWCJP%2fDO"ScreenConnect.WindowsClient.exe"C:\Program Files (x86)\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\ScreenConnect.WindowsClient.exe" "RunRole" "9823cb5f-2d1c-464c-b57f-d2d18edc0c58" "User"ScreenConnect.WindowsClient.exe"C:\Program Files (x86)\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\ScreenConnect.WindowsClient.exe" "RunRole" "d1841cb8-aa8c-4509-9d46-2382f54ea94b" "System"msiexec.exe"C:\Windows\System32\msiexec.exe" /i "C:\Users\user\Desktop\ScreenConnect.ClientSetup.msi"msiexec.exeC:\Windows\SysWOW64\msiexec.exe C:\Windows\syswow64\MsiExec.exe -Embedding B09CF4DE940533CD2125113E618F7A44 C
Show all 7 entries for processes started
rundll32.exeC:\Windows\SysWOW64\rundll32.exe rundll32.exe "C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\MSI7888.tmp",zzzzInvokeManagedCustomActionOutOfProc SfxCA_6352078 1 ScreenConnect.InstallerActions!ScreenConnect.ClientInstallerActions.FixupServiceArguments
Network contacts
55 hosts, listed as 4 addresses, 1 link. Links show the host and path only.
- IP address
15.204.186.18 - IP address
34.193.20.205 - IP address
3.167.69.74 - IP address
23.11.32.159 - URL
http://crt.rootg2.amazontrust.com/rootg2.cer
Files
24Files the file created, changed or deleted.
- Written
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\hm3hlfjo.tmp - Written
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\hm3hlfjo.newcfg - Written
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\user.config - Written
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\3fs51om0.tmp - Written
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\3fs51om0.newcfg - Written
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\ojx0pfil.tmp
Show all 24 entries for files
- Written
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\ojx0pfil.newcfg - Written
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\CLR_v4.0\UsageLogs\ScreenConnect.WindowsClient.exe.log - Written
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\FontCache\Fonts\Download-1.tmp - Written
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\MSI2631.tmp-\ScreenConnect.InstallerActions.dll - Written
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\MSI2631.tmp-\Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller.dll - Written
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\MSI2631.tmp-\Microsoft.Deployment.WindowsInstaller.Package.dll - Written
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\MSI2631.tmp-\ScreenConnect.Core.dll - Written
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\MSI2631.tmp-\ScreenConnect.Windows.dll - Written
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\MSI2631.tmp-\ScreenConnect.WindowsInstaller.dll - Deleted
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\hm3hlfjo.newcfg - Deleted
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\hm3hlfjo.tmp - Deleted
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\3fs51om0.newcfg - Deleted
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\3fs51om0.tmp - Deleted
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\ojx0pfil.newcfg - Deleted
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\ScreenConnect Client (22cbab73b9a716a9)\ojx0pfil.tmp - Deleted
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\MSI2631.tmp - Deleted
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\MSI3B41.tmp - Deleted
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\MSI496B.tmp
Mutexes
3Named locks a program uses so only one copy runs; malware families often reuse them.
Global\_MSIExecuteGlobal\netfxeventlog.1.0\BaseNamedObjects\Local\SM0:5472:304:WilStaging_02
Sandbox background — not the file
10The analysis machine's own processes and connections, recorded in every run.
- VM process
services.exeC:\Windows\system32\services.exe - VM process
svchost.exeC:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe -k NetworkService -p - VM process
svchost.exeC:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k UnistackSvcGroup - VM process
svchost.exeC:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe -k LocalSystemNetworkRestricted -p -s StorSvc - VM process
lsass.exeC:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe - VM process
svchost.exeC:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalService -s W32Time
Show all 10 entries for sandbox background — not the file
- VM process
msiexec.exeC:\Windows\System32\msiexec.exe C:\Windows\system32\msiexec.exe /V - VM host
8.8.8.8 - VM host
199.232.210.172 - VM host
162.159.36.2
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 8 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache. 8 have no saved verdict and were not checked; that is missing coverage, not a finding.
- 8cd975f551bb249e5890…7bb24aNot checkedno saved verdict
- de867af8055f81b7691f…96e16fNot checkedno saved verdict
- 548c551f6ebc5d829158…c624a1Not checkedno saved verdict
- 3e54286e348ebd3d70ea…3db29dNot checkedno saved verdict
- e92d94613443befebb55…2964f7Not checkedno saved verdict
- d827d3575ca29f8a40ea…4b51bbNot checkedno saved verdict
- 320b89343e896a8d2ebf…797fbbNot checkedno saved verdict
- dbf379b93127345a8328…dc764fNot checkedno saved verdict
Chapter 04
Technical details
10 of the 62 antivirus engines that checked it flag it; signed by ConnectWise, LLC.
Sources checked
Every check behind this verdict
6 sources checked · 5 complete · 1 partial. Complete means the check returned a usable result; it does not mean the file is safe.
Engines that flagged it 10
- DrWeb (major engine)BackDoor.RA.364
- Kaspersky (major engine)not-a-virus:HEUR:RemoteAdmin.Win32.ConnectWise.gen
- TrellixENS (major engine)Artemis!E1F2D75DD493
- GoogleDetected
- huorongHackTool/ConnectWiseControl.j
- RisingHacktool.ConnectWise!8.13A88 (CLOUD)
- VaristW32/ConnectWise.S.gen!Eldorado
- VBA32Riskware.MSIL.ScreenConnect.Heur
File fingerprint
- Last analyzed
- Oct 17, 2026, 1:23 PM UTC
- SHA-256
72265f63179181b63a71516d4eb68bd2a463b9dd75741307ba637ca26865c84e- SHA-1
ac03ee169fbbdc3bfaea7056a13769c17d338255- MD5
51f6afece02b5a8bb5904c005ef92782
About this file
ScreenConnect.ClientSetup.msi is a Windows Installer file of 10.2 MB.
- Type and size
- Windows Installer · 10.2 MB
- Signer
- ConnectWise, LLCValid code signature.
- First seen
- Aug 28, 2026On VirusTotal.
- Submitted by
- 2 distinct sourcesRarely seen: few people have submitted this exact file.
First scanned Updated
Antivirus consensus
10 of 62 engines flagged this file
13 of the 75 engines returned no result for this file (file type not supported, or the scan did not finish), so they did not check it.
- Tier-117 engines3flagged
- Tier-233 engines5flagged
- Low-trust12 engines2flagged
View all 75 engine results
- DrWebMalicious: BackDoor.RA.364
- GoogleMalicious: Detected
- huorongMalicious: HackTool/ConnectWiseControl.j
- KasperskyMalicious: not-a-virus:HEUR:RemoteAdmin.Win32.ConnectWise.gen
- RisingMalicious: Hacktool.ConnectWise!8.13A88 (CLOUD)
- TrellixENSMalicious: Artemis!E1F2D75DD493
- VaristMalicious: W32/ConnectWise.S.gen!Eldorado
- VBA32Malicious: Riskware.MSIL.ScreenConnect.Heur
- XcitiumMalicious: ApplicUnwnt@#9gnkmzqp12gp
- ZillyaMalicious: Tool.ConnectWise.Win32.234
- AcronisClean
- AhnLab-V3Clean
- AlibabaNo result
- alibabacloudClean
- ALYacClean
- Antiy-AVLClean
- APEXNo result
- ArcabitClean
- AvastClean
- Avast-MobileNo result
- AVGClean
- AviraClean
- BitDefenderClean
- BitDefenderFalxNo result
- BkavClean
- CAT-QuickHealClean
- ClamAVClean
- CMCClean
- CrowdStrikeClean
- CTXClean
- CylanceNo result
- CynetClean
- DeepInstinctNo result
- ElasticNo result
- EmsisoftClean
- ESET-NOD32Clean
- F-SecureClean
- FortinetClean
- GDataClean
- GridinsoftClean
- IkarusNo result
- JiangminClean
- K7AntiVirusClean
- K7GWClean
- KingsoftClean
- LionicClean
- MalwarebytesClean
- MaxSecureClean
- McAfeeDClean
- MicrosoftClean
- MicroWorld-eScanClean
- NANO-AntivirusClean
- PaloaltoNo result
- PandaClean
- SangforClean
- SentinelOneClean
- SkyhighClean
- SophosClean
- SUPERAntiSpywareClean
- SymantecClean
- SymantecMobileInsightNo result
- TACHYONClean
- tehtrisNo result
- TencentClean
- TrapmineClean
- TrendMicroClean
- TrendMicro-HouseCallClean
- TrustlookNo result
- VIPREClean
- VirITClean
- ViRobotClean
- WebrootNo result
- YandexClean
- ZoneAlarmClean
- ZonerClean
Signatures and behavior heuristics
Low-severity pattern matches — worth noting but not on their own cause for alarm.
VirusTotal's sandbox summary maps this run to MITRE T1055 (Process Injection), but no injected process of the sample's own was recorded (the analysis VM's own WMI adapter, crash handlers and Chrome updater are not counted). VirusTotal maps T1055 on about half of all files no engine flags, so the mapping alone is not evidence of injection.
EvidenceT1055 (sandbox MITRE mapping)
How widely this file has been seen
Rarely uploaded, and first seen more than two weeks ago. Often niche legitimate software or internal tooling; not a strong malware signal on its own.
Chapter 05
Questions & answers
Short answers to the 7 questions people ask most about this file.
Is ScreenConnect.ClientSetup.msi safe, or is it malware?
What is ScreenConnect.ClientSetup.msi?
How many antivirus engines detected ScreenConnect.ClientSetup.msi?
What should I do if I already installed ScreenConnect.ClientSetup.msi?
Is ScreenConnect.ClientSetup.msi digitally signed?
What is the SHA-256 hash of ScreenConnect.ClientSetup.msi?
How up to date is this analysis of ScreenConnect.ClientSetup.msi?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.