Is ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.exe safe?
Only 2 of 75 engines detected this established, signed utility, but packing and two offensive techniques warrant caution despite unremarkable sandbox and host results.
The file has a verified ImpulseRC signature and broad, decade-long prevalence, while only 2 of 75 engines detected it and no strong family consensus exists. However, its packed code, unsupported signer history, and observed T1562.001 and T1620 techniques make execution inappropriate unless its origin and hash can be verified.
7da7ca91fb0da1edd8…00aeb08d3d2771Recommended next actions
Before running
Do not run it until the source and publisher can be verified independently.
If you already ran it
Stop using it, scan the device, and watch for unexpected behavior or security alerts. Get a fresh copy from the developer's official site or an official app store.
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.
The file has a verified ImpulseRC signature and broad, decade-long prevalence, while only 2 of 75 engines detected it and no strong family consensus exists. However, its packed code, unsupported signer history, and observed T1562.001 and T1620 techniques make execution inappropriate unless its origin and hash can be verified.
Two of 75 engines detected the sample, including one tier-1 engine, but there is no strong family agreement and 16 other tier-1 products reported no detection. The executable carries a verified ImpulseRC signature and has appeared across 1,100 sources since 2016, which weighs heavily against a newly distributed trojan. One completed sandbox recorded packed-code loading and an impairment-related technique, although it issued no malicious sandbox finding, established no persistence, and recorded no dropped payload hashes. Reputation checks covered all 20 distinct observed contacts and found none listed as malicious or suspicious. Because the publisher lacks trusted-history data and the packed implementation remains a meaningful concern, the evidence is mixed rather than conclusive.
What We Detected
DrWeb and Skyhigh flagged the executable, producing 2 detections among 75 engines. DrWeb used the generic Siggen16 designation and Skyhigh used JAIQ, but there is no strong tier-1 family consensus; 16 other tier-1 engines reported no detection. The file is signed with a verified certificate issued to ImpulseRC (Pickwick Australia Pty Ltd), although no established signer history is available.
Threat Behavior
The executable is a packed, high-entropy .NET application. One completed sandbox recorded T1562.001 and T1620 alongside common installer and system-discovery activity, but it produced no malicious sandbox finding, persistence indicator, or dropped-file hash. The host-reputation check covered all 20 distinct observed contacts and found none listed as malicious or suspicious; several connections were to Microsoft infrastructure and the ImpulseRC storage endpoint.
What To Do Now
Confirm that the SHA-256 hash matches a copy obtained directly from ImpulseRC's official release channel before running it. Keep endpoint protection enabled, and avoid execution if the download source or certificate details cannot be independently verified.
Where this verdict could be wrong4 caveats
- DrWeb is a tier-1 engine and identifies Trojan.Siggen16.29662, so the detection cannot be dismissed as low-trust noise.
- peAnalysis.highEntropyCode=true and peAnalysis.likelyPacked=true, while the completed sandbox recorded T1562.001 and T1620; this combination can conceal harmful code.
- signing.signerStats.found=false and signing.trustedPublisher.matched=false, so the verified certificate lacks established historical support.
- Community annotations identify ConfuserEx packing patterns, although externalIntel.yaraify.ruleCount=0 provides no current curated-rule corroboration.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- Only 2 of 75 engines detected the sample, with no strong family consensus.
- The signature for ImpulseRC (Pickwick Australia Pty Ltd) is verified.
- The file has 1,100 submitting sources and 1,326 submissions dating to 2016.
- The completed sandbox produced no malicious verdict, persistence indicator, or dropped-file hash.
- All 20 distinct observed contacts were covered by the host check, with no malicious or suspicious listings.
- DrWeb supplied one tier-1 Trojan.Siggen16 detection.
- peAnalysis.likelyPacked=true with high-entropy .NET code.
- Sandbox observation included T1562.001 and T1620.
- The signer has no historical sample statistics or curated trusted-publisher match.
- A fired DropperNetworkProfile heuristic combines packing, network activity, and engine flags.
Use only a copy whose SHA-256 and signature can be verified against ImpulseRC's official distribution channel. Keep endpoint protection enabled and quarantine the file if that verification fails.
Coverage & freshness
Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.
Antivirus
Complete2 of 75 engines flagged the file.
Sandbox
Complete1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.
Network
Partial20 of 40 contacted hosts were cross-checked; coverage is incomplete.
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
- 20MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 13spawned processes
- 45network contacts
- 26filesystem & mutex artifacts
What this file does
Observed actions and their security significance
High concern: Used an input-capture technique that can record credentials or keystrokes.
High concern: Attempted to impair or bypass security controls.
High concern: Manipulated how the operating system loads code, which can redirect execution.
High concern: Loaded code directly into memory instead of from a normal file.
Moderate concern: Contained obfuscated or packed code that makes inspection harder.
Moderate concern: Runs hidden system commands (script or shell).
Moderate concern: Communicated over a common application protocol; malware can use this for command-and-control.
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.
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
ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.exe
7da7ca91fb0da1edd8e9c5355b48597883bc1bfdecfeab1b9200aeb08d3d2771
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
%SAMPLEPATH%\7da7ca91fb0da1edd8e9c5355b48597883bc1bfdecfeab1b9200aeb08d3d2771.exe
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
C:\Windows\System32\wuapihost.exe
03Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Files
Created or changed
- Written fileObserved
Roaming
C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming
04Isolated runtime analysis
Network
Hosts contacted
- Contacted hostObserved
impulserc.blob.core.windows.net
Contact observed during runtime.
05Isolated runtime analysis - Contacted hostObserved
query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com
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.
- impulserc.blob.core.windows.net
- query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com
- www.microsoft.com
- res.public.onecdn.static.microsoft
- 138.184.247.72.in-addr.arpa
- crl.microsoft.com
- a1363.dscg.akamai.net
- crl.www.ms.akadns.net
- login.live.com
- 140.31.126.40.in-addr.arpa
- 209.197.3.8
- a83f:8110:0:0:1b00:100:2800:0
- 20.60.178.68
- a83f:8110:4203:0:0:0:4203:0
- 23.223.54.201
- 23.216.147.64
- 192.168.0.45
- 52.184.215.140
- 23.216.147.76
- 20.99.132.105
- https://impulserc.blob.core.windows.net:443/utilities/ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.version
- http://crl.microsoft.com/pki/crl/products/microsoftrootcert.crl
- http://crl.microsoft.com/pki/crl/products/WinPCA.crl
- http://crl.microsoft.com/pki/crl/products/MicrosoftTimeStampPCA.crl
- https://impulserc.blob.core.windows.net/utilities/ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.version
- HKU\S-1-5-21-575823232-3065301323-1442773979-1000\Software\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\Root\Certificates\0174E68C97DDF1E0EEEA415EA336A163D2B61AFD\Blob
- HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Tracing\SC5K6CF1UXJ1W0FH_RASAPI32\FileDirectory
- HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Tracing\SC5K6CF1UXJ1W0FH_RASAPI32\MaxFileSize
- HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Tracing\SC5K6CF1UXJ1W0FH_RASAPI32\ConsoleTracingMask
- HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Tracing\SC5K6CF1UXJ1W0FH_RASAPI32\FileTracingMask
- HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Tracing\SC5K6CF1UXJ1W0FH_RASAPI32\EnableConsoleTracing
- C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming
- C:\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0\cache\cache.dat
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER33AD.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER34E6.tmp.csv
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER3516.tmp.txt
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER3C49.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml
- CTF.LBES.MutexDefaultS-1-5-21-1482476501-1645522239-1417001333-500
- CTF.Compart.MutexDefaultS-1-5-21-1482476501-1645522239-1417001333-500
- CTF.Asm.MutexDefaultS-1-5-21-1482476501-1645522239-1417001333-500
- CTF.Layouts.MutexDefaultS-1-5-21-1482476501-1645522239-1417001333-500
- CTF.TMD.MutexDefaultS-1-5-21-1482476501-1645522239-1417001333-500
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
- 2 / 75engines flagged
- 1,100sources 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
2 of 75 antivirus engines flagged the file, including DrWeb and Skyhigh.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 03
The hash has a long, established submission history across 1,100 sources.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceSubmission historyObserved at - 04
Scanned file: ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.exe — 7da7ca91fb0da1edd8e9c5355b48597883bc1bfdecfeab1b9200aeb08d3d2771
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — %SAMPLEPATH%\7da7ca91fb0da1edd8e9c5355b48597883bc1bfdecfeab1b9200aeb08d3d2771.exe
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — C:\Windows\System32\wuapihost.exe
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: Roaming — C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
Contacted host: impulserc.blob.core.windows.net — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 09
Contacted host: query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at
Detection sources at a glance
The available sources did not agree on a named threat category.
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.
Signed by "ImpulseRC (Pickwick Australia Pty Ltd)" — short generic company CN. Paired with 2 engine hit(s); possible stolen, fraudulent, or reseller-purchased code-signing certificate.
EvidenceImpulseRC (Pickwick Australia Pty Ltd)Packed PE with sandbox-observed network activity AND engine flags. Signed packed software exists legitimately, but a signed + packed + flagged binary is a signed dropper pattern.
Evidenceimpulserc.blob.core.windows.net
2 of 75 engines flagged this file
View all 75 engine results
Section entropy & packers
Executable sections have high entropy (7.2+) — the code is compressed or encrypted and only decrypted at runtime. Classic packing behaviour.
Packers compress or encrypt the executable and only unpack it at runtime. Legitimate commercial software uses them too — but if the file is also unsigned and rare, it's a strong malware signal.
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
- ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.exe
- Format
- Win32 EXE
- Code signing
- Signature valid: ImpulseRC (Pickwick Australia Pty Ltd)
- Size
- 5.8 MB
- Last analyzed
- Sep 24, 2026, 2:33 PM UTC
7da7ca91fb0da1edd8e9c5355b48597883bc1bfdecfeab1b9200aeb08d3d2771Safety & 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 run 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 developer's official site or an official app store.
- 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.
Is ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.exe safe, or is it malware?
What is ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.exe?
How many antivirus engines detected ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.exe?
I already downloaded and ran ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.exe — what should I do?
How do I remove ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.exe?
Is ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.exe digitally signed?
What is the SHA-256 hash of ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.exe?
How up to date is this analysis of ImpulseRC_Driver_Fixer.exe?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.