Is NepTunnel 2.3 (1).exe safe?
Unsigned 78 MB executable showing process-injection and LSASS access with only two low-tier detections.
Two engines flag it as XWorm-related, sandbox shows T1055 and LSASS reads, yet no tier-1 consensus and mixed prior imphash verdicts leave the risk level uncertain.
8e37cb9d9bf467f73d…f0e7ca4032f31dRecommended 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.
Two engines flag it as XWorm-related, sandbox shows T1055 and LSASS reads, yet no tier-1 consensus and mixed prior imphash verdicts leave the risk level uncertain.
The file is unsigned and triggers sandbox heuristics for process injection and credential-store access, both offensive techniques rarely seen in legitimate software. Only two engines report malicious, neither tier-1, and external-intel sources are silent. Similar-hash history is split between suspicious and safe, while medium prevalence suggests the sample is not brand-new. These mixed signals place the sample in the suspicious band rather than clean or confirmed malicious.
What We Detected
Two of 75 engines flagged the sample; Zillya labels it Backdoor.XWorm.Win32.3294 while Bkav reports a generic signature. Sandbox execution recorded MITRE T1055 process injection and direct reads against lsass.exe, plus three direct-IP connections without domain names.
Threat Behavior
Process-injection and LSASS access are hallmarks of credential-stealing RATs. The 78 MB size and PyInstaller indicators suggest a bundled Python payload. No dropped children were flagged malicious, and external reputation sources returned no hits.
What To Do Now
Do not execute the file. Keep Windows Defender and other endpoint protection enabled. If the file is required for legitimate work, run it only in an isolated virtual machine and monitor for outbound traffic to the observed IPs.
Where this verdict could be wrong2 caveats
- similarHashes[1].verdict=safe (matchKind=imphash) for NepTunnel 2.2.exe
- droppedChildren.hasMaliciousChild=false and droppedChildren.rollup.malicious=0
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- No tier-1 engine detections
- No malicious dropped children
- Medium prevalence over 54 days
- Unsigned executable
- Sandbox observed T1055 process injection
- LSASS memory access (credential-dumping shape)
- Direct-IP C2 traffic without domains
Treat the file as untrusted; isolate or delete it unless a verified, signed update from the legitimate NepTunnel project becomes available.
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
Partial3 runtime contacts were observed without a completed reputation cross-check.
YARA
Complete3 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
- 14MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 11spawned processes
- 3network contacts
- 17filesystem & mutex artifacts
What this file does
Observed actions and their security significance
High concern: Injected code into another process, a technique that can conceal execution.
High concern: Manipulated how the operating system loads code, which can redirect execution.
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.
Moderate concern: Scans through your files and folders.
Moderate concern: Checked the environment for virtualisation or analysis tools.
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
NepTunnel 2.3 (1).exe
8e37cb9d9bf467f73d7e2794abd34d501ccd8810feae2e0f5ef0e7ca4032f31d
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\NepTunnel 2.3.exe"
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe /c "ver"
03Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Files
Created or changed
- Written fileObserved
CleanedAnimsNepFile.rbxm
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\_MEI32602\CleanedAnimsNepFile.rbxm
04Isolated runtime analysis - Written fileObserved
MapsforNepfile.rbxm
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\_MEI32602\MapsforNepfile.rbxm
05Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Network
Hosts contacted
- Contacted hostObserved
104.18.14.72
Contact observed during runtime.
06Isolated runtime analysis - Contacted hostObserved
199.232.192.193
Contact observed during runtime.
07Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
7 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.
- 104.18.14.72
- 199.232.192.193
- 162.159.36.2
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\_MEI32602\CleanedAnimsNepFile.rbxm
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\_MEI32602\MapsforNepfile.rbxm
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\_MEI32602\PIL\_avif.cp314-win_amd64.pyd
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\_MEI32602\PIL\_imaging.cp314-win_amd64.pyd
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\_MEI32602\PIL\_imagingcms.cp314-win_amd64.pyd
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\5o86t_0o
- Global\OneSettingQueryMutex+compat+encapsulation
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 10 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- 48f4a239c25354f0e9f8…17ecedNever scannednever seen before
- 3271d39d7b4dcd841e8e…efe5e5Never scannednever seen before
- cb71909bf01a3a7a4c73…d46e13Never scannednever seen before
- 6a99bc0128e0c7d6cbbf…cbc6c8Never scannednever seen before
- 98074c85650a420a095a…b084e9Never scannednever seen before
- 81eca6840b87f2def9fc…d7aaaaNever scannednever seen before
- 4f05f31ca026bbfeeee4…7ab5deNever scannednever seen before
- 3130bf26da0c840c1e02…5a3539Never scannednever seen before
- 47576cae321c80e69c7f…ac6b91Never scannednever seen before
- 165be658ab7d61ffc3df…d3acd7Never scannednever seen before
Detection & Forensics
Consensus, attribution, signatures, code structure, prevalence, and identity.
Evidence integrity
Chain of custody for the facts preserved in this report.
- 3rule hits recorded
- 2 / 75engines flagged
- 659sources 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 Bkav and Zillya.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 03
The hash has been submitted 821 times from 659 sources.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceSaved report factsObserved at - 04
Scanned file: NepTunnel 2.3 (1).exe — 8e37cb9d9bf467f73d7e2794abd34d501ccd8810feae2e0f5ef0e7ca4032f31d
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\NepTunnel 2.3.exe"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe /c "ver"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: CleanedAnimsNepFile.rbxm — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\_MEI32602\CleanedAnimsNepFile.rbxm
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
File written: MapsforNepfile.rbxm — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\_MEI32602\MapsforNepfile.rbxm
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 09
Contacted host: 104.18.14.72 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 10
Contacted host: 199.232.192.193 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at
Detection sources at a glance
Category: rat
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.
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.
EvidenceC:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe -k NetworkService -pSandbox observed process activity targeting LSASS (Windows credential store). Legitimate software has no business reading LSASS memory — this is Mimikatz-shape behaviour.
EvidenceC:\Windows\system32\lsass.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.
Evidence104.18.14.72 · 199.232.192.193 · 162.159.36.2
2 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
Moderate prevalence — neither rare nor common. No strong prior applies.
Fingerprint and provenance
- File name
- NepTunnel 2.3 (1).exe
- Format
- Win32 EXE
- Code signing
- No verified publisher
- Size
- 74.6 MB
- Last analyzed
- Aug 5, 2026, 11:12 PM UTC
8e37cb9d9bf467f73d7e2794abd34d501ccd8810feae2e0f5ef0e7ca4032f31dSafety & 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 NepTunnel 2.3 (1).exe safe, or is it malware?
What is NepTunnel 2.3 (1).exe?
How many antivirus engines detected NepTunnel 2.3 (1).exe?
I already downloaded and ran NepTunnel 2.3 (1).exe — what should I do?
How do I remove NepTunnel 2.3 (1).exe?
What kind of malware is NepTunnel 2.3 (1).exe?
What is the SHA-256 hash of NepTunnel 2.3 (1).exe?
How up to date is this analysis of NepTunnel 2.3 (1).exe?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.
