MalwareTips
Threat LensFile scan report

Is winkey.exe safe?

Verdict
Malicious

A sandbox raised a malware alert after possible process-injection and LSASS-related activity, despite zero detections across 75 antivirus engines and a verified signature.

Runtime evidence raises substantial concern: one sandbox issued a malware alert and mapped possible process injection plus defense impairment, with LSASS-related activity also recorded. However, all 75 engines were silent, the signature verifies, and the sample is broadly submitted, so a sandbox false positive remains plausible.

Do not run this file

Quarantine the executable and verify it directly with its publisher or distributor before use. Keep endpoint protection enabled and seek a second controlled runtime analysis to resolve the conflict between the sandbox alert and 0/75 engine detections.

Read the full analysis
Saved file evidenceAntivirus consensus
0of 75 flagged
Flagged 0No detection 75
Digital specimenwinkey.exe8e5028fdeaebece7aa…18c8175ed3f29a
Size280.1 KB
Code signingPeter Panisz
SandboxRuntime complete
First seen10mo ago
Evidence3 priority signals
1 isolated runtime environment classified the observed behavior as malicious.

Recommended next actions

01

Before running

Do not run it. Delete this file from the device, then empty the Recycle Bin or Trash.

02

If you already ran it

Disconnect from the internet, start a full or offline antivirus scan, then secure important accounts from a clean device.

Chapter 02

Intelligence

The saved assessment, checked against the scan evidence and recorded coverage.

MT AI Engine · Verdict analysis

The reasoning behind this verdict

This section explains the evidence supporting the verdict and keeps conflicting or missing signals visible.

63%Confidence
Moderate
Analyst conclusion

Runtime evidence raises substantial concern: one sandbox issued a malware alert and mapped possible process injection plus defense impairment, with LSASS-related activity also recorded. However, all 75 engines were silent, the signature verifies, and the sample is broadly submitted, so a sandbox false positive remains plausible.

Where this verdict could be wrong4 caveats
  • All 75 engines produced no malicious detection, including 17 tier-1 engines, which strongly conflicts with the runtime alert.
  • The file is verified as signed by 'Peter Panisz' and has been submitted 177 times by 160 sources, reducing the likelihood of a narrowly distributed new threat.
  • contactedHosts inspected four domain hosts without a malicious or suspicious cache hit; however, the IP and URL contacts were not all covered.
  • externalIntel.yaraify.ruleCount=0 and both externalIntel.malwareBazaar.hit=false and externalIntel.circl.hit=false, though absence of such hits does not prove benignity.

These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.

Recommended action

Quarantine the executable and verify it directly with its publisher or distributor before use. Keep endpoint protection enabled and seek a second controlled runtime analysis to resolve the conflict between the sandbox alert and 0/75 engine detections.

Scan transparency

Coverage & freshness

4 of 5 complete

Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.

  • Antivirus

    Complete

    0 of 75 engines flagged the file.

  • Sandbox

    Complete

    1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.

  • Network

    Partial

    4 of 6 contacted hosts were cross-checked; coverage is incomplete.

  • YARA

    Complete

    2 signature or behavior rules matched.

  • External intel

    Complete

    3 of 3 independent reference sources completed.

Chapter 03

Behavior

Plain-English impact first, then the observed runtime evidence.

Runtime flight recorder

Capture complete
  • 1isolated sandbox run
  • 13MITRE ATT&CK techniques
  • 8spawned processes
  • 10network contacts
  • 6filesystem & 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: Attempted to impair or bypass security controls.

  • 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.

  • Moderate concern: Checks which security software you have installed.

  • Note: Listed running processes; both legitimate software and malware may do this.

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.

Recorded behavior

Attack story

Runtime observations grouped by analysis stage. Arrows organize the stages; they do not claim chronology or causality.

ObservedDerived

7 recorded facts from one runtime window. Every fact remains independently traceable in Analyst mode.

Chapter 04

Detection & Forensics

Consensus, attribution, signatures, code structure, prevalence, and identity.

Chapter 05

Safety & FAQ

Complete recovery guidance and answers for the next decision.

What to do now

This file is dangerous. Treat it as harmful and remove it.

  1. Recovery step 01

    Don't run this file. Delete this file from the device, then empty the Recycle Bin or Trash.

  2. Recovery step 02

    If you already ran it, disconnect from the internet and start with a full antivirus scan or Microsoft Defender Offline scan. If compromise is suspected or the problem persists, use a reputable second-opinion scanner and follow incident-recovery or clean-reinstall guidance.

  3. Recovery step 03

    If you typed any passwords while it was open, change them from a device you trust.

  4. Recovery step 04

    Get a fresh copy from the developer's official site or an official app store.

Safety FAQ

Direct answers grounded in the saved verdict and evidence in this report.

8 evidence-based answers
Is winkey.exe a virus?
Evidence-based answer
Yes — winkey.exe is malicious. Do not run it. Delete this file from the device, then empty the Recycle Bin or Trash. 0 of 75 antivirus engines flag it. If you've already run it, see the removal and recovery steps below.
What is winkey.exe?
Evidence-based answer
winkey.exe is a Windows executable program, about 280 KB. Our analysis identifies it as malicious. Because a file's name and icon can be faked, the safest way to identify it is by its cryptographic hash (below), not its filename.
How many antivirus engines detected winkey.exe?
Evidence-based answer
None — 0 of 75 antivirus engines flagged winkey.exe, but that does not make it safe: antivirus engines often miss new or targeted samples. The malicious verdict is supported by 1 isolated runtime environment that classified the observed behavior as malicious and by the wider saved evidence.
What should I do if I already ran winkey.exe?
Evidence-based answer
Act quickly. 1) Disconnect the device from the internet to stop the malware communicating or spreading. 2) Run a full scan with reputable anti-malware software (such as Malwarebytes) and quarantine everything it finds. 3) Change your important passwords from a DIFFERENT, clean device — many threats log keystrokes or steal saved credentials. 4) If you bank or shop on this device, watch closely for fraud and alert your bank. 5) For a confirmed infection, the most reliable fix is to back up your personal files and reinstall the operating system for a clean start.
How do I remove winkey.exe?
Evidence-based answer
To remove winkey.exe: 1) restart into Safe Mode (Safe Mode with Networking if you need to download a tool) so the malware doesn't auto-start. 2) Run a full scan with reputable anti-malware software and let it quarantine or delete the detections. 3) Delete this file from the device, then empty the Recycle Bin or Trash. 4) Check your browser extensions, startup items, and scheduled tasks for anything unfamiliar. 5) Reboot and scan again to confirm it's gone. If detections keep coming back, a clean operating-system reinstall is the most dependable cure.
Is winkey.exe digitally signed?
Evidence-based answer
Yes — winkey.exe carries a valid digital signature from Peter Panisz, which confirms the file hasn't been tampered with since that publisher signed it. A valid signature is a positive signal, but note that malware is occasionally signed with stolen or abused certificates, so it isn't proof of safety on its own.
What is the SHA-256 hash of winkey.exe?
Evidence-based answer
The SHA-256 hash of winkey.exe is 8e5028fdeaebece7aa5a376397fe6d498b30829e9ab1da28c318c8175ed3f29a, and its MD5 is 4cad616b04096584e42b2fbdbeb1d69f. This hash is the file's unique fingerprint — two files with the same SHA-256 are identical. Use it to confirm you're looking at exactly this file (not just one with the same name) when comparing against antivirus databases or a download's published checksum.
How up to date is this analysis of winkey.exe?
Evidence-based answer
This report reflects the scan run on October 7, 2026. Because a file's hash never changes, the identity of winkey.exe is fixed — but antivirus coverage improves over time, so a file that looks clean today can pick up detections later (and vice-versa). If you need the latest picture, MalwareTips staff can re-run the analysis from scratch.
Chapter 06

Community

Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.

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The raw file is processed temporarily and is not retained after processing. Its hash and report are public and permanent, so the next person who checks the same file gets an instant answer. Unknown files may be submitted to VirusTotal for analysis. If you ran this file on your computer and are worried, scan your system with an up-to-date antivirus and change critical passwords from a different device.