File scan report
Verdict Suspicious
Is Steam
A lone generic Symantec detection conflicts with a clean sandbox result, but four offensive technique mappings and an unverified, unknown signer justify caution.
Read the whole reasonShow less
Why Suspicious? One antivirus engine (Symantec (Norton)) flags it; nothing else confirms it.
Limited evidence
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 run 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 ran 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
1 of 70 flagged
- Flagged 1
- No detection 69
- No result 5
- Code signing Signer not verified
- Test run Completed
- First seen 28d ago
Chapter 02
Why we think so
4 points against it and 5 in its favour, checked against the scan evidence.
The reasoning behind this verdict
Only 1 of the 70 antivirus engines that checked it flagged the executable, and that detection is a generic machine-learning label rather than a named family. However, the test run mapped process injection, PowerShell, data destruction, and defense impairment techniques, while the claimed signer has no verified trust or history.
Symantec alone reported ML.Attribute.HighConfidence, with no corroborating engine or named-family consensus. One completed sandbox run returned clean, but it mapped T1055, T1059.001, T1485, and T1562.001, which are meaningful warning signs. The claimed SteamDaddy signer is not verified in the evidence and has no historical sample record or trusted-publisher match. No packing, malicious child verdict, or malware-specific external intelligence was found, but the six dropped files remain unclassified and no complete contacted-host reputation result is available.
What We Detected
Symantec was the only engine among the 75-engine total to flag the executable, using the generic label ML.Attribute.HighConfidence. No other engine corroborated that result, and there is no agreement on a named malware family. The file claims a signature from SteamDaddy Software Trust Authority, but verification is unavailable and the signer has no established history or trusted-publisher match.
Threat Behavior
These mappings merit caution, although no injected target was recorded and the observed PowerShell command queried the system UUID through WMI. No sample-originated network contacts were recorded during that run, but a complete host-reputation cross-check is unavailable. Six files were dropped, and none has a saved verdict, so their nature remains unresolved.
What To Do Now
Do not run the file on a production system until its source and signature can be independently verified. Keep security software enabled, and if execution is necessary, use an isolated disposable environment while monitoring PowerShell activity, file changes, and programs it started.
Where this verdict could be wrong3 caveats
- Only Symantec flagged the sample, using a generic machine-learning label rather than a named malware family; the other engines among the 75-engine total did not flag it.
- The completed sandbox run returned clean, although its MITRE mappings still include several offensive techniques.
- No packer or high-entropy code was identified, and no malware-specific external research rule matched the file.
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 1 of the 70 antivirus engines that checked it flagged the file, and the label was generic rather than family-specific.
- The completed sandbox run returned clean.
- No injected target process was recorded.
- No packer or high-entropy code was identified.
- No malware-specific external intelligence matched the sample.
- Data from the test run mapped process injection, PowerShell execution, data destruction, and defense impairment techniques.
- The claimed code-signing identity could not be verified and has no established history.
- The executable is relatively recent and lacks strong reputation evidence.
- No complete reputation check is available for contacted hosts.
6 sources checked · 5 complete · 1 not needed or not applicable. 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- 25sandbox rule tags
- 4spawned processes
- 0network contacts
- 20filesystem & 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: 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: Listed the programs running on the test computer.
Note: Read basic details of the test computer, such as its Windows version.
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 recording keystrokes; no keylogging was confirmed.
Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as contacting a server, but no contacted host 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 5: FileSeen in the test run
SteamDaddy.exe
9a990be9065d049397ffac0c8dafebe1782ed2e2a6c6351970d1ebe6846eb888
Uploaded file
- 2
Processes
What ran
- Evidence 2 of 5: ProcessSeen in the test run
SteamDaddy.exe
"C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\SteamDaddy.exe"
Test run - Evidence 3 of 5: ProcessSeen in the test run
powershell
"powershell" -NoProfile -Command "(Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystemProduct).UUID"
Test run - +1 more recorded observation
- 2
Files
Created or changed
- Evidence 4 of 5: Written fileSeen in the test run
sd_token.key
C:\ProgramData\SteamDaddy\sd_token.key
Test run - Evidence 5 of 5: Written fileSeen in the test run
StartupProfileData-NonInteractive
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\PowerShell\StartupProfileData-NonInteractive
Test run - +1 more recorded observation
5 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.
Sandbox verdicts
1- VT: CLEANclean
Techniques observed in the sandbox
25MITRE ATT&CK techniques the sandbox mapped. Highlighted ones are rare in normal software; the others are common in legitimate programs too.
- T1027· Obfuscated code
- T1027.002· Obfuscated code
- T1033· Reads user info
- T1036
- T1047
- T1055· Process injection
- T1056· Keylogging
- T1057· Lists programs
- T1059· Runs commands
- T1059.001· Runs commands
- T1064
- T1069
- T1071· Application protocol
- T1082· System recon
- T1129· Loads modules
- T1485
- T1497· Sandbox evasion
- T1518· Checks your AV
- T1518.001· Checks your AV
- T1562· Disables security
- T1562.001· Disables security
- T1564· Hides artifacts
- T1564.003· Hides artifacts
- T1573
- T1574· Execution hijack
Observed activity
Processes started
4Programs the file ran, with their command lines.
SteamDaddy.exe"C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\SteamDaddy.exe"powershell"powershell" -NoProfile -Command "(Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystemProduct).UUID"SteamDaddy.exe"C:\Users\user\Desktop\SteamDaddy.exe"powershell.exeC:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe "powershell" -NoProfile -Command "(Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystemProduct).UUID"
Files
17Files the file created, changed or deleted.
- Written
C:\ProgramData\SteamDaddy\sd_token.key - Written
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\PowerShell\StartupProfileData-NonInteractive - Written
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\CLR_v4.0\UsageLogs\powershell.exe.log - Written
C:\Windows\System32\wbem\repository\WRITABLE.TST - Written
C:\Windows\System32\wbem\repository\MAPPING1.MAP - Written
C:\Windows\System32\wbem\repository\MAPPING2.MAP
Show all 17 entries for files
- Written
C:\Windows\System32\wbem\repository\MAPPING3.MAP - Written
C:\Windows\System32\wbem\repository\OBJECTS.DATA - Written
C:\Windows\System32\wbem\repository\INDEX.BTR - Written
C:\ProgramData\SteamDaddy - Written
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\PowerShell\StartupProfileData-NonInteractive - Written
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\__PSScriptPolicyTest_3df5pkvf.4mr.ps1 - Written
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\__PSScriptPolicyTest_ozkpkt51.xk5.psm1 - Written
C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming - Written
C:\Users\user\Documents\20260927 - Deleted
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\__PSScriptPolicyTest_3df5pkvf.4mr.ps1 - Deleted
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\__PSScriptPolicyTest_ozkpkt51.xk5.psm1
Mutexes
3Named locks a program uses so only one copy runs; malware families often reuse them.
Global\SteamDaddy_Engine_Mutex_v4Global\OneSettingQueryMutex+compat+encapsulation\Sessions\1\BaseNamedObjects\Global\SteamDaddy_Engine_Mutex_v4
Sandbox background — not the file
9The 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
svchost.exeC:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe -k LocalSystemNetworkRestricted -p -s WdiSystemHost - VM process
lsass.exeC:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe
Show all 9 entries for sandbox background — not the file
- VM process
svchost.exeC:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalService -s W32Time - VM process
svchost.exeC:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalSystemNetworkRestricted -p - VM process
conhost.exeC:\Windows\System32\conhost.exe C:\Windows\system32\conhost.exe 0xffffffff -ForceV1
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 5 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache. 5 have no saved verdict and were not checked; that is missing coverage, not a finding.
- eb31de72690dc3041e4f…bebd56Not checkedno saved verdict
- 168561fb18f8eba8043f…740e3fNot checkedno saved verdict
- 575f6f9e15d5f19eea31…956decNot checkedno saved verdict
- 3f027054064426ef8306…ca9e54Not checkedno saved verdict
- cd8ff6f0a4380d95a4c9…6d500bNot checkedno saved verdict
Chapter 04
Technical details
1 of the 70 antivirus engines that checked it flags it; a signature that did not verify.
Sources checked
Every check behind this verdict
6 sources checked · 5 complete · 1 not needed or not applicable. Complete means the check returned a usable result; it does not mean the file is safe.
Engines that flagged it 1
- Symantec (major engine)ML.Attribute.HighConfidence
File fingerprint
- Last analyzed
- Oct 10, 2026, 11:23 AM UTC
- SHA-256
9a990be9065d049397ffac0c8dafebe1782ed2e2a6c6351970d1ebe6846eb888- SHA-1
0259a172b2e1342fff266242b24bbbe160447536- MD5
932845182b57e97a7f84809ed4c9c9be
About this file
SteamDaddy.exe is a Win32 EXE file of 21.5 MB.
- Type and size
- Win32 EXE · 21.5 MB
- Signer
- SteamDaddy Software Trust Authority (unverified signature)Worth noting: Malware sometimes copies or steals a company's signature, so this does not mean that company made it.
- First seen
- Sep 28, 2026On VirusTotal.
- Submitted by
- 54 distinct sources
- Packer
- None detected
- Entropy
- 7.67 of 8
First scanned
Antivirus consensus
1 of 70 engines flagged this file
5 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-118 engines1flagged
- Tier-235 engines0flagged
- Low-trust17 engines0flagged
View all 75 engine results
- SymantecMalicious: ML.Attribute.HighConfidence
- AcronisClean
- AhnLab-V3Clean
- AlibabaClean
- alibabacloudClean
- ALYacClean
- Antiy-AVLClean
- APEXClean
- ArcabitClean
- AvastClean
- Avast-MobileNo result
- AVGClean
- AviraClean
- BitDefenderClean
- BitDefenderFalxNo result
- BkavClean
- CAT-QuickHealClean
- ClamAVNo result
- CMCClean
- CrowdStrikeClean
- CTXClean
- CylanceClean
- CynetClean
- DeepInstinctClean
- DrWebClean
- ElasticClean
- EmsisoftClean
- ESET-NOD32Clean
- F-SecureClean
- FortinetClean
- GDataClean
- GoogleClean
- GridinsoftClean
- huorongClean
- IkarusClean
- JiangminClean
- K7AntiVirusClean
- K7GWClean
- KasperskyClean
- KingsoftClean
- LionicClean
- MalwarebytesClean
- MaxSecureClean
- McAfeeDClean
- MicrosoftClean
- MicroWorld-eScanClean
- NANO-AntivirusClean
- PaloaltoClean
- PandaClean
- RisingClean
- SangforClean
- SentinelOneClean
- SkyhighClean
- SophosClean
- SUPERAntiSpywareClean
- SymantecMobileInsightNo result
- TACHYONClean
- tehtrisClean
- TencentClean
- TrapmineClean
- TrellixENSClean
- TrendMicroClean
- TrendMicro-HouseCallClean
- TrustlookNo result
- VaristClean
- VBA32Clean
- VIPREClean
- VirITClean
- ViRobotClean
- WebrootClean
- XcitiumClean
- YandexClean
- ZillyaClean
- 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)
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.
Chapter 05
Questions & answers
Short answers to the 7 questions people ask most about this file.
Is SteamDaddy.exe safe, or is it malware?
What is SteamDaddy.exe?
How many antivirus engines detected SteamDaddy.exe?
What should I do if I already ran SteamDaddy.exe?
Is SteamDaddy.exe digitally signed?
What is the SHA-256 hash of SteamDaddy.exe?
How up to date is this analysis of SteamDaddy.exe?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.