File verdict·MT AI Engine assessment

Our call: Is setup.exe safe?Malicious

Do not install this file
18Safety ratingHigh risk

Unsigned installer flagged by tier-1 engine for PSEB family; sandbox observed process injection, credential dumping, and direct-IP C2 contact.

pseb
Evidence snapshot
  • 1 high-confidence signature or behavior rule matched this file.Derived · Signature and behavior rules
  • 4 of 75 antivirus engines flagged the file, including Bkav and GData.Observed · Antivirus analysis
  • The hash has been submitted 92 times from 76 sources.Derived · Saved report facts
setup.exe
8.5 MB
9b7c34eefa6dc1db1612931d6edf
Antivirus
4 of 75 flagged
Sandbox
Runtime complete
Code signing
Unsigned
First seen
First seen 2mo ago

Recommended next actions

01

Before installing

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

02

If you already installed it

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

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

    4 of 75 engines flagged the file.

  • Sandbox

    Complete

    1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.

  • Network

    Partial

    1 of 3 contacted hosts were cross-checked; coverage is incomplete.

  • YARA

    Complete

    3 signature or behavior rules matched.

  • External intel

    Complete

    3 of 3 independent reference sources completed.

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 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.

72%Confidence
High
Analyst conclusion

GData (tier-1) identifies this as PSEB malware. Sandbox analysis detected process injection into Explorer.exe, LSASS credential dumping (Mimikatz-like behaviour), and direct-IP C2 communication bypassing DNS reputation systems. Malwarebytes flags it as cracking tooling. The combination of named family detection and offensive MITRE techniques (T1055, T1134, T1485, T1548) indicates malicious intent.

Where this verdict could be wrong4 caveats
  • Only 1 tier-1 engine (GData) flagged malicious; 11 tier-1 engines silent — could indicate false positive if PSEB family is misclassified. However, the combination of process injection + credential dumping + direct-IP C2 is not a typical false-positive signature.
  • Malwarebytes' 'RiskWare.Crack' label suggests cracking/keygen rather than malware proper — but cracking tools are classified as PUA/malware in most policies and the offensive MITRE techniques (T1055, T1485) exceed typical keygen behaviour.
  • Dropped children are all unknown verdict, not malicious — but the parent's own offensive behaviour is sufficient to classify without relying on child verdicts.
  • No external intel hits (CIRCL, YARAify) — could reflect rule-coverage gaps or genuine absence of researcher corroboration, but does not override the sandbox-observed offensive techniques.

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

Block and quarantine this file immediately. The tier-1 family detection (PSEB) combined with sandbox-observed process injection, credential dumping, and direct-IP C2 communication confirms malicious intent. If executed, assume credential compromise and initiate incident response.

Chapter 03

Behavior

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

What this file does

Observed actions and their security significance

  • High concern: Injected code into another process, a technique that can conceal execution.

  • Moderate concern: Contained obfuscated or packed code that makes inspection harder.

  • Moderate concern: Runs hidden system commands (script or shell).

  • Moderate concern: Removed execution artefacts or logs, which can conceal activity.

  • 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.

Threat context

How trojans work

A trojan disguises itself as something useful or harmless to trick you into running it. Once open, it does its real job in the background — anything from stealing data to opening a back door or downloading more malware.

Bottom line:The disguise is the whole trick, so a trustworthy-looking name or icon means nothing.

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

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

  4. Download a fresh installer from the developer's official site or an official app store.

Frequently asked

Safety FAQ

Is setup.exe a virus?
Yes — setup.exe is malicious. Do not install it. Delete this file from the device, then empty the Recycle Bin or Trash. 4 of 75 antivirus engines flag it (family: pseb). It behaves as a trojan — malware disguised as something harmless to trick you into running it. If you've already installed it, see the removal and recovery steps below.
What is setup.exe?
setup.exe is a software installer, about 8.5 MB. Our analysis identifies it as malicious (family: pseb) — a trojan — malware disguised as something harmless to trick you into running it. 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 setup.exe?
4 of 75 antivirus engines flagged setup.exe, 4 of them as outright malicious. The raw count alone does not establish safety or danger; we also weigh which engines flagged it and corroborating behavior, identity, reputation, and rule evidence. The malicious verdict comes from the complete saved evidence, not from this antivirus count by itself.
What should I do if I already installed setup.exe?
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 setup.exe?
To remove setup.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.
What kind of malware is setup.exe?
setup.exe is classified as a trojan — malware disguised as something harmless to trick you into running it. Engines attribute it to the pseb family. Knowing the family matters because it tells you the likely impact — data theft, remote control, file encryption, or unwanted ads — and guides the cleanup.
What is the SHA-256 hash of setup.exe?
The SHA-256 hash of setup.exe is 9b7c34eefa6dc1db16cd458326e532ddc393ef86c4dd09d41ea2b912931d6edf, and its MD5 is 904c3511b42f55312406d0a08c11d058. 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 setup.exe?
This report reflects the scan run on June 11, 2026. Because a file's hash never changes, the identity of setup.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.
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.