MalwareTips
Threat LensFile scan report

Is 198macros.exe safe?

Verdict
Malicious

Unsigned 10 MB PE with nine tier-1 detections, LSASS access, and 30 YARA anti-analysis rules.

36 of 75 engines flag the file, including nine tier-1 engines that label it Lazy or Agent. Sandbox activity shows LSASS memory access and anti-VM checks, backed by 30 YARA rules. The sample is unsigned and carries a long-standing malicious reputation.

Do not run this file

Block the file at the perimeter and endpoint; treat any copies as malicious.

Read the full analysis
Saved file evidenceAntivirus consensus
36of 75 flagged
Flagged 36No detection 39
Digital specimen198macros.exea515d5965eaa6d7788…1f7e751cd412a9
Size9.7 MB
Code signingUnsigned
SandboxRuntime complete
First seen7mo ago
Evidence3 priority signals
6 high-confidence signature or behavior rules matched this file.

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.

92%Confidence
Very high
Analyst conclusion

36 of 75 engines flag the file, including nine tier-1 engines that label it Lazy or Agent. Sandbox activity shows LSASS memory access and anti-VM checks, backed by 30 YARA rules. The sample is unsigned and carries a long-standing malicious reputation.

Recommended action

Block the file at the perimeter and endpoint; treat any copies as malicious.

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

    36 of 75 engines flagged the file.

  • Sandbox

    Complete

    1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.

  • Network

    Partial

    3 runtime contacts were observed without a completed reputation cross-check.

  • YARA

    Complete

    8 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
  • 30MITRE ATT&CK techniques
  • 8spawned processes
  • 3network contacts
  • 11filesystem & 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: Changed an auto-start location that can make code run after sign-in or restart.

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

  • 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: Decoded or unpacked concealed content while running.

  • 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.

Recorded behavior

Attack story

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

ObservedDerived

6 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

    From a different, clean device, change the passwords on your important accounts (email and banking first) and turn on two-factor authentication.

  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 198macros.exe a virus?
Evidence-based answer
Yes — 198macros.exe is malicious. Do not run it. Delete this file from the device, then empty the Recycle Bin or Trash. 36 of 75 antivirus engines flag it (family: lazy). It behaves as a trojan — malware disguised as something harmless to trick you into running it. If you've already run it, see the removal and recovery steps below.
What is 198macros.exe?
Evidence-based answer
198macros.exe is a Windows executable program, about 9.7 MB. Our analysis identifies it as malicious (family: lazy) — 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 198macros.exe?
Evidence-based answer
36 of 75 antivirus engines flagged 198macros.exe, 36 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 ran 198macros.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 198macros.exe?
Evidence-based answer
To remove 198macros.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 198macros.exe?
Evidence-based answer
198macros.exe is classified as a trojan — malware disguised as something harmless to trick you into running it. Engines attribute it to the lazy 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 198macros.exe?
Evidence-based answer
The SHA-256 hash of 198macros.exe is a515d5965eaa6d7788f933b8683fa9182debf95e5a81b7f3b41f7e751cd412a9, and its MD5 is a2e9334ece4010899674af3ad17e3130. 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 198macros.exe?
Evidence-based answer
This report reflects the scan run on September 5, 2026. Because a file's hash never changes, the identity of 198macros.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.