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Verdict Malicious

Analyzed , 1 month ago

Is 198macros.exe safe? No, we rate this exact file malicious.

36 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag the file, including nine major antivirus engines that label it Lazy or Agent.

Read the whole reasonShow less

Strong evidence · Two or more major antivirus engines agree.

Don't run this file

If you already ran it, follow the steps below.

What to do now4 steps

This file is harmful. Don't run it, and remove it.

If you haven't run it

  1. Don't run this file. Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin.

If you already ran it

  1. Disconnect the device from the internet, then run a full antivirus scan. Microsoft Defender Offline (Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options) also finds malware that hides while Windows runs.

  2. If you typed passwords on the device after running it, change them from another device you trust.

  3. If the scan keeps finding it, or the device still acts strangely, scan again with a second-opinion scanner from another company; if that doesn't fix it, back up your personal files and reinstall Windows.

If you already ran it, do these in order.

If you opened or installed it

Avoid banking and sign-ins on that device until it is clean. These free MalwareTips guides walk you through it.

Paste this report's link in your topic so helpers can see what was found.

Why we think so

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198macros.exe: Malicious — MalwareTips file scan

The link always shows the latest result for this exact file (its SHA-256 fingerprint).

Reads the latest antivirus results for this file's hash. Nothing is uploaded.

Antivirus results

36 of 71 flagged

  • Flagged 36
  • No detection 35
  • No result 4
File198macros.exe10.2 MBSHA-256 a515d5965eaa…d412a9
  • Code signing Unsigned
  • Test run Completed
  • First seen 9mo ago
1 strong detection rule matched this file.

Chapter 02

Why we think so

4 points against it and 0 in its favour, checked against the scan evidence.

MT AI Engine · Verdict analysis

The reasoning behind this verdict

Analyst conclusion

The sample is unsigned and carries a long-standing malicious reputation.

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
  • 30sandbox rule tags
  • 2spawned processes
  • 0network contacts
  • 11filesystem & 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: Unpacked hidden content while it ran.

  • Moderate concern: Checked whether it was running on a test computer.

  • Moderate concern: Hid files or windows on the test computer.

  • Note: Read the network settings of the test computer.

  • Note: Read the user name of the test computer.

  • Note: Listed the programs running on the test computer.

Sandbox labels we could not confirm (common in safe files too)

  • 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 setting up auto-start; no auto-start entry 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.

Threat context

How trojans work

A trojan pretends to be something useful or harmless so that you run it. Once open, it does its real job in the background, 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

What happened in the test

Grouped by step. The order is not a timeline.

Seen in the test runWorked out from other results

  1. Input file

    The submitted object

    1
    1. Evidence 1 of 4: FileSeen in the test run

      198macros.exe

      a515d5965eaa6d7788f933b8683fa9182debf95e5a81b7f3b41f7e751cd412a9

      Uploaded file

  2. Processes

    What ran

    2
    1. Evidence 2 of 4: ProcessSeen in the test run

      software.exe

      "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\software.exe"

      Test run
    2. Evidence 3 of 4: ProcessSeen in the test run

      198macros.exe

      "C:\Users\user\Desktop\198macros.exe"

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

  3. Files

    Created or changed

    1
    1. Evidence 4 of 4: Written fileSeen in the test run

      Download-1.tmp

      C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\FontCache\Fonts\Download-1.tmp

      Test run

4 facts from the test run. See the full activity list.

Chapter 04

Technical details

36 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag it; no publisher signature.

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.

SourceStatusResultChecked
Antivirus enginesVirusTotal · 75 enginesCompleteRisk signal: 36 of 71 engines flagged it · 4 gave no result Details for antivirus engines
Sandbox runVirusTotal sandboxesCompleteRuntime behaviour was recorded Details for sandbox run
Contacted hostsMalwareTips URL scannerNot neededThe sandbox recorded no contacted hosts to checkNo date recorded
Signature rulesYARAify community rules + MalwareTips rulesCompleteRisk signal: 30 community YARA rules · 1 MalwareTips behaviour rule Details for signature rules
Malware sample databaseabuse.ch MalwareBazaarCompleteNot listed
Known-software referenceCIRCL hashlookupCompleteNo match

Engines that flagged it 36

  • Avast (major engine)Win64:MalwareX-gen [Misc]
  • AVG (major engine)Win64:MalwareX-gen [Misc]
  • Avira (major engine)TR/W64.Agent
  • F-Secure (major engine)Trojan.TR/W64.Agent
  • Fortinet (major engine)W32/PossibleThreat
  • GData (major engine)Win64.Trojan.Agent.7XJQOP
  • Ikarus (major engine)Trojan.W64.Agent
  • Microsoft (major engine)Trojan:Win64/Lazy!MTB
28 more in the full engine list

File fingerprint

Last analyzed
Sep 5, 2026, 8:28 AM UTC
SHA-256
a515d5965eaa6d7788f933b8683fa9182debf95e5a81b7f3b41f7e751cd412a9
SHA-1
af7bfb58172fe2201445e99165f7a22daac93b25
MD5
a2e9334ece4010899674af3ad17e3130

About this file

198macros.exe is a Win32 EXE file of 10.2 MB.

Type and size
Win32 EXE · 10.2 MB
Signer
UnsignedNo code signature.
First seen
Jan 23, 2026On VirusTotal.
Submitted by
1,548 distinct sources
Packer
None detected
Entropy
6.32 of 8

First scanned

Chapter 05

Questions & answers

Short answers to the 8 questions people ask most about this file.

Is 198macros.exe a virus?
Yes. This copy of 198macros.exe (SHA-256 a515d596…12a9) is malicious. Other files with the same name can be different, so check the hash. Don't run it. Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin. 36 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag it. Antivirus engines classify it as a trojan: malware disguised as something harmless so that you run it. If you've already run it, see the steps below.
What is 198macros.exe?
198macros.exe is a Windows program, about 10.2 MB. It carries no version information saying what it is or who made it. VirusTotal first saw it on Jan 23, 2026.
How many antivirus engines detected 198macros.exe?
36 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag 198macros.exe, including Microsoft and Avast. We weigh which engines flagged it and what else the scan found, not just the count. The rating comes from all the evidence together, not from this count alone.
What should I do if I already ran 198macros.exe?
Act quickly. 1) Disconnect the device from the internet. 2) Run a full scan with your antivirus and let it remove what it finds. 3) Change your important passwords from another device you trust, starting with email and banking, and turn on two-step verification. 4) If you bank or shop on this device, watch your accounts and tell your bank about payments you don't recognise. 5) If the scan keeps finding it, back up your personal files and reinstall Windows.
How do I remove 198macros.exe?
To remove 198macros.exe: 1) run a full scan with your antivirus and let it remove what it finds. 2) Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin. 3) Check Settings > Apps, your browser extensions, startup apps (Task Manager > Startup apps) and scheduled tasks for anything you don't recognise. 4) Restart and scan again. If it keeps coming back, scan from Safe Mode with Networking, or back up your files and reinstall Windows.
What kind of malware is 198macros.exe?
Antivirus engines classify 198macros.exe as a trojan: malware disguised as something harmless so that you run it.
What is the SHA-256 hash of 198macros.exe?
The SHA-256 fingerprint of 198macros.exe is a515d5965eaa6d7788f933b8683fa9182debf95e5a81b7f3b41f7e751cd412a9, and its MD5 is a2e9334ece4010899674af3ad17e3130. Two files with the same SHA-256 are identical, so use it to check you have exactly this file, not just one with the same name.
How up to date is this analysis of 198macros.exe?
This report reflects the scan on Sep 5, 2026. A file's fingerprint never changes, but antivirus engines keep learning, so a rating can change later. To get a newer result, scan the file again: we refresh the antivirus results when the saved ones are out of date.
Chapter 06

Community

Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.

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Recent reports on other files with the same rating.

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This report and its SHA-256 fingerprint are public, so the next person who checks the same file gets an instant answer; documents and images are listed by type instead of their file name. A file we had not seen before is uploaded to VirusTotal, whose security partners and subscribers can download it; MalwareTips deletes its own copy after the scan. If you ran this file and are worried, scan your device with up-to-date security software.