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Verdict Malicious

Analyzed , 1 month ago

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

Eight major antivirus engines detect this file as a generic trojan or kepavll variant.

Strong evidence · Two or more major antivirus engines agree.

Don't install this file

Treat the file as malicious and block or delete it; maintain all security software in an enabled state.

What to do now4 steps

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

If you haven't installed it

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

If you already installed 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

Share this file report

setup.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

37 of 71 flagged

  • Flagged 37
  • No detection 34
  • No result 4
Filesetup.exe4.6 MBSHA-256 a7847f566916…c05497
  • Code signing Unsigned
  • Test run Completed
  • First seen 6mo ago
37 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag it, including ESET and Bitdefender.

Chapter 02

Why we think so

3 points against it and 2 in its favour, checked against the scan evidence.

MT AI Engine · Verdict analysis

The reasoning behind this verdict

Analyst conclusion

The engine consensus is decisive: 8 major detections out of 75 total engines, with consistent Trojan.Generic and kepavll labels. The file is unsigned and shows offensive MITRE techniques in sandbox execution. Similar import-table fingerprint matches lean suspicious, and no trusted signer or external-intel clean signal offsets the detections. Host-reputation coverage is missing, but the static and behavioural evidence is already sufficient for a malicious call.

Where this verdict could be wrong2 caveats
  • No dropped file is known to be malicious and 10/10 children unknown — no confirmed malicious payload chain
  • No contacted-host reputation result was saved — host reputation cross-check incomplete, cannot confirm clean or malicious network activity

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

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
  • 15sandbox rule tags
  • 5spawned processes
  • 0network contacts
  • 16filesystem & 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.

  • Note: Read basic details of the test computer, such as its Windows version.

  • Note: Looked through folders on the test computer (most installers do this).

  • Note: Loaded extra code modules while running.

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 contacting a server, but no contacted host 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 cracked-software installers work

A crack or patch installer is one of the most common ways to spread trojans. Even if the program seems to work, it can install malware in the background.

Bottom line:There is no safe copy of a cracked installer: delete it, and get the software from its real publisher.

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 5: FileSeen in the test run

      setup.exe

      a7847f566916d6a19ad69481c8949d756f8c1979e4bd7dd6677616cdd6c05497

      Uploaded file

  2. Processes

    What ran

    2
    1. Evidence 2 of 5: ProcessSeen in the test run

      setup.exe

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

      Test run
    2. Evidence 3 of 5: ProcessSeen in the test run

      setup.tmp

      "C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-4NB4F.tmp\setup.tmp" /SL5="$9019E,4044845,140800,C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\setup.exe"

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

  3. Files

    Created or changed

    2
    1. Evidence 4 of 5: Written fileSeen in the test run

      setup.tmp

      C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-4NB4F.tmp\setup.tmp

      Test run
    2. Evidence 5 of 5: Written fileSeen in the test run

      _setup64.tmp

      C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-JCGV2.tmp\_isetup\_setup64.tmp

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

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

Chapter 04

Technical details

37 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: 37 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 rulesComplete1 MalwareTips behaviour rule Details for signature rules
Malware sample databaseabuse.ch MalwareBazaarCompleteNot listed
Known-software referenceCIRCL hashlookupCompleteNo match

Engines that flagged it 37

  • Avast (major engine)Other:Malware-gen [Trj]
  • AVG (major engine)Other:Malware-gen [Trj]
  • Avira (major engine)TR/Malware
  • BitDefender (major engine)Trojan.GenericKD.80331665
  • Emsisoft (major engine)Trojan.GenericKD.80331665 (B)
  • ESET-NOD32 (major engine)BAT/Agent.AR potentially unsafe application
  • F-Secure (major engine)Trojan.TR/Malware
  • Fortinet (major engine)Adware/Agent
29 more in the full engine list

File fingerprint

Last analyzed
Aug 31, 2026, 3:23 PM UTC
SHA-256
a7847f566916d6a19ad69481c8949d756f8c1979e4bd7dd6677616cdd6c05497
SHA-1
9e1e1a0769894c1c31a04aaa4d6e50c25dd9859e
MD5
6d9a58a7991cb35b96960885fd121266

About this file

setup.exe is a Win32 EXE file of 4.6 MB.

Type and size
Win32 EXE · 4.6 MB
Signer
UnsignedNo code signature.
First seen
Apr 2, 2026On VirusTotal.
Submitted by
890 distinct sources
Packer
None detected
Entropy
8.00 of 8

First scanned

Chapter 05

Questions & answers

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

Is setup.exe a virus?
Yes. This copy of setup.exe (SHA-256 a7847f56…5497) is malicious. Other files with the same name can be different, so check the hash. Don't install it. Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin. 37 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag it. Antivirus engines classify it as a trojan hidden in a cracked-software installer. If you've already installed it, see the steps below.
What is setup.exe?
setup.exe is a software installer, about 4.6 MB. It carries no version information saying what it is or who made it. VirusTotal first saw it on Apr 2, 2026.
How many antivirus engines detected setup.exe?
37 of the 71 antivirus engines that checked it flag setup.exe, including ESET and Bitdefender. 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 installed setup.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 setup.exe?
To remove setup.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 setup.exe?
Antivirus engines classify setup.exe as a trojan hidden in a cracked-software installer.
What is the SHA-256 hash of setup.exe?
The SHA-256 fingerprint of setup.exe is a7847f566916d6a19ad69481c8949d756f8c1979e4bd7dd6677616cdd6c05497, and its MD5 is 6d9a58a7991cb35b96960885fd121266. 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 setup.exe?
This report reflects the scan on Aug 31, 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.

Related file reports

Other files people checked with the same name. A matching name does not make two files the same: only the SHA-256 fingerprint identifies a file.

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