Is _INSTALL TUTORIAL.txt safe?
No antivirus engine detected this widely submitted text file, and its completed sandbox run only recorded Notepad opening it without a malicious runtime conclusion.
All 75 antivirus engines returned no detection, including 17 tier-1 engines, and the completed sandbox run did not issue a malicious conclusion. The process-injection and credential-dumping heuristics appear to overinterpret ordinary Notepad and Windows system-process entries rather than demonstrate actions performed by the text file.
ac45f3d5b1e728caff…fac44d25f62915Recommended next actions
Before opening
Open it only when its sender or download source is one you independently trust.
If you already opened it
Keep normal device protection enabled and stop if the file behaves unexpectedly.
Intelligence
The saved assessment, checked against the scan evidence and recorded coverage.
The reasoning behind this verdict
This section explains the evidence supporting the verdict and keeps conflicting or missing signals visible.
All 75 antivirus engines returned no detection, including 17 tier-1 engines, and the completed sandbox run did not issue a malicious conclusion. The process-injection and credential-dumping heuristics appear to overinterpret ordinary Notepad and Windows system-process entries rather than demonstrate actions performed by the text file.
The strongest evidence is the complete absence of detections across 75 engines, with all 17 reporting tier-1 engines silent. One completed sandbox run recorded the text file being opened through Notepad and did not produce a malicious conclusion. Although T1055 and LSASS-related heuristics fired, their supporting records show only ordinary process presence and do not establish injection or credential access by this file. The sample is also well established, with 3,711 sources and 8,868 submissions since 2022. A single broad YARA rule and uncorroborated community annotations are insufficient to outweigh those findings, though no complete contacted-host reputation result is available.
What We Detected
No detections were returned by 75 antivirus engines, including 17 tier-1 engines. The 1,726-byte text file has been submitted 8,868 times by 3,711 sources since October 2022, indicating broad and long-standing circulation.
Threat Behavior
One completed sandbox run showed the file being opened by NOTEPAD.EXE and did not produce a malicious sandbox conclusion. Heuristics referenced MITRE T1055 and LSASS, but the cited evidence consists of Notepad and standard Windows processes appearing in the process list; it does not demonstrate that the text file injected code or read credential memory. No contacts were recorded in that run, but a complete contacted-host reputation cross-check was not available. One broad YARA rule named NET matched, and two community annotations alleged external contacts without independent corroboration in the saved runtime evidence.
What To Do Now
Opening the file in a plain-text editor carries low apparent risk based on the available evidence. Keep endpoint protection enabled, and avoid following any embedded download links or instructions unless their destination is independently trusted.
Where this verdict could be wrong5 caveats
- triggeredHeuristics includes MalwareTips.Synth.ProcessInjection with MITRE T1055, although its cited evidence only shows NOTEPAD.EXE opening the text file.
- triggeredHeuristics includes MalwareTips.Synth.CredentialDumper based on lsass.exe appearing in the process list, but no actual memory-read operation is recorded.
- Two communityComments report malicious HTML-like behavior and igg-games.com contacts, but behaviour.contactedDomains is empty and the comments are not independently corroborated.
- contactedHosts=null, so no complete host-reputation cross-check is available.
- droppedChildren inspected one temporary file whose individual verdict remains unknown.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- 0/75 antivirus engines detected the file.
- All 17 reporting tier-1 engines returned no detection.
- The completed sandbox run had behaviour.hasMaliciousSandboxVerdict=false.
- Observed execution opened the file with NOTEPAD.EXE.
- The file has 8,868 submissions from 3,711 sources since 2022.
- A single YARAify rule named NET matched.
- Static synthesis heuristics referenced MITRE T1055 and LSASS-related activity.
- Two community annotations allege HTML behavior and external contacts without corroboration.
- No complete contacted-host reputation cross-check is available.
- The inspected temporary child has no individual verdict.
The file may be viewed with a plain-text editor, but do not execute commands, visit links, or install software described inside unless independently verified. Keep antivirus and endpoint protection enabled.
Coverage & freshness
Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.
Antivirus
Complete0 of 75 engines flagged the file.
Sandbox
Complete1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.
Network
Not runNo contacted-host reputation check is recorded.
No timestamp recordedYARA
Complete3 signature or behavior rules matched.
External intel
Complete3 of 3 independent reference sources completed.
Behavior
Plain-English impact first, then the observed runtime evidence.
Runtime flight recorder
Capture complete- 1isolated sandbox run
- 10MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 9spawned processes
- 0network contacts
- 1filesystem & mutex artifacts
What this file did when executed
This file was detonated in 1 sandbox and its runtime behaviour was observed.
Adversary techniques mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
- C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\FontCache\Fonts\Download-1.tmp
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 1 child at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- 792eade5589d57e8cbc7…b0fdabNever scannednever seen before
Detection & Forensics
Consensus, attribution, signatures, code structure, prevalence, and identity.
Evidence integrity
Chain of custody for the facts preserved in this report.
- 3rule hits recorded
- 0 / 75engines flagged
- 3,711sources in submission history
Why these facts are shown
Each statement identifies whether it was directly recorded or derived from saved scan facts.
- 01
0 of 75 antivirus engines flagged the file.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 02
The hash has a long, established submission history across 3,711 sources.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceDerivedSourceSubmission historyObserved at - 03
2 high-confidence signature or behavior rules matched this file.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceDerivedSourceSignature and behavior rulesObserved at - 04
Scanned file: _INSTALL TUTORIAL.txt — ac45f3d5b1e728caffdafb6faeca0f22459f6ec2ff2c7449c3fac44d25f62915
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — "C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe" /c start /wait "" "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\_INSTALL TUTORIAL.txt"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — "C:\Windows\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE" C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\_INSTALL TUTORIAL.txt
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: Download-1.tmp — C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\FontCache\Fonts\Download-1.tmp
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
Dropped file: 792eade5589d57e8cbc781763d06316212c37d438d498348c590fd4e73b0fdab — No child-file verdict was available.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceDropped-file analysisObserved at
Detection sources at a glance
The available sources did not agree on a named threat category.
One or more independent reference databases matched this hash.
Signatures and behavior heuristics
A community signature or high-severity behavioral heuristic matched. Signatures identify known patterns; heuristics are strong leads but are not proof on their own.
- NET
The saved runtime evidence maps this activity to MITRE T1055 (Process Injection). The mapping supports possible process injection, but it does not prove the exact injection method or the operator's intent.
Evidence"C:\Windows\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE" C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\_INSTALL TUTORIAL.txtSandbox observed process activity targeting LSASS (Windows credential store). Legitimate software has no business reading LSASS memory — this is Mimikatz-shape behaviour.
EvidenceC:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe
0 of 75 engines flagged this file
View all 75 engine results
PE structure
Not applicablePE structure analysis applies to Windows executable formats, not this file type.
How widely this file has been seen
Widely seen in the wild for a long time. High prior this is legitimate; isolated detections on common-old files are usually false positives.
Fingerprint and provenance
- File name
- _INSTALL TUTORIAL.txt
- Format
- Text
- Code signing
- Not applicable to this file type
- Size
- 1.7 KB
- Last analyzed
- Sep 29, 2026, 4:50 PM UTC
ac45f3d5b1e728caffdafb6faeca0f22459f6ec2ff2c7449c3fac44d25f62915Safety & FAQ
Complete recovery guidance and answers for the next decision.
What to do now
This file appears low risk based on the evidence available now.
- Recovery step 01
Open it only when its sender or download source is one you independently trust.
- Recovery step 02
A clean result reduces known risk, but it cannot guarantee that every new or targeted threat has been detected.
- Recovery step 03
Keep your antivirus and Windows updates switched on so you stay protected.
Safety FAQ
Direct answers grounded in the saved verdict and evidence in this report.
Is _INSTALL TUTORIAL.txt safe?
What is _INSTALL TUTORIAL.txt?
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Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.