Is HardwareVisualizer_1.8.1_x64_en-US.msi safe?
Suspicious file assessment
1 high-confidence signature or behavior rule matched this file.
afe11244e96c0e3fa8…498842836798e5Recommended next actions
Before installing
Do not install it until the source and publisher can be verified independently.
If you already installed it
Stop using it, scan the device, and watch for unexpected behavior or security alerts. Download a fresh installer from the developer's official site or an official app store.
Intelligence
The saved assessment, checked against the scan evidence and recorded coverage.
No saved analyst narrative
This report keeps the verified scan facts available below without inventing an analysis that was not saved with the scan.
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
Complete2 signature or behavior rules matched.
External intel
Not runNo independent reference checks are recorded.
No timestamp recorded
Behavior
Plain-English impact first, then the observed runtime evidence.
Runtime flight recorder
Capture complete- 1isolated sandbox run
- 8MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 10spawned processes
- 0network contacts
- 25filesystem & mutex artifacts
What this file does
Observed actions and their security significance
High concern: Injected code into another process, a technique that can conceal execution.
High concern: Used removable-media replication behaviour that can spread files between devices.
Moderate concern: Communicated over a common application protocol; malware can use this for command-and-control.
Note: Reads your Windows user-account details.
Note: Collects details about your system.
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.
Attack story
Runtime observations grouped by analysis stage. Arrows organize the stages; they do not claim chronology or causality.
Input file
The submitted object
- FileObserved
HardwareVisualizer_1.8.1_x64_en-US.msi
afe11244e96c0e3fa8d60b1c58a587aa5cb063eac18a2d075d498842836798e5
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Windows\system32\msiexec.exe" /I "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\HardwareVisualizer_1.8.1_x64_en-US.msi" /qb ACCEPTEULA=1 LicenseAccepted=1
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
C:\Windows\system32\services.exe
03Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Files
Created or changed
- Written fileObserved
ngen.log
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\ngen.log
04Isolated runtime analysis - Written fileObserved
~DF76BEA12B2B1B07C9.TMP
C:\Windows\Temp\~DF76BEA12B2B1B07C9.TMP
05Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
5 recorded facts from one runtime window. Every fact remains independently traceable in Analyst mode.
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\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\ngen.log
- C:\Windows\Temp\~DF76BEA12B2B1B07C9.TMP
- C:\Windows\Temp\~DF761DEE14FD02EB44.TMP
- C:\Windows\Temp\~DFB1B372B70F233664.TMP
- C:\Windows\Temp\~DFD250934D3081A0A9.TMP
- C:\Config.Msi\CMPE1C4.tmp
- C:\Config.Msi
- C:\Windows\Installer\dc97.msi
- C:\Config.Msi\CMPE55E.tmp
- C:\Config.Msi\dc96.rbs
- Global\_MSIExecute
- \BaseNamedObjects\Local\SM0:6996:304:WilStaging_02
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 8 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- 8fdc8d3d12876b6c9dc8…9a3191Never scannednever seen before
- 24aa985d01d4123e0b3f…e17263Never scannednever seen before
- 01960077670b151ba514…ea9708Never scannednever seen before
- 31ef6d0daf229a90ed46…ceee49Never scannednever seen before
- ca286b2289d28013520c…8704bbNever scannednever seen before
- 325b0aa212d9245293f0…25922cNever scannednever seen before
- dd591596e8f8f1658e75…eea0d2Never scannednever seen before
- 1c119febd5f388f46b91…37a319Never 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.
- 2rule hits recorded
- 0 / 75engines flagged
- 3sources in submission history
Why these facts are shown
Each statement identifies whether it was directly recorded or derived from saved scan facts.
- 01
1 high-confidence signature or behavior rule matched this file.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceDerivedSourceSignature and behavior rulesObserved at - 02
0 of 75 antivirus engines flagged the file.
ProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 03
The hash has been submitted 3 times from 3 sources.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceSaved report factsObserved at - 04
Scanned file: HardwareVisualizer_1.8.1_x64_en-US.msi — afe11244e96c0e3fa8d60b1c58a587aa5cb063eac18a2d075d498842836798e5
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — "C:\Windows\system32\msiexec.exe" /I "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\HardwareVisualizer_1.8.1_x64_en-US.msi" /qb ACCEPTEULA=1 LicenseAccepted=1
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — C:\Windows\system32\services.exe
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: ngen.log — C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\ngen.log
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
File written: ~DF76BEA12B2B1B07C9.TMP — C:\Windows\Temp\~DF76BEA12B2B1B07C9.TMP
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at
Detection sources at a glance
The available sources did not agree on a named threat category.
This legacy report does not record whether the independent reference checks completed.
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.
MITRE T1055 (Process Injection) observed — CreateRemoteThread / APC / reflective-DLL injection. The payload is being smuggled into a legitimate process to bypass AV hooks.
EvidenceC:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe -k NetworkService -pSandbox 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
Barely seen in the wild and first surfaced recently. That limits reputation evidence, but rarity alone is not proof of malware.
Fingerprint and provenance
- File name
- HardwareVisualizer_1.8.1_x64_en-US.msi
- Format
- Windows Installer
- Code signing
- No verified publisher
- Size
- 6.2 MB
- Last analyzed
- May 23, 2026, 11:26 AM UTC
afe11244e96c0e3fa8d60b1c58a587aa5cb063eac18a2d075d498842836798e5Safety & FAQ
Complete recovery guidance and answers for the next decision.
What to do now
We couldn't fully clear this file. Treat it with caution.
- Recovery step 01
Don't install it unless you're certain it came from a source you trust.
- Recovery step 02
Check where you got it — an unexpected attachment or a random download link is a red flag.
- Recovery step 03
If its origin cannot be confirmed, delete this file and use a fresh copy from a trusted source. Download a fresh installer from the developer's official site or an official app store.
- Recovery step 04
If you're still unsure, scan it again in a day or two — detections often catch up on newer files.
Safety FAQ
Direct answers grounded in the saved verdict and evidence in this report.
Is HardwareVisualizer_1.8.1_x64_en-US.msi safe, or is it malware?
What is HardwareVisualizer_1.8.1_x64_en-US.msi?
How many antivirus engines detected HardwareVisualizer_1.8.1_x64_en-US.msi?
What should I do if I already installed HardwareVisualizer_1.8.1_x64_en-US.msi?
How do I remove HardwareVisualizer_1.8.1_x64_en-US.msi?
What is the SHA-256 hash of HardwareVisualizer_1.8.1_x64_en-US.msi?
How up to date is this analysis of HardwareVisualizer_1.8.1_x64_en-US.msi?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.