Malicious
DefenderRemover.rar is a hacktool archive that disables Windows Defender using registry edits, PowerRun.exe, and scripts, confirmed by multiple tier-1 engines as KillAV.
b0398334d391988cff…f8666f8df0The reasoning behind this verdict
The MT AI Engine weighs every signal from this scan — antivirus detections, sandbox behaviour, code signing, prevalence and historical matches — to reach a single, evidence-based verdict.
High tier-1 malicious detections (12/17) focus on KillAV and Defender-disabling behavior, corroborated by dropped files like Remove_Defender reg files and PowerRun.exe. Hacktool labels from TrendMicro and others confirm offensive tooling. Unsigned RAR with security-tool-like filename but malicious intent. Behaviour shows impairment techniques (T1562.001) despite no sandbox consensus. Rare new file lacks positive history.
Each signal cites a concrete token from the evidence the arbiter saw — engine name, MITRE technique, signer string, or an exact count.
ESET-NOD32 tier1 'BAT/KillAV.NHR trojan'
TrendMicro tier1 'HackTool.Win32.KILLAV.G' with labelFlags.hacktool=true
behaviour.offensiveTechniques 'T1562.001'; dropped files 'PowerRun.exe', 'Remove_Defender' reg files
12 tier1Malicious detections
Ikarus tier1 'Trojan.WinREG.DisableDefender'
- No droppedChildren.hasMaliciousChild
- No behaviour.hasMaliciousSandboxVerdict
- No contactedHosts.maliciousHosts
- 12/17 tier-1 engines malicious
- Hacktool.KillAV detections (ESET, TrendMicro)
- Drops Defender-disabling .reg and .ps1 files
- PowerRun.exe for privilege escalation
- MITRE T1562.001 (impair defenses)
- Direct IP contact (162.159.36.2)
Quarantine and delete this file immediately. Perform a full system scan and verify Windows Defender status; restore from backup if tampered. Avoid running unknown 'remover' tools.
What this file does
What it attempted when executed in an isolated sandbox
High concern: Talks to a remote server to take commands or send out your data.
High concern: Tries to disable or bypass your security software.
Moderate concern: Checks whether it's being watched in a sandbox before acting.
Note: Collects details about your system.
Translated from the file's technical behaviour during analysis. It never ran on your device.
Threat context
How hacktools are abused
This is a hacking or cracking tool — the kind used to bypass software licences, generate fake keys, or attack other systems. Even when the tool 'works', these downloads very often carry hidden malware.
Bottom line:Running one means trusting an anonymous author with full access to your PC — rarely worth the risk.
What to do now
This file is dangerous. Treat it as harmful and remove it.
Don't open or run this file. Delete it from your Downloads (or wherever you saved it), then empty the Recycle Bin.
If you already opened it, disconnect from the internet and run a full scan with your antivirus — Windows Security, built into Windows, is sufficient.
If you typed any passwords while it was open, change them from a device you trust.
In future, only download software from the official website or an official app store.
killav corroborated by 2 sources
- VT (76 engines)killav
- MT AI EngineKillAV
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.
- 162.159.36.2
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\7zSDF63.tmp\Remove_Defender
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\7zSDF63.tmp\Remove_SecurityComp
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\7zSDF63.tmp\RemoveSecHealthApp.ps1
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\7zSDF63.tmp\Remove_Defender\NomoreDelayandTimeouts.reg
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\7zSDF63.tmp\Remove_Defender\Output.reg
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 10 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- 4108605207ef00fcbbfe…82caccNever scannednever seen before
- ffb369c1b359a99845d2…fb9ba7Never scannednever seen before
- 7d5785c1760909ac5dc6…414913Never scannednever seen before
- c717111084ec331d2d54…6cf674Never scannednever seen before
- 9ddb1443316f09391064…34bd16Never scannednever seen before
- 778aa04d6a9395d77e16…0901e8Never scannednever seen before
- 32ad97e2b83d1eb8b49c…aaa7cbNever scannednever seen before
- a6fa768c4964c328c748…1688d2Never scannednever seen before
- b29d37c2d89b1d20ae79…c35d32Never scannednever seen before
- 167fd8c272e60eaf47d8…e31bb4Never scannednever seen before
YARA & heuristic rule matches
One or more medium-severity heuristic rules matched. Not definitive, but the patterns match known malware behaviour.
Sample contacted 1 external IP address(es) and zero domains. Benign software virtually always uses DNS; no-DNS direct-IP C2 is a strong malware indicator because it bypasses reputation systems and dodges domain-based blocklists.
Evidence162.159.36.2
33 detections across 76 engines
How widely this file has been seen
Barely seen in the wild and first surfaced recently. This is the footprint of targeted malware the AV industry hasn't signatured yet — extra scrutiny is warranted.
Forensic fingerprint
- File name
- DefenderRemover.rar
- Size
- 501.1 KB
- MIME type
- application/x-compressed
- Detected type
- RAR
- SHA-256
- b0398334d391988cff2025b8aff0a925003f5afa70ceb4a3903212f8666f8df0
- MD5
- 817e8f46b7399b4186f87625415ee332
- SHA-1
- 3cde3c5ffb33df115aaafab51bf9fdafa162fc92
- First seen (VT)
- 4/20/2026, 3:28:03 PM
- Last analysis (VT)
- 4/22/2026, 5:32:18 AM
- First scan (MalwareTips)
- 4/20/2026, 3:29:07 PM
- Last scan (MalwareTips)
- 4/24/2026, 2:02:51 AM
Safety FAQ
Common questions about DefenderRemover.rar, answered from the scan data above.
- Yes — DefenderRemover.rar is malicious, so do not opened or extracted it, and delete it. 33 of 76 antivirus engines flag it (family: KillAV). It behaves as a hacktool — dual-use offensive tooling that is dangerous regardless of intent. If you've already opened or extracted it, see the removal and recovery steps below.
- DefenderRemover.rar is a compressed archive (application/x-compressed), about 501 KB. Our analysis identifies it as malicious (family: KillAV) — a hacktool — dual-use offensive tooling that is dangerous regardless of intent. 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.
- 33 of 76 antivirus engines flagged DefenderRemover.rar, 33 of them as outright malicious. A detection rate at this level is a reliable signal that the file is dangerous.
- 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.
- To remove DefenderRemover.rar: 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 the original DefenderRemover.rar file and empty the Recycle Bin/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.
- DefenderRemover.rar is classified as a hacktool — dual-use offensive tooling that is dangerous regardless of intent. Engines attribute it to the KillAV 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.
- The SHA-256 hash of DefenderRemover.rar is b0398334d391988cff2025b8aff0a925003f5afa70ceb4a3903212f8666f8df0, and its MD5 is 817e8f46b7399b4186f87625415ee332. 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.
- This report reflects the scan run on April 20, 2026. Because a file's hash never changes, the identity of DefenderRemover.rar 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.
Reviews & malware reports(0)
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