Is Free-VS-Serum-Installer-1.8.zip safe?
Thirty-two of 76 engines flagged this installer archive, while runtime execution showed defense impairment and an encoded network request from a temporary payload.
The archive is detected by 32 of 76 engines, including seven high-trust engines such as Microsoft, Kaspersky, BitDefender, and Sophos. A completed sandbox run also recorded T1562.001, temporary execution of gcc.exe and Launch.cmd, and an encoded request to an external IP, despite no single malware family consensus.
b0cfbd26b08801cb73…f79ce8156e009eRecommended next actions
Before opening or extracting
Do not open or extract it. Delete this archive from the device, then empty the Recycle Bin or Trash.
If you already opened or extracted it
Close it. If it opened links, requested credentials, or triggered unexpected behavior, disconnect from the internet and run a full device scan.
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.
The archive is detected by 32 of 76 engines, including seven high-trust engines such as Microsoft, Kaspersky, BitDefender, and Sophos. A completed sandbox run also recorded T1562.001, temporary execution of gcc.exe and Launch.cmd, and an encoded request to an external IP, despite no single malware family consensus.
The detection volume is substantial: 32 of 76 engines flagged the archive, including seven high-trust engines. Microsoft, Kaspersky, BitDefender, Emsisoft, GData, Sophos, and Symantec used trojan, agent, or generic-malware labels, although they did not agree on one family. Runtime observation recorded T1562.001 and launched gcc.exe plus Launch.cmd from a temporary extraction directory before making an encoded API request to 213.176.73.162. The three distinct contacted hosts were fully checked against the available host cache without a malicious or suspicious result, and no sandbox verdict explicitly labeled the run as malware. Those counter-signals reduce family attribution certainty but do not outweigh the broad high-trust detection and concerning runtime pattern.
What We Detected
Thirty-two of 76 antivirus engines flagged the ZIP archive. Seven high-trust engines contributed detections: Microsoft identified Alevaul, Kaspersky identified Agent, BitDefender, Emsisoft, and GData used GenericKD, while Sophos and Symantec supplied generic malware or trojan labels. Because the labels do not converge on one named family, the most supportable category is a generic trojan rather than a specific strain.
Threat Behavior
One completed sandbox run extracted and executed gcc.exe and Launch.cmd from a temporary directory. It recorded MITRE technique T1562.001, associated with impairing defenses, and made an encoded API request to 213.176.73.162. All three distinct contacted hosts were covered by the available reputation check and none was already cached as malicious or suspicious; however, host reputation alone does not explain away the execution and detection evidence. Seven dropped children were inspected, but each remains unclassified rather than confirmed benign.
What To Do Now
Do not open or run the archive, and quarantine or delete it while keeping endpoint protection enabled. If it was already executed, disconnect the affected system from sensitive networks, run a full security scan, and review process, network, and credential activity for signs of compromise.
Where this verdict could be wrong5 caveats
- engines.tier1FamilyConsensus.strong=false; the seven tier-1 detections do not converge on one named family.
- behaviour.hasMaliciousSandboxVerdict=false, although the completed run still recorded T1562.001 and unusual temporary-directory execution.
- contactedHosts.maliciousHosts and contactedHosts.suspiciousHosts are empty after all three distinct contacted hosts were inspected.
- externalIntel.malwareBazaar.hit=false and externalIntel.yaraify.ruleCount=0, leaving no external-intelligence corroboration.
- droppedChildren.hasMaliciousChild=false, but each of the seven inspected children has an unknown verdict.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- No strong tier-1 family consensus
- No explicit malicious sandbox verdict
- All three distinct contacted hosts lacked cached malicious or suspicious classifications
- No extracted child was already classified as malicious
- No MalwareBazaar or YARAify hit
- 32/76 antivirus detections
- Seven high-trust engine detections
- T1562.001 defense-impairment behavior
- Temporary execution of gcc.exe and Launch.cmd
- Encoded API request to 213.176.73.162
- All seven extracted child files remain unclassified
Quarantine or delete the archive and do not execute its contents; keep endpoint protection enabled. If it has run, isolate the system and perform a full security and credential review.
Coverage & freshness
Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.
Antivirus
Complete32 of 76 engines flagged the file.
Sandbox
Complete1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.
Network
Partial3 of 4 contacted hosts were cross-checked; coverage is incomplete.
YARA
CompleteRule evaluation completed with no recorded matches.
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
- 7MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 10spawned processes
- 6network contacts
- 9filesystem & mutex artifacts
What this file does
Observed actions and their security significance
High concern: Attempted to impair or bypass security controls.
Moderate concern: Communicated over a common application protocol; malware can use this for command-and-control.
Moderate concern: Checked the environment for virtualisation or analysis tools.
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.
Threat context
How trojans work
A trojan disguises itself as something useful or harmless to trick you into running it. Once open, it does its real job in the background — anything 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.
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
Free-VS-Serum-Installer-1.8.zip
b0cfbd26b08801cb736e055e661c376f861969d790d8221f87f79ce8156e009e
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\gcc.exe"
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe" /c "cd ^"C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp^" && start /wait ^"^" ^"C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\Launch.cmd^"
03Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Files
Created or changed
- Written fileObserved
splr1hzs.3ib
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\splr1hzs.3ib
04Isolated runtime analysis - Written fileObserved
Launch.cmd
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\splr1hzs.3ib\Launch.cmd
05Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Network
Hosts contacted
- Contacted hostDerived
ip-api.com
Saved reputation verdict: safe.
06Contacted-host cross-check - Contacted hostObserved
svc.ha-teams.office.com
Contact observed during runtime.
07Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
7 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.
- ip-api.com
- svc.ha-teams.office.com
- 208.95.112.1
- 213.176.73.162
- http://ip-api.com/json/
- http://213.176.73.162/api/NTE3YjdjNWU1NjYzNjU2YTA1N2Y=
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER_Classes\Local Settings\MuiCache\32\52C64B7E\@%SystemRoot%\System32\ndfapi.dll,-40001
- C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\splr1hzs.3ib
- C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\splr1hzs.3ib\Launch.cmd
- C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\splr1hzs.3ib\gcc.exe
- C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\splr1hzs.3ib\ptd.txt
- C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\unarchiver.log
- 9gsxzoptq0fidp07vt75iezq3sq4a7fjz2i4xmfojzf2fzydq4v25ynqnfq1w0j9zg5uzi7x4mb1w15lhsh2eifghtq2zcgq0mdbb
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 7 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- 2ea6200c846af534a073…da0b97Never scannednever seen before
- 8903d5d980629c8e8fd6…67a4c7Never scannednever seen before
- a563a7df740bce2bda12…1ee0c4Never scannednever seen before
- 37f60b7923dae8ab38bb…d85b25Never scannednever seen before
- 4389453c3ddaee653c95…69f401Never scannednever seen before
- 8899dfb6f9da30108cd8…99386cNever scannednever seen before
- 7621ba5caeae862f2f29…379d88Never 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.
- 0rule hits recorded
- 32 / 76engines flagged
- 26sources in submission history
Why these facts are shown
Each statement identifies whether it was directly recorded or derived from saved scan facts.
- 01
32 of 76 antivirus engines flagged the file, including AhnLab-V3 and alibabacloud.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 02
The hash has been submitted 26 times from 26 sources.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceSaved report factsObserved at - 03
Scanned file: Free-VS-Serum-Installer-1.8.zip — b0cfbd26b08801cb736e055e661c376f861969d790d8221f87f79ce8156e009e
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 04
Observed process — "C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\gcc.exe"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 05
Observed process — "C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe" /c "cd ^"C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp^" && start /wait ^"^" ^"C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\Launch.cmd^"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
File written: splr1hzs.3ib — C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\splr1hzs.3ib
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: Launch.cmd — C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\splr1hzs.3ib\Launch.cmd
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
Contacted host: ip-api.com — Saved reputation verdict: safe.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceContacted-host cross-checkObserved at - 09
Contacted host: svc.ha-teams.office.com — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at
Detection sources at a glance
Category: generic-trojan
MalwareBazaar, YARAify, and CIRCL hashlookup completed and returned no entries for this hash.
YARA rules
No matchesThe rule pass completed without a saved public match.
32 of 76 engines flagged this file
View all 76 engine results
PE structure
Not applicablePE structure analysis applies to Windows executable formats, not this file type.
How widely this file has been seen
Moderate prevalence — neither rare nor common. No strong prior applies.
Fingerprint and provenance
- File name
- Free-VS-Serum-Installer-1.8.zip
- Format
- ZIP
- Code signing
- Not applicable to this file type
- Size
- 503.3 KB
- Last analyzed
- Oct 7, 2026, 8:17 AM UTC
b0cfbd26b08801cb736e055e661c376f861969d790d8221f87f79ce8156e009eSafety & FAQ
Complete recovery guidance and answers for the next decision.
What to do now
This file is dangerous. Treat it as harmful and remove it.
- Recovery step 01
Don't open or extract this archive. Delete this archive from the device, then empty the Recycle Bin or Trash.
- Recovery step 02
If you already opened or extracted it, disconnect from the internet and start with a full antivirus scan or Microsoft Defender Offline scan. If compromise is suspected or the problem persists, use a reputable second-opinion scanner and follow incident-recovery or clean-reinstall guidance.
- Recovery step 03
If you typed any passwords while it was open, change them from a device you trust.
- Recovery step 04
Get a fresh copy from the original trusted source and verify its exact hash when possible.
Safety FAQ
Direct answers grounded in the saved verdict and evidence in this report.
Is Free-VS-Serum-Installer-1.8.zip malware?
What is Free-VS-Serum-Installer-1.8.zip?
How many antivirus engines detected Free-VS-Serum-Installer-1.8.zip?
I already downloaded and opened or extracted Free-VS-Serum-Installer-1.8.zip — what should I do?
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What kind of malware is Free-VS-Serum-Installer-1.8.zip?
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Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.