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Verdict Malicious

Analyzed , 4 months ago

Is vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe safe? No, we rate this exact file malicious.

Installer spoofing VLC Media Player, signed by unknown publisher, flagged as OfferCore adware by major antivirus engines.

Read the whole reasonShow less

Strong evidence · Two or more major antivirus engines agree.

Don't install it: it is unwanted software

If you already installed it, uninstall it and anything that came with it.

What to do now4 steps

This is unwanted software (adware or a bundled program), not an infection. Remove it and undo any changes it made.

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. Uninstall it and any program you don't recognise that arrived at the same time (Settings > Apps on Windows).

  2. Remove browser extensions you didn't add, and reset your browser's home page, new-tab page and search engine if they changed.

  3. Run a scan with your antivirus to catch anything bundled with it.

If you opened or installed it

Unwanted software is not a full infection, but it should go. These free MalwareTips guides show how to remove it.

Paste this report's link in your topic so helpers can see what was found.

Why we think so

Share this file report

vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.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

12 of 61 flagged

  • Flagged 12
  • No detection 49
  • No result 14
Filevlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe2.1 MBSHA-256 b5cea4d097ed…7c1263
  • Code signing SOFTONIC INTERNATIONAL SA
  • Test run Not run
  • First seen 4mo ago
12 of the 61 antivirus engines that checked it flag it, including Microsoft and ESET.

Chapter 02

Why we think so

6 points against it and 4 in its favour, checked against the scan evidence.

MT AI Engine · Verdict analysis

The reasoning behind this verdict

Analyst conclusion

Three major antivirus engines (Microsoft, ESET-NOD32, DrWeb) independently identified this file as OfferCore, a known potentially unwanted application family. The file claims to be VLC Media Player but is signed by Softonic International SA, an unknown publisher with no submission history. This signer-filename mismatch combined with major consensus on a unwanted program family indicates adversarial repackaging.

Where this verdict could be wrong3 caveats
  • If Softonic legitimately repackages VLC with bundled offers (as some distributors do), the signer would be correct and the unwanted program labels reflect optional bundled software, not malware. However, the signer's lack of a saved history contradicts this — a legitimate repackager would have submission history.
  • triggeredHeuristics flagged 'security_tool_classifier', which could indicate a false positive if the file were genuinely a security tool. However, the dominant labels (Win32/OfferCore, PUADlManager, Unwanted-Program) are PUA/adware, not security software, so this rule-based misfired.
  • No sandbox behaviour data available; if the file executed cleanly without malicious a control server or file-drop activity, that would weigh toward 'suspicious' rather than 'malicious'. However, major consensus on a known unwanted program family + signer mismatch is sufficient for malicious classification even without confirmation from a test run.

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 · 4 complete · 1 not run · 1 not needed or not applicable. See every source

Chapter 03

What it did in our test

No completed test run is saved for this file.

Threat context

How bundlers and adware work

This is a bundler: a real-looking installer that hides extra software inside. When you run it, it installs things you never asked for, such as ad injectors, browser toolbars or fake 'PC cleaner' apps. The people behind it get paid for every app it installs.

Bottom line:It is not usually built to destroy files, but it slows the PC, floods it with ads and can be hard to remove completely.

Chapter 04

Technical details

12 of the 61 antivirus engines that checked it flag it; signed by SOFTONIC INTERNATIONAL SA.

Sources checked

Every check behind this verdict

6 sources checked · 4 complete · 1 not run · 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: 12 of 61 engines flagged it · 14 gave no result Details for antivirus engines
Sandbox runVirusTotal sandboxesNot runNo sandbox run is recorded for this fileNo date recorded
Contacted hostsMalwareTips URL scannerNot neededNo sandbox run, so there were no contacted hosts to checkNo date recorded
Signature rulesYARAify community rules + MalwareTips rulesCompleteNo rule matched
Malware sample databaseabuse.ch MalwareBazaarCompleteNot listed
Known-software referenceCIRCL hashlookupCompleteNo match

Engines that flagged it 12

  • DrWeb (major engine)Adware.Downware.20879
  • ESET-NOD32 (major engine)Win32/OfferCore.E potentially unwanted application
  • Microsoft (major engine)PUADlManager:Win32/OfferCore
  • AhnLab-V3PUP/Win.Generic.R752265
  • CrowdStrikewin/grayware_confidence_60% (D)
  • Elasticmalicious (high confidence)
  • GoogleDetected
  • K7AntiVirusUnwanted-Program ( 005ce0ab1 )
4 more in the full engine list

File fingerprint

Last analyzed
Jun 8, 2026, 7:02 PM UTC
SHA-256
b5cea4d097ed872fa4340efd32cea499ce311ce76997f374d7aa54aa447c1263
SHA-1
2704195002682fb094053c7ecaef0b85217b9817
MD5
556748955f650c6edb9b888eceb95f35

About this file

vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe is a Win32 EXE file of 2.1 MB.

Type and size
Win32 EXE · 2.1 MB
Signer
SOFTONIC INTERNATIONAL SAValid code signature.
First seen
Jun 8, 2026On VirusTotal.
Submitted by
1 sourceRarely seen: few people have submitted this exact file.
Packer
None detected
Entropy
8.00 of 8

First scanned

Verdict history

  1. Not fully confirmed
  2. Maliciousafter 12 more engines flagged it

Ratings change when antivirus engines, our checks or MalwareTips staff learn more about a file.

Chapter 05

Questions & answers

Short answers to the 9 questions people ask most about this file.

Is vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe a virus?
vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe is not a virus, but it is unwanted software (adware or a bundled program). Don't install it. Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin. 12 of the 61 antivirus engines that checked it flag it, some as OfferCore. If you've already installed it, see the removal steps below.
What is vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe?
vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe is a software installer, about 2.1 MB. It carries no version information saying what it is or who made it. VirusTotal first saw it on Jun 8, 2026.
How many antivirus engines detected vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe?
12 of the 61 antivirus engines that checked it flag vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe, including Microsoft and ESET. 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 vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe?
1) Uninstall it, and any program you don't recognise that arrived at the same time, from Settings > Apps (or Control Panel > Programs). 2) Remove browser extensions you didn't add and reset your browser's home page, new-tab page and search engine if they changed. 3) Run a scan with your antivirus to catch anything bundled with it. It is unwanted software rather than an infection, so you don't need to disconnect the device, change passwords or reinstall anything unless the scan finds real malware.
How do I remove vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe?
To remove vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe: 1) uninstall it from Settings > Apps (or Control Panel > Programs), together with anything installed alongside it. 2) Remove unfamiliar browser extensions and reset browser settings it changed. 3) Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin. 4) Run a scan with your antivirus and remove what it finds.
What kind of program is vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe?
Antivirus engines classify vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe as unwanted software: adware or a bundled program that installs things you didn't ask for. Engines attribute it to the OfferCore family.
Is vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe digitally signed?
Yes. vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe has a valid digital signature from SOFTONIC INTERNATIONAL SA, which shows the file hasn't been changed since that publisher signed it. Malware is sometimes signed with stolen certificates, so a signature alone isn't proof of safety.
What is the SHA-256 hash of vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe?
The SHA-256 fingerprint of vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe is b5cea4d097ed872fa4340efd32cea499ce311ce76997f374d7aa54aa447c1263, and its MD5 is 556748955f650c6edb9b888eceb95f35. 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 vlc-media-player-3.0.23-installer.exe?
This report reflects the scan on Jun 8, 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.

Scanned by
JackStaff

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