Is Adobe Installer safe?
Suspicious file assessment
1 high-confidence signature or behavior rule matched this file.
b9a187b59c758ead00…c0b6aa2e26774dRecommended next actions
Before opening
Do not open it until the source can be verified independently.
If you already opened it
Stop using it, scan the device, and watch for unexpected behavior or security alerts. Get a fresh copy from the original trusted source and verify its exact hash when possible.
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 74 engines flagged the file.
Sandbox
Complete1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.
Network
Partial3 of 23 contacted hosts were cross-checked; coverage is incomplete.
YARA
Complete2 signature or behavior rules matched.
External intel
PartialIndependent reference checks were attempted but are incomplete.
Behavior
Plain-English impact first, then the observed runtime evidence.
Runtime flight recorder
Capture complete- 1isolated sandbox run
- 20MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 15spawned processes
- 24network contacts
- 40filesystem & 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: Created or modified a system service, which can keep code running.
High concern: Changed an auto-start location that can make code run after sign-in or restart.
High concern: Attempted to impair or bypass security controls.
High concern: Manipulated how the operating system loads code, which can redirect execution.
Moderate concern: Runs hidden system commands (script or shell).
Moderate concern: Communicated over a common application protocol; malware can use this for command-and-control.
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
Adobe Installer
b9a187b59c758ead0022e50bbaae4133d2e37b769a054249afc0b6aa2e26774d
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
C:\Windows\system32\services.exe
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\software.exe"
03Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Files
Created or changed
- Written fileObserved
HDInstaller.log
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\CreativeCloud\ACC\AdobeDownload\HDInstaller.log
04Isolated runtime analysis - Written fileObserved
DiscoverCacheData.dat
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\PenWorkspace\DiscoverCacheData.dat
05Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Network
Hosts contacted
- Contacted hostObserved
104.18.11.39
Contact observed during runtime.
06Isolated runtime analysis - Contacted hostObserved
a83f:8110:700:0:ec3f:1c0:100:0
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.
- 104.18.11.39
- a83f:8110:700:0:ec3f:1c0:100:0
- 104.18.10.39
- 23.59.190.193
- 192.168.0.66
- 13.107.4.50
- 20.80.129.13
- a83f:8110:2e74:6578:7424:7800:c01f:0
- 131.253.33.203
- 192.168.0.61
- http://ctldl.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v3/static/trustedr/en/disallowedcertstl.cab?e60f74d0bf521415
- http://ocsp.digicert.com/MFEwTzBNMEswSTAJBgUrDgMCGgUABBTfqhLjKLEJQZPin0KCzkdAQpVYowQUsT7DaQP4v0cB1JgmGggC72NkK8MCEAPxtOFfOoLxFJZ4s9fYR1w%3D
- http://ocsp.digicert.com/MFEwTzBNMEswSTAJBgUrDgMCGgUABBSPwl%2BrBFlJbvzLXU1bGW08VysJ2wQUj%2Bh%2B8G0yagAFI8dwl2o6kP9r6tQCEAbyTZ9NsHvX7K0Gf17ibCk%3D
- http://crl.verisign.com/pca3.crl
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\CreativeCloud\ACC\AdobeDownload\HDInstaller.log
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\PenWorkspace\DiscoverCacheData.dat
- C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\CreativeCloud\ACC\AdobeDownload\HDInstaller.log
- C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp
- C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\CreativeCloud
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\KnownGameList.bin
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\GameDVR\KnownGameList.update
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER15B5.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER177A.tmp.csv
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER1827.tmp.txt
- HDInstaller.log
- Global\C::Users:admin:AppData:Local:Microsoft:Windows:Explorer:thumbcache_idx.db!rwWriterMutex
- Global\C::Users:admin:AppData:Local:Microsoft:Windows:Explorer:thumbcache_32.db!dfMaintainer
- Global\C::Users:admin:AppData:Local:Microsoft:Windows:Explorer:thumbcache_96.db!dfMaintainer
- Global\C::Users:admin:AppData:Local:Microsoft:Windows:Explorer:thumbcache_256.db!dfMaintainer
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 10 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- 0368bfe643c2d2005311…5f289fNever scannednever seen before
- f35238da1e9a739caf6d…928e9bNever scannednever seen before
- a53a8237b1c0e9b2ec42…cf94dcNever scannednever seen before
- 4de77d2df7d285e4a2ba…39264eNever scannednever seen before
- 451b2bd009523777a1e4…a6e838Never scannednever seen before
- 99cb2a31fffc1b6cd7d7…09dd3dNever scannednever seen before
- cbd79315982389cf75ab…5e89f8Never scannednever seen before
- eb3a677248868d530a29…930c98Never scannednever seen before
- 68095e77b9a1a8ae411a…55315fNever scannednever seen before
- 13c0e1644f4615865c6b…345981Never 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 / 74engines flagged
- 3,645sources 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 74 antivirus engines flagged the file.
ProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 03
The hash has a long, established submission history across 3,645 sources.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceSubmission historyObserved at - 04
Scanned file: Adobe Installer — b9a187b59c758ead0022e50bbaae4133d2e37b769a054249afc0b6aa2e26774d
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — C:\Windows\system32\services.exe
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\software.exe"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: HDInstaller.log — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\CreativeCloud\ACC\AdobeDownload\HDInstaller.log
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
File written: DiscoverCacheData.dat — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\PenWorkspace\DiscoverCacheData.dat
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 09
Contacted host: 104.18.11.39 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 10
Contacted host: a83f:8110:700:0:ec3f:1c0:100:0 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at
Detection sources at a glance
The available sources did not agree on a named threat category.
Available reference checks returned no match, but at least one source was unavailable. This is not a clean result.
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\Explorer.EXEThe sample contacted an external IP address directly and no application domain was recorded. Direct-IP traffic also occurs in legitimate installers and infrastructure, so this is supporting context only and requires corroboration from host reputation and other runtime evidence.
Evidence104.18.11.39 · a83f:8110:700:0:ec3f:1c0:100:0 · 104.18.10.39
0 of 74 engines flagged this file
View all 74 engine results
Section entropy & packers
No high-entropy executable section or known packer signature was detected. Data and resource sections can still have high entropy without indicating packed code.
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
- Adobe Installer
- Format
- Win32 EXE
- Code signing
- Signature not verified: Adobe Inc.
- Size
- 7.3 MB
- Last analyzed
- Jul 22, 2026, 1:59 PM UTC
b9a187b59c758ead0022e50bbaae4133d2e37b769a054249afc0b6aa2e26774dSafety & 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 open 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. Get a fresh copy from the original trusted source and verify its exact hash when possible.
- 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 Adobe Installer safe, or is it malware?
What is Adobe Installer?
How many antivirus engines detected Adobe Installer?
What should I do if I already opened Adobe Installer?
How do I remove Adobe Installer?
Is Adobe Installer digitally signed?
What is the SHA-256 hash of Adobe Installer?
How up to date is this analysis of Adobe Installer?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.