MalwareTips
Threat LensFile scan report

Is cli.exe safe?

Verdict
Suspicious

Two independent tier-1 detections and seven additional flags raise substantial concern, but conflicting generic labels and uncorroborating runtime evidence prevent family attribution.

Nine of 74 engines flagged this unsigned executable, including Microsoft and TrendMicro-HouseCall as two independent tier-1 detections. However, most tier-1 engines were silent, labels conflict, and one completed sandbox run produced no malicious verdict or offensive behavior, leaving the evidence materially mixed.

Do not run it until verified

Quarantine the executable and verify its SHA-256 with the publisher or official distribution channel before use. Keep antivirus and endpoint protection enabled, and replace the file with a trusted copy if verification is unavailable.

Read the full analysis
Saved file evidenceAntivirus consensus
9of 74 flagged
Flagged 9No detection 65
Digital specimencli.exec434ce8620057d9dd9…1052775e7ddc70
Size742.5 KB
Code signingUnsigned
SandboxRuntime complete
First seen21d ago
Evidence2 priority signals
9 of 74 antivirus engines flagged the file, including CrowdStrike and Elastic.

Recommended next actions

01

Before running

Do not run it until the source and publisher can be verified independently.

02

If you already ran it

Stop using it, scan the device, and watch for unexpected behavior or security alerts. Get a fresh copy from the developer's official site or an official app store.

Chapter 02

Intelligence

The saved assessment, checked against the scan evidence and recorded coverage.

MT AI Engine · Verdict analysis

The reasoning behind this verdict

This section explains the evidence supporting the verdict and keeps conflicting or missing signals visible.

78%Confidence
High
Analyst conclusion

Nine of 74 engines flagged this unsigned executable, including Microsoft and TrendMicro-HouseCall as two independent tier-1 detections. However, most tier-1 engines were silent, labels conflict, and one completed sandbox run produced no malicious verdict or offensive behavior, leaving the evidence materially mixed.

Where this verdict could be wrong5 caveats
  • 15 of 17 tier-1 engines did not detect the sample, including BitDefender, ESET-NOD32, Fortinet, and Avast.
  • The completed sandbox run recorded no offensive techniques, persistence indicators, dropped hashes, or malicious sandbox verdict.
  • externalIntel.malwareBazaar.hit=false and externalIntel.yaraify.ruleCount=0, although absence of those hits does not establish benignity.
  • peAnalysis.highEntropyCode=false and peAnalysis.likelyPacked=false, providing no static packing signal.
  • The communityComments[0] annotation reports a sandbox MAL score of 48/100, but it is uncorroborated third-party context rather than a structured runtime 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.

Recommended action

Quarantine the executable and verify its SHA-256 with the publisher or official distribution channel before use. Keep antivirus and endpoint protection enabled, and replace the file with a trusted copy if verification is unavailable.

Scan transparency

Coverage & freshness

4 of 5 complete

Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.

  • Antivirus

    Complete

    9 of 74 engines flagged the file.

  • Sandbox

    Complete

    1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.

  • Network

    Not run

    No contacted-host reputation check is recorded.

    No timestamp recorded

  • YARA

    Complete

    Rule evaluation completed with no recorded matches.

  • External intel

    Complete

    3 of 3 independent reference sources completed.

Chapter 03

Behavior

Plain-English impact first, then the observed runtime evidence.

Runtime flight recorder

Capture complete
  • 1isolated sandbox run
  • 8MITRE ATT&CK techniques
  • 3spawned processes
  • 0network contacts
  • 2filesystem & mutex artifacts

What this file does

Observed actions and their security significance

  • Moderate concern: Contained obfuscated or packed code that makes inspection harder.

  • Moderate concern: Communicated over a common application protocol; malware can use this for command-and-control.

  • Moderate concern: Scans through your files and folders.

  • Note: Collects details about your system.

  • Note: Loads extra code modules while running.

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.

Recorded behavior

Attack story

Runtime observations grouped by analysis stage. Arrows organize the stages; they do not claim chronology or causality.

ObservedDerived

5 recorded facts from one runtime window. Every fact remains independently traceable in Analyst mode.

Chapter 04

Detection & Forensics

Consensus, attribution, signatures, code structure, prevalence, and identity.

Chapter 05

Safety & 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.

  1. Recovery step 01

    Don't run it unless you're certain it came from a source you trust.

  2. Recovery step 02

    Check where you got it — an unexpected attachment or a random download link is a red flag.

  3. 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 developer's official site or an official app store.

  4. 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.

8 evidence-based answers
Is cli.exe safe, or is it malware?
Evidence-based answer
cli.exe is suspicious — treat it as unsafe until you're sure. 9 of 74 antivirus engines flag it; that detection signal contributes to the cautious verdict. Don't run it unless you fully trust where it came from. Get a fresh copy from the developer's official site or an official app store.
What is cli.exe?
Evidence-based answer
cli.exe is a Windows executable program, about 743 KB. We identify a file by its cryptographic hash rather than its name, because the same filename can be reused by completely different files — the hash below is the reliable fingerprint.
How many antivirus engines detected cli.exe?
Evidence-based answer
9 of 74 antivirus engines flagged cli.exe, 9 of them as outright malicious. The raw count alone does not establish safety or danger; we also weigh which engines flagged it and corroborating behavior, identity, reputation, and rule evidence.
I already downloaded and ran cli.exe — what should I do?
Evidence-based answer
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.
How do I remove cli.exe?
Evidence-based answer
To remove cli.exe: 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 this file from the device, then empty the Recycle Bin or 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.
What kind of malware is cli.exe?
Evidence-based answer
cli.exe is classified as a trojan — malware disguised as something harmless to trick you into running it. Knowing the family matters because it tells you the likely impact — data theft, remote control, file encryption, or unwanted ads — and guides the cleanup.
What is the SHA-256 hash of cli.exe?
Evidence-based answer
The SHA-256 hash of cli.exe is c434ce8620057d9dd9073b4af8382bf27e85729d152164909f1052775e7ddc70, and its MD5 is e18a0f07a55738e880b46d4a22deca5d. 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.
How up to date is this analysis of cli.exe?
Evidence-based answer
This report reflects the scan run on September 19, 2026. Because a file's hash never changes, the identity of cli.exe 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.
Chapter 06

Community

Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.

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The raw file is processed temporarily and is not retained after processing. Its hash and report are public and permanent, so the next person who checks the same file gets an instant answer. Unknown files may be submitted to VirusTotal for analysis. If you ran this file on your computer and are worried, scan your system with an up-to-date antivirus and change critical passwords from a different device.