Is setup.exe safe?
Only CrowdStrike raised a generic grayware alert among 75 engines, while tier-1 coverage, runtime outcome, child inspection, and host checks lacked malicious corroboration.
The lone generic CrowdStrike detection is not supported by any tier-1 engine or independent intelligence. One sandbox run mapped process-injection and token-manipulation techniques, so caution remains appropriate, but its outcome was non-malicious and the observed host check found no harmful destination.
cbff44d264dcc08c1d…1a116af7d25d25Recommended next actions
Before installing
Install it only when it came from the developer's official site or an official app store.
If you already installed it
Keep normal device protection enabled and stop if the file behaves unexpectedly.
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 lone generic CrowdStrike detection is not supported by any tier-1 engine or independent intelligence. One sandbox run mapped process-injection and token-manipulation techniques, so caution remains appropriate, but its outcome was non-malicious and the observed host check found no harmful destination.
Only 1 of 75 engines raised an alert, and it was CrowdStrike's generic grayware assessment rather than a named malware family. All 17 tier-1 engines reported clean, and no family consensus emerged. Runtime evidence mapped T1055 and T1134, but the completed sandbox did not return a malicious assessment, and none of ten inspected children was identified as malicious. The single observed domain was fully covered by the host-reputation check without a malicious or suspicious result, and Microsoft documents that domain as a Windows endpoint. The unsigned status and offensive technique mappings prevent maximum confidence, but the overall evidence favors an isolated false positive.
What We Detected
CrowdStrike was the only engine among 75 to flag the file, using a generic grayware label. None of the 17 tier-1 engines detected it, no named malware family was identified, and CIRCL, MalwareBazaar, and YARAify supplied no corroborating hit.
Threat Behavior
One completed sandbox run mapped activity to MITRE T1055 and T1134, which can be associated with process injection and token manipulation. However, the sandbox did not issue a malicious assessment, no persistence indicators were recorded, and none of ten inspected dropped children was identified as malicious. The only observed network destination, assets.msn.com, was covered by the host check and had no malicious or suspicious reputation result; Microsoft documentation lists it among Windows connection endpoints.
What To Do Now
Keep endpoint protection enabled and obtain the installer from its official publisher or distribution channel. Because the file is unsigned and its exact product identity is unclear, verify its SHA-256 hash and intended source before running it on an important system.
Where this verdict could be wrong4 caveats
- The executable is unsigned: signing.signed=false and signing.signerStats.found=false, so no authenticated publisher or clean signer history supports it.
- The runtime mapping includes T1055 process injection and T1134 access-token manipulation, both offensive techniques that warrant caution despite the non-malicious sandbox verdict.
- CrowdStrike flagged the file as grayware, although no other engine among the 75 provided corroboration.
- All 10 dropped children have unknown individual verdicts, even though droppedChildren.hasMaliciousChild=false.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- engines.tier1Malicious=0 and engines.tier1ReportedClean=17.
- Only 1/75 engines reported a detection, with no named-family consensus.
- behaviour.hasMaliciousSandboxVerdict=false.
- contactedHosts inspected the sole observed domain and found 0 maliciousHosts and 0 suspiciousHosts.
- peAnalysis.highEntropyCode=false and peAnalysis.likelyPacked=false.
- signing.signed=false; the executable has no authenticated publisher.
- MITRE T1055 was mapped during runtime analysis.
- MITRE T1134 was mapped during runtime analysis.
- CrowdStrike reported generic grayware at 60% confidence.
- droppedChildren.rollup.unknown=10, so the child files lack affirmative individual classifications.
Keep security protection enabled, verify that the installer came from the intended publisher, and prefer an officially signed copy when available. Avoid execution if its origin cannot be established.
Coverage & freshness
Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.
Antivirus
Complete1 of 75 engines flagged the file.
Sandbox
Complete1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.
Network
Complete1 contacted host was cross-checked.
YARA
Complete1 signature or behavior rule matched.
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
- 16MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 5spawned processes
- 1network contacts
- 15filesystem & mutex artifacts
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.
- assets.msn.com
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\ElAmigos\InstallPath
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-QMR24.tmp\setup.tmp
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-69DBS.tmp\_isetup\_setup64.tmp
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-69DBS.tmp\_isetup\_shfoldr.dll
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-69DBS.tmp\_isetup\_iscrypt.dll
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-69DBS.tmp\ISDone.dll
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 10 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- ca0cc285a5a014fa4d15…a0e28eNever scannednever seen before
- d92f7c60256509f74e36…62ea29Never scannednever seen before
- 938cecafa1f198218541…d84063Never scannednever seen before
- 9884e9d1b4f8a873ccbd…360d87Never scannednever seen before
- af76a10c4015389d8a2f…273c28Never scannednever seen before
- 20c1c8f1a70470e18c89…26c403Never scannednever seen before
- 2258e06065913229bde6…0356d2Never scannednever seen before
- 6ea07aa4f5565ac28940…c091a9Never scannednever seen before
- 34dd2954e50c46c600cc…c51139Never scannednever seen before
- b20a8d88c550981137ed…bc37d1Never 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.
- 1rule hit recorded
- 1 / 75engines flagged
- 172sources 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
1 of 75 antivirus engines flagged the file, including CrowdStrike.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 03
The hash has been submitted 202 times from 172 sources.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceSaved report factsObserved at - 04
Scanned file: setup.exe — cbff44d264dcc08c1d0cf25ee65c874b0974b31d8a598abd4a1a116af7d25d25
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\setup.exe"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — "C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-QMR24.tmp\setup.tmp" /SL5="$30186,1702736,384000,C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\setup.exe"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: setup.tmp — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-QMR24.tmp\setup.tmp
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
File written: _setup64.tmp — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-69DBS.tmp\_isetup\_setup64.tmp
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 09
Contacted host: assets.msn.com — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at
Detection sources at a glance
The available sources did not agree on a named threat category.
MalwareBazaar, YARAify, and CIRCL hashlookup completed and returned no entries for this hash.
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.
The saved runtime evidence maps this activity to MITRE T1055 (Process Injection). The mapping supports possible process injection, but it does not prove the exact injection method or the operator's intent.
Evidence"C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\setup.exe"
1 of 75 engines flagged this file
View all 75 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
Moderate prevalence — neither rare nor common. No strong prior applies.
Fingerprint and provenance
- File name
- setup.exe
- Format
- Win32 EXE
- Code signing
- No verified publisher
- Size
- 2.3 MB
- Last analyzed
- Sep 29, 2026, 9:17 PM UTC
cbff44d264dcc08c1d0cf25ee65c874b0974b31d8a598abd4a1a116af7d25d25Safety & FAQ
Complete recovery guidance and answers for the next decision.
What to do now
This file appears low risk based on the evidence available now.
- Recovery step 01
Install it only when it came from the developer's official site or an official app store.
- Recovery step 02
A clean result reduces known risk, but it cannot guarantee that every new or targeted threat has been detected.
- Recovery step 03
Keep your antivirus and Windows updates switched on so you stay protected.
Safety FAQ
Direct answers grounded in the saved verdict and evidence in this report.
Is setup.exe safe?
What is setup.exe?
How many antivirus engines detected setup.exe?
What is the SHA-256 hash of setup.exe?
Is it safe to install setup.exe?
How up to date is this analysis of setup.exe?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.