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Verdict Malicious

Analyzed , 11 days ago

Is WinRAR.exe safe? No, we rate this exact file malicious.

A completed sandbox returned a malicious result and mapped token manipulation, outweighing zero antivirus detections for this unsigned, rarely submitted executable.

Read the whole reasonShow less

Moderate evidence · Few antivirus engines flag it; other checks support the rating.

Don't run this file

If you already ran it, follow the steps below.

What to do now4 steps

This file is harmful. Don't run it, and remove it.

If you haven't run it

  1. Don't run this file. Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin.

If you already ran it

  1. Disconnect the device from the internet, then run a full antivirus scan. Microsoft Defender Offline (Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options) also finds malware that hides while Windows runs.

  2. If you typed passwords on the device after running it, change them from another device you trust.

  3. If the scan keeps finding it, or the device still acts strangely, scan again with a second-opinion scanner from another company; if that doesn't fix it, back up your personal files and reinstall Windows.

If you already ran it, do these in order.

If you opened or installed it

Avoid banking and sign-ins on that device until it is clean. These free MalwareTips guides walk you through it.

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

Why we think so

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WinRAR.exe: Malicious — MalwareTips file scan

The link always shows the latest result for this exact file (its SHA-256 fingerprint).

Antivirus results

0 of 62 flagged

  • Flagged 0
  • No detection 62
  • No result 14
FileWinRAR.exe3.8 MBSHA-256 d30cc16f5495…c26d3b
  • Code signing Unsigned
  • Test run Completed
  • First seen 1y ago
A sandbox test run rated its behaviour as malicious.

Chapter 02

Why we think so

4 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

The strongest evidence is a malicious sandbox result accompanied by token manipulation. Although none of the 62 antivirus engines that checked it flagged the executable, it is unsigned, rarely submitted, and lacks an established publisher identity; no complete contacted-host reputation check is available.

Where this verdict could be wrong3 caveats
  • None of the 62 antivirus engines that checked it flagged the file, including no major detections.
  • No packer or high-entropy code was identified, and no malicious child was established.
  • MalwareBazaar and YARAify supplied no corroborating family or malware-specific rule match.

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 · 5 complete · 1 not needed or not applicable. See every source

Chapter 03

What it did in our test

It ran in our isolated test environment; 1 test environment rated what it did as risky.

Test run summary

Capture complete
  • 21sandbox rule tags
  • 1spawned processes
  • 0network contacts
  • 0filesystem & mutex artifacts

What the test run showed

What the file did on a test computer

Confirmed in the test run

  • Moderate concern: Contains packed or scrambled code that is harder to inspect (common in installers too).

  • Moderate concern: Ran commands or a script on the test computer.

  • Moderate concern: Checked whether it was running on a test computer.

  • Moderate concern: Hid files or windows on the test computer.

  • Note: Read the user name of the test computer.

  • Note: Read basic details of the test computer, such as its Windows version.

  • Note: Looked through folders on the test computer (most installers do this).

Sandbox labels we could not confirm (common in safe files too)

  • Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as contacting a server, but no contacted host was recorded.

  • Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as setting up auto-start; no auto-start entry was recorded.

This file was run on a test computer (a sandbox), not on yours. Labels we could not confirm are listed so you can see them, but they are not treated as evidence against the file.

Threat context

How trojans work

A trojan pretends to be something useful or harmless so that you run it. Once open, it does its real job in the background, 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.

Recorded behavior

What happened in the test

Grouped by step. The order is not a timeline.

Seen in the test runWorked out from other results

  1. Input file

    The submitted object

    1
    1. Evidence 1 of 2: FileSeen in the test run

      WinRAR.exe

      d30cc16f5495eaba99a824190bf3ab4daaf4a958391a8d8db595539c0cc26d3b

      Uploaded file

  2. Processes

    What ran

    1
    1. Evidence 2 of 2: ProcessSeen in the test run

      WinRAR.exe

      "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\WinRAR.exe"

      Test run

2 facts from the test run. See the full activity list.

Chapter 04

Technical details

None of the 62 antivirus engines that checked it flag it; no publisher signature.

Sources checked

Every check behind this verdict

6 sources checked · 5 complete · 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 · 76 enginesCompletePositive signal: 0 of 62 engines flagged it · 14 gave no result Details for antivirus engines
Sandbox runVirusTotal sandboxesCompleteRisk signal: Combined summary includes a malicious verdict Details for sandbox run
Contacted hostsMalwareTips URL scannerNot neededThe sandbox recorded 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

File fingerprint

Last analyzed
Oct 15, 2026, 9:14 AM UTC
SHA-256
d30cc16f5495eaba99a824190bf3ab4daaf4a958391a8d8db595539c0cc26d3b
SHA-1
9f3b4a2527251452fd461e44cd03aa53103ff447
MD5
9b705deccf3705e5cb2a03e8f3266589

About this file

WinRAR.exe is a Win32 EXE file of 3.8 MB.

Type and size
Win32 EXE · 3.8 MB
Signer
UnsignedNo code signature.
First seen
Aug 28, 2025On VirusTotal.
Submitted by
3 distinct sourcesRarely seen: few people have submitted this exact file.
Packer
None detected
Entropy
6.54 of 8

First scanned

Chapter 05

Questions & answers

Short answers to the 8 questions people ask most about this file.

Is WinRAR.exe a virus?
Yes. This copy of WinRAR.exe (SHA-256 d30cc16f…6d3b) is malicious. Other files with the same name can be different, so check the hash. Don't run it. Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin. None of the 62 antivirus engines that checked it flag it. Antivirus engines classify it as a trojan: malware disguised as something harmless so that you run it. If you've already run it, see the steps below.
What is WinRAR.exe?
WinRAR.exe is a Windows program, about 3.8 MB. It carries no version information saying what it is or who made it. VirusTotal first saw it on Aug 28, 2025.
How many antivirus engines detected WinRAR.exe?
None of the 62 antivirus engines that checked it flag WinRAR.exe, but that does not make it safe: antivirus engines often miss new files. A sandbox test run also rated its behaviour as malicious.
What should I do if I already ran WinRAR.exe?
Act quickly. 1) Disconnect the device from the internet. 2) Run a full scan with your antivirus and let it remove what it finds. 3) Change your important passwords from another device you trust, starting with email and banking, and turn on two-step verification. 4) If you bank or shop on this device, watch your accounts and tell your bank about payments you don't recognise. 5) If the scan keeps finding it, back up your personal files and reinstall Windows.
How do I remove WinRAR.exe?
To remove WinRAR.exe: 1) run a full scan with your antivirus and let it remove what it finds. 2) Delete it, then empty the Recycle Bin. 3) Check Settings > Apps, your browser extensions, startup apps (Task Manager > Startup apps) and scheduled tasks for anything you don't recognise. 4) Restart and scan again. If it keeps coming back, scan from Safe Mode with Networking, or back up your files and reinstall Windows.
What kind of malware is WinRAR.exe?
Antivirus engines classify WinRAR.exe as a trojan: malware disguised as something harmless so that you run it.
What is the SHA-256 hash of WinRAR.exe?
The SHA-256 fingerprint of WinRAR.exe is d30cc16f5495eaba99a824190bf3ab4daaf4a958391a8d8db595539c0cc26d3b, and its MD5 is 9b705deccf3705e5cb2a03e8f3266589. 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 WinRAR.exe?
This report reflects the scan on Oct 15, 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.

Related file reports

Other files people checked with the same name, and recent reports with the same rating. A matching name does not make two files the same: only the SHA-256 fingerprint identifies a file.

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This report and its SHA-256 fingerprint are public, so the next person who checks the same file gets an instant answer; documents and images are listed by type instead of their file name. A file we had not seen before is uploaded to VirusTotal, whose security partners and subscribers can download it; MalwareTips deletes its own copy after the scan. If you ran this file and are worried, scan your device with up-to-date security software.