Is ExoPanda_Setup.exe safe?
A lone generic Sophos detection is weak, but observed process-injection, privilege, data-destruction, and LSASS-access indicators warrant caution despite a valid signature.
Only 1 of 75 engines detected this installer, using a generic Sophos label, and its Exo Panda LLC signature verifies correctly. However, one sandbox recorded process-injection and privilege-related techniques plus apparent LSASS targeting, so the file should not be trusted solely on its certificate or low detection count.
d4cefaa3c60112c0e5…1bc208c7f8e1e6Recommended next actions
Before installing
Do not install it until the source and publisher can be verified independently.
If you already installed it
Stop using it, scan the device, and watch for unexpected behavior or security alerts. Download a fresh installer from the developer's official site or an official app store.
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.
Only 1 of 75 engines detected this installer, using a generic Sophos label, and its Exo Panda LLC signature verifies correctly. However, one sandbox recorded process-injection and privilege-related techniques plus apparent LSASS targeting, so the file should not be trusted solely on its certificate or low detection count.
The antivirus result is narrowly positive: Sophos alone flagged 1 of 75 engines with the generic Mal/Generic-S label, and no family consensus exists. The valid Exo Panda LLC signature is helpful, but this publisher has no established sample history or curated trust match. A completed sandbox recorded T1055, T1134, T1485, and T1548, with additional evidence indicating access to LSASS; these are unusual capabilities for an ordinary installer. No malicious sandbox verdict or malicious child was recorded, and the one observed IP had no cached reputation hit, which reduces but does not eliminate concern. The similar-file results are weak because they share only an imphash across different signers, consistent with a common installer framework rather than the same product.
What We Detected
Sophos was the only engine among 75 to flag the file, assigning the generic label Mal/Generic-S. No named malware family or multi-engine family consensus was present. The executable carries a valid signature from Exo Panda LLC, but that signer has no established history in the available evidence and is not on the curated trusted-publisher list.
Threat Behavior
One completed sandbox mapped activity to T1055 process injection, T1134 access-token manipulation, T1485 data destruction, and T1548 elevation-control abuse. Saved evidence also indicates activity involving LSASS, which can be associated with credential access. No malicious sandbox verdict was issued, no persistence indicators were saved, and none of the 10 inspected dropped files was identified as malicious, although their individual verdicts remain unknown. The single observed IP was checked without a cached malicious or suspicious hit; the recorded URL was a Sectigo certificate resource.
What To Do Now
Keep endpoint protection enabled and avoid running the installer on a production system until its origin is verified. Obtain a fresh copy from the publisher's official release channel, confirm the Exo Panda LLC certificate and hash, and use an isolated environment if further testing is necessary.
Where this verdict could be wrong5 caveats
- Only 1/75 engines flagged the file, and 16 other tier-1 engines reported no detection; the sole label, Sophos Mal/Generic-S, is generic.
- behaviour.hasMaliciousSandboxVerdict=false, although one completed sandbox recorded concerning techniques.
- contactedHosts.inspected=1 found no cached reputation hit for the one observed IP, while the observed URL points to a Sectigo certificate resource.
- droppedChildren.hasMaliciousChild=false, but all 10 child verdicts remain unknown rather than affirmatively benign.
- signing.verified=true for 'Exo Panda LLC' and brandMismatch is null, providing some authenticity evidence.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- Valid code signature from Exo Panda LLC
- Only 1/75 engines reported a detection
- No tier-1 family consensus
- No malicious sandbox verdict
- No identified malicious dropped child
- Runtime mapping to T1055 process injection
- Saved evidence indicating LSASS access
- Additional offensive mappings T1134, T1485, and T1548
- No historical trust record for the Exo Panda LLC signer
- Sophos generic detection Mal/Generic-S
Do not run this installer unless its source and Exo Panda LLC signature can be independently verified. Keep security protection enabled and test only in an isolated environment if verification is inconclusive.
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
Partial1 of 2 contacted hosts were cross-checked; coverage is incomplete.
YARA
Complete4 signature or behavior rules 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
- 23MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 11spawned processes
- 2network contacts
- 32filesystem & 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: Changed an auto-start location that can make code run after sign-in or restart.
Moderate concern: Contained obfuscated or packed code that makes inspection harder.
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.
Moderate concern: Scans through your files and folders.
Moderate concern: Checked the environment for virtualisation or analysis tools.
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
ExoPanda_Setup.exe
d4cefaa3c60112c0e57ff347659576f395fcec75cf69896f061bc208c7f8e1e6
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\ExoPanda_Setup.exe"
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
taskkill /F /IM ExoPanda.exe
03Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Files
Created or changed
- Written fileObserved
nspBECC.tmp
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nspBECC.tmp
04Isolated runtime analysis - Written fileObserved
modern-wizard.bmp
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nskBF98.tmp\modern-wizard.bmp
05Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Network
Hosts contacted
- Contacted hostObserved
74.208.199.82
Contact observed during runtime.
06Isolated runtime analysis - Contacted hostObserved
crt.sectigo.com
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.
- 74.208.199.82
- http://crt.sectigo.com/SectigoPublicCodeSigningRootR46.p7c
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nspBECC.tmp
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nskBF98.tmp\modern-wizard.bmp
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nskBF98.tmp\nsDialogs.dll
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nskBF98.tmp\System.dll
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nskBF98.tmp\nsExec.dll
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\exopanda_manifest.json
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\IconCache.db
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache_1280.db
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache_16.db
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache_1920.db
- Global\SyncRootManager
- cversions.3.m
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 10 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- 8d659d76608cd646cc33…c25fe5Never scannednever seen before
- b121689861b506dbc9c3…1c00bbNever scannednever seen before
- 3c9002caedf0c007134a…457bf4Never scannednever seen before
- c0276ceed021a2474251…eafdedNever scannednever seen before
- 1b1aed169f2acfae4cf2…90d289Never scannednever seen before
- 0f6861e9fa2e9b837370…c6719eNever scannednever seen before
- b1350f487692057c8ffd…551fc0Never scannednever seen before
- 6c4454d342c734c64baf…27a18eNever scannednever seen before
- ee1ed3b49720b22d5fda…521aa5Never scannednever seen before
- 2ff95e1f6ae98988b3c2…470a46Never 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.
- 4rule hits recorded
- 1 / 75engines flagged
- 3,476sources 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 Sophos.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 03
The file has a valid code signature from Exo Panda LLC.
ProvenanceObservedSourceCode-signing metadataObserved at - 04
Scanned file: ExoPanda_Setup.exe — d4cefaa3c60112c0e57ff347659576f395fcec75cf69896f061bc208c7f8e1e6
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\ExoPanda_Setup.exe"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — taskkill /F /IM ExoPanda.exe
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: nspBECC.tmp — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nspBECC.tmp
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
File written: modern-wizard.bmp — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nskBF98.tmp\modern-wizard.bmp
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 09
Contacted host: 74.208.199.82 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 10
Contacted host: crt.sectigo.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.
EvidenceC:\Windows\Explorer.EXESandbox observed process activity targeting LSASS (Windows credential store). Legitimate software has no business reading LSASS memory — this is Mimikatz-shape behaviour.
EvidenceC:\Windows\system32\lsass.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.
Evidence74.208.199.82Signed by "Exo Panda LLC" — short generic company CN. Paired with 1 engine hit(s); possible stolen, fraudulent, or reseller-purchased code-signing certificate.
EvidenceExo Panda LLC
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
- ExoPanda_Setup.exe
- Format
- Win32 EXE
- Code signing
- Signature valid: Exo Panda LLC
- Size
- 2.8 MB
- Last analyzed
- Sep 13, 2026, 1:44 PM UTC
d4cefaa3c60112c0e57ff347659576f395fcec75cf69896f061bc208c7f8e1e6Safety & 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 install 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. Download a fresh installer from the developer's official site or an official app store.
- 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 ExoPanda_Setup.exe safe, or is it malware?
What is ExoPanda_Setup.exe?
How many antivirus engines detected ExoPanda_Setup.exe?
What should I do if I already installed ExoPanda_Setup.exe?
How do I remove ExoPanda_Setup.exe?
Is ExoPanda_Setup.exe digitally signed?
What is the SHA-256 hash of ExoPanda_Setup.exe?
How up to date is this analysis of ExoPanda_Setup.exe?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.