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Verdict Malicious

Analyzed , 3 months ago

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

This exact file is listed in abuse.ch MalwareBazaar, a public malware-sample sharing database. 31 of the 68 antivirus engines that checked it also flag it.

Read the whole reasonShow less

Strong evidence · Two or more major antivirus engines agree.

Don't run this file

Delete this file from the device, then empty the Recycle Bin or Trash. Run a full-system antivirus scan.

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

Share this file report

patch.exe: Malicious — MalwareTips file scan

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

Reads the latest antivirus results for this file's hash. Nothing is uploaded.

Antivirus results

31 of 68 flagged

  • Flagged 31
  • No detection 37
  • No result 6
Filepatch.exe59.4 kBSHA-256 d52ae302f0ec…1630a9
  • Code signing Unsigned
  • Test run Completed
  • First seen 1y ago
1 strong detection rule matched this file.

Chapter 02

Why we think so

2 points against it and 0 in its favour, checked against the scan evidence.

Malware intelligence match

Why this file is treated as malware

The conclusion below is grounded in the recorded hash match and scan evidence.

Analyst conclusion

It was first listed on May 17, 2025; MalwareBazaar publishes no family name for it.

Where this verdict could be wrong1 caveat
  • MalwareBazaar accepts submissions from anyone, including automated uploads; legitimate tools bundled with malware are sometimes listed.

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 partial. See every source

Chapter 03

What it did in our test

It ran in our isolated test environment; no test environment rated what it did as risky.

Test run summary

Capture complete
  • 9sandbox rule tags
  • 3spawned processes
  • 2network contacts
  • 18filesystem & 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: Hid files or windows on 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).

  • Note: Loaded extra code modules while running.

  • Note: Connected to 2 servers during the test run.

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

  • Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as code injection, but no injected program was recorded.

  • Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as recording keystrokes; no keylogging was confirmed.

  • Not confirmed: A sandbox rule tagged this run as changing how Windows loads code; nothing confirms it.

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 cracked-software installers work

A crack or patch installer is one of the most common ways to spread trojans. Even if the program seems to work, it can install malware in the background.

Bottom line:There is no safe copy of a cracked installer: delete it, and get the software from its real publisher.

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 7: FileSeen in the test run

      patch.exe

      d52ae302f0ec1971d86211002c84cbf43d7837c83921df35b9d14bda2f1630a9

      Uploaded file

  2. Processes

    What ran

    2
    1. Evidence 2 of 7: ProcessSeen in the test run

      executable.exe

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

      Test run
    2. Evidence 3 of 7: ProcessSeen in the test run

      ID Patcher.exe

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

  3. Files

    Created or changed

    2
    1. Evidence 4 of 7: Written fileSeen in the test run

      Policies

      C:\Program Files\Google\Policies

      Test run
    2. Evidence 5 of 7: Written fileSeen in the test run

      GUMBA81.tmp

      C:\Program Files\Google\Temp\GUMBA81.tmp

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

  4. Network

    Hosts contacted

    2
    1. Evidence 6 of 7: Contacted hostSeen in the test run

      23.219.78.68

      Contacted during the test run.

      Test run
    2. Evidence 7 of 7: Contacted hostSeen in the test run

      23.219.78.81

      Contacted during the test run.

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

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

Chapter 04

Technical details

31 of the 68 antivirus engines that checked it flag it; no publisher signature.

Sources checked

Every check behind this verdict

6 sources checked · 5 complete · 1 partial. Complete means the check returned a usable result; it does not mean the file is safe.

SourceStatusResultChecked
Antivirus enginesVirusTotal · 74 enginesCompleteRisk signal: 31 of 68 engines flagged it · 6 gave no result Details for antivirus engines
Sandbox runVirusTotal sandboxesCompleteRuntime behaviour was recorded Details for sandbox run
Contacted hostsMalwareTips URL scannerPartial2 hosts contacted in the test run had no completed reputation check Details for contacted hosts
Signature rulesYARAify community rules + MalwareTips rulesCompleteWorth noting: 1 community YARA rule (1 malware-specific) · 1 MalwareTips behaviour rule Details for signature rules
Malware sample databaseabuse.ch MalwareBazaarCompleteRisk signal: Listed (no family name published)
Known-software referenceCIRCL hashlookupCompleteNo match

Engines that flagged it 31

  • Avira (major engine)APPL/AgentW32.ToolX
  • F-Secure (major engine)Program.APPL/AgentW32.ToolX
  • Fortinet (major engine)W32/PossibleThreat
  • GData (major engine)Win32.Trojan.Agent.5QUN1K
  • Microsoft (major engine)HackTool:Win32/Patcher!MTB
  • Sophos (major engine)Generic Reputation PUA (PUA)
  • TrellixENS (major engine)Artemis!0697F7C6A3B9
  • AhnLab-V3HackTool/Win.Patcher.C5763036
23 more in the full engine list

File fingerprint

Last analyzed
Jul 10, 2026, 1:49 AM UTC
SHA-256
d52ae302f0ec1971d86211002c84cbf43d7837c83921df35b9d14bda2f1630a9
SHA-1
6fc4e68f7eb29f0d2ef9664b33e1e9956922c534
MD5
0697f7c6a3b9c4f4c3b62d7dcd28463b

About this file

patch.exe is a Win32 EXE file of 59.4 kB.

Type and size
Win32 EXE · 59.4 kB
Signer
UnsignedNo code signature.
First seen
Dec 29, 2024On VirusTotal.
Submitted by
3,678 distinct sources
Packer
None detected
Entropy
5.83 of 8

First scanned Updated

Chapter 05

Questions & answers

Short answers to the 9 questions people ask most about this file.

Is patch.exe malware?
Yes. This copy of patch.exe (SHA-256 d52ae302…30a9) 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. 31 of the 68 antivirus engines that checked it flag it. Antivirus engines classify it as a trojan hidden in a cracked-software installer. This exact file is also listed in MalwareBazaar, a public malware database. If you've already run it, see the steps below.
What is patch.exe?
patch.exe is a Windows program, about 59.4 kB. It carries no version information saying what it is or who made it. VirusTotal first saw it on Dec 29, 2024.
How many antivirus engines detected patch.exe?
31 of the 68 antivirus engines that checked it flag patch.exe, including Microsoft and Malwarebytes. We weigh which engines flagged it and what else the scan found, not just the count. The rating also rests on a listing of this exact file in MalwareBazaar, a public malware database, and on the other evidence.
I already downloaded and ran patch.exe — what should I do?
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 patch.exe?
To remove patch.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 patch.exe?
Antivirus engines classify patch.exe as a trojan hidden in a cracked-software installer.
Has patch.exe been seen before?
Yes. This exact file is listed in MalwareBazaar, a public malware database, first listed on May 17, 2025. MalwareBazaar accepts uploads from anyone, including automated ones, so the listing supports the other evidence rather than proving malice on its own.
What is the SHA-256 hash of patch.exe?
The SHA-256 fingerprint of patch.exe is d52ae302f0ec1971d86211002c84cbf43d7837c83921df35b9d14bda2f1630a9, and its MD5 is 0697f7c6a3b9c4f4c3b62d7dcd28463b. 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 patch.exe?
This report reflects the scan on Jul 10, 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.