Malicious
6 of 76 antivirus engines flagged this file as malicious.
d6a0a37ba8d07bbca3…f3295f916bThe reasoning behind this verdict
The MT AI Engine weighs every signal from this scan — antivirus detections, sandbox behaviour, code signing, prevalence and historical matches — to reach a single, evidence-based verdict.
6 of 76 antivirus engines flagged this file as malicious.
- 6 antivirus engines flagged this file.
Delete this file and scan your system with an up-to-date antivirus.
Threat context
How ransomware works
Ransomware scrambles (encrypts) your personal files — photos, documents, everything — so you can't open them, then demands a payment for the key to unlock them. Some versions also delete your backups first so you can't simply restore.
Bottom line:Without a backup made before the infection, the encrypted files are often unrecoverable.
What to do now
This file is dangerous. Treat it as harmful and remove it.
Don't open or run this file. Delete it from your Downloads (or wherever you saved it), then empty the Recycle Bin.
If you already opened it, disconnect from the internet and run a full scan with your antivirus — Windows Security, built into Windows, is sufficient.
If any of your files were locked or renamed, do NOT pay the ransom — payment rarely restores files. Recover them from a backup instead.
In future, only download software from the official website or an official app store.
6 detections across 76 engines
Forensic fingerprint
- File name
- AiDefend.exe
- Size
- 4.41 MB
- MIME type
- (unknown)
- Detected type
- Win32 EXE
- SHA-256
- d6a0a37ba8d07bbca3606c1ef06dea7f7b49b88c51f46bccfd7d33f3295f916b
- MD5
- 995a85d89832468412be2def7ea21951
- SHA-1
- f1594b9a646b7b7b4af1f3cfac6e87d92627a4ac
- PE imphash
- 05480c7a61554bfcbaa13bab43e02ebd
- First seen (VT)
- 3/31/2026, 1:56:45 PM
- Last analysis (VT)
- 4/21/2026, 2:01:21 PM
- First scan (MalwareTips)
- 4/20/2026, 2:02:27 PM
- Last scan (MalwareTips)
- 4/22/2026, 3:47:03 PM
Safety FAQ
Common questions about AiDefend.exe, answered from the scan data above.
- Yes — AiDefend.exe is malicious, so do not run it, and delete it. 6 of 76 antivirus engines flag it. It behaves as ransomware, which encrypts your files and demands payment to unlock them. If you've already run it, see the removal and recovery steps below.
- AiDefend.exe is a Windows executable program, about 4.4 MB. Our analysis identifies it as malicious — ransomware, which encrypts your files and demands payment to unlock them. Because a file's name and icon can be faked, the safest way to identify it is by its cryptographic hash (below), not its filename.
- 6 of 76 antivirus engines flagged AiDefend.exe, 6 of them as outright malicious. A detection rate at this level is a reliable signal that the file is dangerous.
- 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.
- To remove AiDefend.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 the original AiDefend.exe file and empty the Recycle Bin/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.
- AiDefend.exe is classified as ransomware, which encrypts your files and demands payment to unlock them. Knowing the family matters because it tells you the likely impact — data theft, remote control, file encryption, or unwanted ads — and guides the cleanup.
- The SHA-256 hash of AiDefend.exe is d6a0a37ba8d07bbca3606c1ef06dea7f7b49b88c51f46bccfd7d33f3295f916b, and its MD5 is 995a85d89832468412be2def7ea21951. 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.
- This report reflects the scan run on April 20, 2026. Because a file's hash never changes, the identity of AiDefend.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.
Reviews & malware reports(0)
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