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Verdict Malicious

Analyzed , 13 days ago

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

Family labels are inconsistent and the sandbox verdict itself was clean, so the exact malware family remains unconfirmed despite the substantial risk.

Read the whole reasonShow less

Strong evidence · Two or more major antivirus engines agree.

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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firmware_upgrade_utility.exe: Malicious — MalwareTips file scan

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

Antivirus results

24 of 72 flagged

  • Flagged 24
  • No detection 48
  • No result 4
Filefirmware_upgrade_utility.exe7.0 MBSHA-256 d70a91d000f1…19d65f
  • Code signing Unsigned
  • Test run Completed
  • First seen 1y ago
2 strong detection rules matched this file.

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

Twenty-four of the 72 antivirus engines that checked it flagged the executable, representing 23 deduplicated detection votes and including four major detections. Microsoft named Wacatac, while Avast and AVG reported DangerousSig; because Avast and AVG share technology and the broader labels differ, there is no strong family consensus. The executable is unsigned and contains high-entropy code consistent with packing, which reinforces the detection evidence. The completed sandbox verdict was clean and the fully covered host-reputation check found no known harmful destinations, but those counter-signals do not adequately explain the process injection and broad engine response.

Where this verdict could be wrong3 caveats
  • The completed reputation cross-check covered the observed hosts and found no cached malicious or suspicious destinations; several contacts were analysis-environment background traffic.
  • Four dropped files lack saved verdicts, so they provide no corroborating file it created classification.
  • Twelve major antivirus engines did not flag the file, and the four major detections do not establish a strong family consensus.

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 · all complete. 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
  • 14sandbox rule tags
  • 4spawned processes
  • 1network contact
  • 19filesystem & 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: Checked whether it was running on a test computer.

  • Note: Listed the programs running on the test computer.

  • Note: Talked to servers over the internet during the test run.

  • 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: Checked which security software was installed on the test computer.

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 spreading through USB drives; nothing confirms it.

  • 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 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 6: FileSeen in the test run

      firmware_upgrade_utility.exe

      d70a91d000f1a15411a6636d018412455ea163bbc86c203d8eacc32dbe19d65f

      Uploaded file

  2. Processes

    What ran

    2
    1. Evidence 2 of 6: ProcessSeen in the test run

      HORI_2115_V097.exe

      "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\HORI_2115_V097.exe"

      Test run
    2. Evidence 3 of 6: ProcessSeen in the test run

      HORI_2115_V097.exe

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

  3. Files

    Created or changed

    2
    1. Evidence 4 of 6: Written fileSeen in the test run

      config.ini

      C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\6004_14653\data\config.ini

      Test run
    2. Evidence 5 of 6: Written fileSeen in the test run

      HORI_2115_V097_Key.fw

      C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\6004_14653\data\HORI_2115_V097_Key.fw

      Test run
    3. +1 more recorded observation

  4. Network

    Hosts contacted

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

      23.54.127.209

      Contacted during the test run.

      Test run

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

Chapter 04

Technical details

24 of the 72 antivirus engines that checked it flag it; no publisher signature.

Sources checked

Every check behind this verdict

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

SourceStatusResultChecked
Antivirus enginesVirusTotal · 76 enginesCompleteRisk signal: 24 of 72 engines flagged it · 4 gave no result Details for antivirus engines
Sandbox runVirusTotal sandboxesCompleteCombined summary: clean verdict Details for sandbox run
Contacted hostsMalwareTips URL scannerComplete4 contacted hosts checked Details for contacted hosts
Signature rulesYARAify community rules + MalwareTips rulesCompleteRisk signal: 9 community YARA rules (1 malware-specific) · 3 MalwareTips behaviour rules Details for signature rules
Malware sample databaseabuse.ch MalwareBazaarCompleteNot listed
Known-software referenceCIRCL hashlookupCompleteNo match

Engines that flagged it 24

  • Avast (major engine)Win32:DangerousSig [Trj]
  • AVG (major engine)Win32:DangerousSig [Trj]
  • Fortinet (major engine)W32/PossibleThreat
  • Microsoft (major engine)Trojan:Win32/Wacatac.B!ml
  • Symantec (major engine)ML.Attribute.HighConfidence
  • TrellixENS (major engine)Artemis!9E58EF4E3E0D
  • AhnLab-V3Trojan/Win.Generic.R682264
  • AlibabaTrojan:Win32/DangerousSig.0ff152cf
16 more in the full engine list

File fingerprint

Last analyzed
Oct 13, 2026, 4:15 PM UTC
SHA-256
d70a91d000f1a15411a6636d018412455ea163bbc86c203d8eacc32dbe19d65f
SHA-1
fad76565477be0a074c29686bd8dbba95b253827
MD5
9e58ef4e3e0d140894d5c842e673ff80

About this file

firmware_upgrade_utility.exe is a Win32 EXE file of 7.0 MB.

Type and size
Win32 EXE · 7.0 MB
Signer
UnsignedNo code signature.
First seen
Jan 3, 2025On VirusTotal.
Submitted by
4 distinct sourcesRarely seen: few people have submitted this exact file.
Packer
UPX (section names)Packing hides code; legitimate installers use it too.
Entropy
7.93 of 8A code section is highly compressed or encrypted.

First scanned

Chapter 05

Questions & answers

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

Is firmware_upgrade_utility.exe a virus?
Yes. This copy of firmware_upgrade_utility.exe (SHA-256 d70a91d0…d65f) 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. 24 of the 72 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 firmware_upgrade_utility.exe?
firmware_upgrade_utility.exe is a Windows program, about 7.0 MB. It carries no version information saying what it is or who made it. VirusTotal first saw it on Jan 3, 2025.
How many antivirus engines detected firmware_upgrade_utility.exe?
24 of the 72 antivirus engines that checked it flag firmware_upgrade_utility.exe, including Microsoft and Avast. We weigh which engines flagged it and what else the scan found, not just the count. The rating comes from all the evidence together, not from this count alone.
What should I do if I already ran firmware_upgrade_utility.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 firmware_upgrade_utility.exe?
To remove firmware_upgrade_utility.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 firmware_upgrade_utility.exe?
Antivirus engines classify firmware_upgrade_utility.exe as a trojan: malware disguised as something harmless so that you run it.
Is firmware_upgrade_utility.exe digitally signed?
No. firmware_upgrade_utility.exe is not digitally signed. Many legitimate files aren't either, but it means nothing proves who published it.
What is the SHA-256 hash of firmware_upgrade_utility.exe?
The SHA-256 fingerprint of firmware_upgrade_utility.exe is d70a91d000f1a15411a6636d018412455ea163bbc86c203d8eacc32dbe19d65f, and its MD5 is 9e58ef4e3e0d140894d5c842e673ff80. 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 firmware_upgrade_utility.exe?
This report reflects the scan on Oct 13, 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.

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Recent reports on other files with the same rating.

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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.