Is SteamUnlocked-Launcher_0.2.3_x64-setup.exe safe?
Unsigned installer with process-injection sandbox signals and one tier-1 PUA detection.
Two of 75 engines flagged the file; one tier-1 engine called it Generic ML PUA. The unsigned installer performed process injection and LSASS access in the sandbox, yet no tier-1 family consensus or malicious dropped children exist.
d9e6de7f3496df104b…92d77251f61f16Recommended 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.
Two of 75 engines flagged the file; one tier-1 engine called it Generic ML PUA. The unsigned installer performed process injection and LSASS access in the sandbox, yet no tier-1 family consensus or malicious dropped children exist.
The file is unsigned despite being an installer, which raises the baseline risk. Sandbox evidence shows MITRE techniques T1055, T1134 and T1485, but the single sandbox verdict was not malicious. Only one tier-1 engine contributed a detection, and it labelled the sample PUA rather than a named malware family. Similar-hash history is mixed, with one safe and one suspicious prior verdict on the same imphash. Prevalence is common_new, indicating the file is circulating but not yet widely established.
What We Detected
Two engines out of 75 flagged the sample. Sophos (tier-1) labelled it Generic ML PUA; APEX (low-trust) simply said Malicious. No tier-1 engines converged on a named family. The executable is unsigned and contains an NSIS-style installer structure.
Threat Behavior
During sandbox execution the installer wrote multiple temporary NSIS plug-ins and dropped a final payload to %LocalAppData%\SteamUnlocked Launcher. Observed MITRE techniques include T1055 (process injection), T1134 (token manipulation) and T1485 (data destruction). LSASS memory access was recorded, matching credential-dumper patterns, although the sandbox itself did not classify the run as malicious.
What To Do Now
Do not run the installer. Keep Windows Defender and other endpoint protection enabled. If the file was downloaded from an unofficial source, delete it and obtain legitimate Steam software only from official channels.
Where this verdict could be wrong1 caveat
- Sophos tier-1 detection is PUA label, not named malware family; no tier-1 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.
- No tier-1 family consensus
- No malicious dropped children
- High submission volume (common_new)
- Unsigned executable
- Sandbox observed process injection (T1055)
- LSASS memory access recorded
- One tier-1 PUA detection
Treat the file as untrusted; avoid execution until a trusted, signed build from the original publisher is available.
Coverage & freshness
Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.
Antivirus
Complete2 of 75 engines flagged the file.
Sandbox
Complete1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.
Network
Not runNo contacted-host reputation check is recorded.
No timestamp recordedYARA
Complete2 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
- 22MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 11spawned processes
- 0network contacts
- 23filesystem & 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.
High concern: Manipulated how the operating system loads code, which can redirect execution.
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.
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
SteamUnlocked-Launcher_0.2.3_x64-setup.exe
d9e6de7f3496df104bf5aa1a283ff62e58d9461156ecbc4e5692d77251f61f16
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\SteamUnlocked-Launcher_0.2.3_x64-setup.exe"
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
03Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Files
Created or changed
- Written fileObserved
nsaCC0B.tmp
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nsaCC0B.tmp
04Isolated runtime analysis - Written fileObserved
System.dll
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nsqCC1C.tmp\System.dll
05Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
5 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.
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nsaCC0B.tmp
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nsqCC1C.tmp\System.dll
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nsqCC1C.tmp\modern-wizard.bmp
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nsqCC1C.tmp\nsDialogs.dll
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nsqCC1C.tmp\nsis_tauri_utils.dll
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\KnownGameList.bin
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\GameDVR\KnownGameList.update
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nsz785D.tmp
- C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nsu788E.tmp
- C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp\nscEF1A.tmp
- cversions.3.m
- Global\OneSettingQueryMutex+compat+encapsulation
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 10 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- 9bce267aaffeeeadc640…309e0bNever scannednever seen before
- b1350f487692057c8ffd…551fc0Never scannednever seen before
- 9baee42d66f715bba878…b40256Never scannednever seen before
- 8b4c47c4cf5e76ec57dd…90d37cNever scannednever seen before
- 5ba143b5db4a87d32d6e…ad4709Never scannednever seen before
- fb022a503cf85255b09f…503960Never scannednever seen before
- f4b0e08113cb87169d2e…747996Never scannednever seen before
- c3f0f7f74d2ee1452434…6c7f23Never scannednever seen before
- 3ad2dc318056d0a2024a…056cf2Never scannednever seen before
- 2527e6466fc74c5083a5…58aad9Never 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.
- 2rule hits recorded
- 2 / 75engines flagged
- 280sources 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
2 of 75 antivirus engines flagged the file, including APEX and Sophos.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 03
The hash has been submitted 296 times from 280 sources.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceSaved report factsObserved at - 04
Scanned file: SteamUnlocked-Launcher_0.2.3_x64-setup.exe — d9e6de7f3496df104bf5aa1a283ff62e58d9461156ecbc4e5692d77251f61f16
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — "C:\Users\<USER>\Desktop\SteamUnlocked-Launcher_0.2.3_x64-setup.exe"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: nsaCC0B.tmp — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nsaCC0B.tmp
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
File written: System.dll — C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\nsqCC1C.tmp\System.dll
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.exe
2 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
Lots of people are uploading this but it's recent — typical of newly-released legitimate software. Low prior for malware.
Fingerprint and provenance
- File name
- SteamUnlocked-Launcher_0.2.3_x64-setup.exe
- Format
- Win32 EXE
- Code signing
- No verified publisher
- Size
- 4.8 MB
- Last analyzed
- Aug 6, 2026, 1:32 AM UTC
d9e6de7f3496df104bf5aa1a283ff62e58d9461156ecbc4e5692d77251f61f16Safety & 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 SteamUnlocked-Launcher_0.2.3_x64-setup.exe safe, or is it malware?
What is SteamUnlocked-Launcher_0.2.3_x64-setup.exe?
How many antivirus engines detected SteamUnlocked-Launcher_0.2.3_x64-setup.exe?
I already downloaded and installed SteamUnlocked-Launcher_0.2.3_x64-setup.exe — what should I do?
How do I remove SteamUnlocked-Launcher_0.2.3_x64-setup.exe?
What is the SHA-256 hash of SteamUnlocked-Launcher_0.2.3_x64-setup.exe?
How up to date is this analysis of SteamUnlocked-Launcher_0.2.3_x64-setup.exe?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.