MalwareTips
Threat LensFile scan report

Is steam_api.dll safe?

Verdict
Malicious

This unsigned Steam-related DLL is confirmed crack tooling, with 38 of 75 engines flagging it and runtime evidence mapping activity to process injection.

The DLL is identified as crack or hacktool software by multiple engines, including ESET-NOD32, while Microsoft and other vendors apply trojan labels. One completed sandbox run mapped activity to T1055 process injection, and the file has no authenticated publisher to offset those findings.

Do not use this component

Quarantine and remove the DLL and any associated crack package while keeping endpoint protection enabled. If it was executed, run a full scan and reinstall the affected software from an official source.

Read the full analysis
Saved file evidenceAntivirus consensus
38of 75 flagged
Flagged 38No detection 37
Digital specimensteam_api.dlle0a8ac90ca0cb856e2…fe703d0aa859be
Size151.0 KB
Code signingUnsigned
SandboxRuntime complete
First seen11y ago
Evidence3 priority signals
1 high-confidence signature or behavior rule matched this file.

Recommended next actions

01

Before using

Do not use it. Quarantine this component with your antivirus, then repair or reinstall the parent software from its official source. Do not delete or replace the component manually.

02

If you already used it

Disconnect from the internet, start a full or offline antivirus scan, then secure important accounts from a clean device.

Chapter 02

Intelligence

The saved assessment, checked against the scan evidence and recorded coverage.

MT AI Engine · Verdict analysis

The reasoning behind this verdict

This section explains the evidence supporting the verdict and keeps conflicting or missing signals visible.

95%Confidence
Very high
Analyst conclusion

The DLL is identified as crack or hacktool software by multiple engines, including ESET-NOD32, while Microsoft and other vendors apply trojan labels. One completed sandbox run mapped activity to T1055 process injection, and the file has no authenticated publisher to offset those findings.

Where this verdict could be wrong4 caveats
  • prevalence shows 599 submitters and 648 submissions since 2015, indicating this is an old, widely encountered sample rather than a newly observed file.
  • behaviour.hasMaliciousSandboxVerdict=false, although the completed run still recorded T1055 and this field alone does not establish benign behavior.
  • externalIntel.yaraify.ruleCount=0 and externalIntel.circl.hit=false provide no researcher-curated corroboration, but absence of those hits may reflect coverage limits.
  • Nine tier-1 engines reported no detection, and the tier-1 crack-family agreement is only 2 engines rather than 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.

Recommended action

Quarantine and remove the DLL and any associated crack package while keeping endpoint protection enabled. If it was executed, run a full scan and reinstall the affected software from an official source.

Scan transparency

Coverage & freshness

4 of 5 complete

Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.

  • Antivirus

    Complete

    38 of 75 engines flagged the file.

  • Sandbox

    Complete

    1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.

  • Network

    Partial

    1 runtime contact was observed without a completed reputation cross-check.

  • YARA

    Complete

    2 signature or behavior rules matched.

  • External intel

    Complete

    3 of 3 independent reference sources completed.

Chapter 03

Behavior

Plain-English impact first, then the observed runtime evidence.

Runtime flight recorder

Capture complete
  • 1isolated sandbox run
  • 8MITRE ATT&CK techniques
  • 1spawned processes
  • 1network contacts
  • 4filesystem & 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.

  • Moderate concern: Contained obfuscated or packed code that makes inspection harder.

  • Moderate concern: Communicated over a common application protocol; malware can use this for command-and-control.

  • Moderate concern: Checked the environment for virtualisation or analysis tools.

  • Moderate concern: Checks which security software you have installed.

  • Note: Collects details about your system.

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.

Threat context

How hacktools are abused

This is a hacking or cracking tool — the kind used to bypass software licences, generate fake keys, or attack other systems. Even when the tool 'works', these downloads very often carry hidden malware.

Bottom line:Running one means trusting an anonymous author with full access to your PC — rarely worth the risk.

Recorded behavior

Attack story

Runtime observations grouped by analysis stage. Arrows organize the stages; they do not claim chronology or causality.

ObservedDerived

5 recorded facts from one runtime window. Every fact remains independently traceable in Analyst mode.

Chapter 04

Detection & Forensics

Consensus, attribution, signatures, code structure, prevalence, and identity.

Chapter 05

Safety & FAQ

Complete recovery guidance and answers for the next decision.

What to do now

This file is dangerous. Treat it as harmful and remove it.

  1. Recovery step 01

    Don't use this component. Quarantine this component with your antivirus, then repair or reinstall the parent software from its official source. Do not delete or replace the component manually.

  2. Recovery step 02

    If you already used it, disconnect from the internet and start with a full antivirus scan or Microsoft Defender Offline scan. If compromise is suspected or the problem persists, use a reputable second-opinion scanner and follow incident-recovery or clean-reinstall guidance.

  3. Recovery step 03

    If you typed any passwords while it was open, change them from a device you trust.

  4. Recovery step 04

    Reinstall the parent software from the developer's official site instead of replacing this component by itself.

Safety FAQ

Direct answers grounded in the saved verdict and evidence in this report.

8 evidence-based answers
Is steam_api.dll a virus?
Evidence-based answer
Yes — steam_api.dll is malicious. Do not use it. Quarantine this component with your antivirus, then repair or reinstall the parent software from its official source. Do not delete or replace the component manually. 38 of 75 antivirus engines flag it (family: Crack). It behaves as a hacktool — dual-use offensive tooling that is dangerous regardless of intent. If you've already used it, see the removal and recovery steps below.
What is steam_api.dll?
Evidence-based answer
steam_api.dll is a Windows library or loadable module, about 151 KB. Our analysis identifies it as malicious (family: Crack) — a hacktool — dual-use offensive tooling that is dangerous regardless of intent. 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.
How many antivirus engines detected steam_api.dll?
Evidence-based answer
38 of 75 antivirus engines flagged steam_api.dll, 38 of them as outright malicious. The raw count alone does not establish safety or danger; we also weigh which engines flagged it and corroborating behavior, identity, reputation, and rule evidence. The malicious verdict comes from the complete saved evidence, not from this antivirus count by itself.
What should I do if I already used steam_api.dll?
Evidence-based answer
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.
How do I remove steam_api.dll?
Evidence-based answer
To remove steam_api.dll: 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) Quarantine this component with your antivirus, then repair or reinstall the parent software from its official source. Do not delete or replace the component manually. 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.
What kind of malware is steam_api.dll?
Evidence-based answer
steam_api.dll is classified as a hacktool — dual-use offensive tooling that is dangerous regardless of intent. Engines attribute it to the Crack family. Knowing the family matters because it tells you the likely impact — data theft, remote control, file encryption, or unwanted ads — and guides the cleanup.
What is the SHA-256 hash of steam_api.dll?
Evidence-based answer
The SHA-256 hash of steam_api.dll is e0a8ac90ca0cb856e24230bc1a5193b67cdf661d09984750edfe703d0aa859be, and its MD5 is 9868ed91a9531ab4592c82a7df33dbbb. 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.
How up to date is this analysis of steam_api.dll?
Evidence-based answer
This report reflects the scan run on September 9, 2026. Because a file's hash never changes, the identity of steam_api.dll 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.
Chapter 06

Community

Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.

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The raw file is processed temporarily and is not retained after processing. Its hash and report are public and permanent, so the next person who checks the same file gets an instant answer. Unknown files may be submitted to VirusTotal for analysis. If you ran this file on your computer and are worried, scan your system with an up-to-date antivirus and change critical passwords from a different device.