MalwareTips
Threat LensFile scan report

Is download_file.gif safe?

Verdict
Safe

No engines detected this long-established GIF, and its extensive submission history plus absent threat-intelligence matches strongly support ordinary image content.

All 75 engines returned without a malicious or suspicious detection, including 17 high-trust engines. The small GIF has circulated for more than nine years across 204 sources, with no corroborating threat-intelligence match; however, no runtime analysis or complete contacted-host check was available.

View with normal care

Normal image-handling precautions are sufficient. Keep endpoint protection enabled and redownload from a trusted source if the file's origin or integrity is uncertain.

Read the full analysis
Saved file evidenceAntivirus consensus
0of 75 flagged
Flagged 0No detection 75
Digital specimendownload_file.gife2fbfa40c4a5934b6c…1704418c1d7bf4
Size4.6 KB
Code signingNot applicable
SandboxPartial coverage
First seen9y ago
Evidence3 priority signals
0 of 75 antivirus engines flagged the file.

Recommended next actions

01

Before viewing

View it only when its sender or download source is one you trust.

02

If you already viewed it

Keep normal device protection enabled and stop if the file behaves unexpectedly.

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.

96%Confidence
Very high
Analyst conclusion

All 75 engines returned without a malicious or suspicious detection, including 17 high-trust engines. The small GIF has circulated for more than nine years across 204 sources, with no corroborating threat-intelligence match; however, no runtime analysis or complete contacted-host check was available.

Where this verdict could be wrong2 caveats
  • behaviour=null, so no completed runtime observation is available to confirm what the file does when opened or parsed.
  • contactedHosts=null, so no complete host-reputation result is available.

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

Normal image-handling precautions are sufficient. Keep endpoint protection enabled and redownload from a trusted source if the file's origin or integrity is uncertain.

Scan transparency

Coverage & freshness

3 of 5 complete

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

  • Antivirus

    Complete

    0 of 75 engines flagged the file.

  • Sandbox

    Partial

    Runtime data is present, but no completed sandbox environment is recorded.

  • Network

    Not run

    No contacted-host reputation check is recorded.

    No timestamp recorded

  • YARA

    Complete

    Rule evaluation completed with no recorded matches.

  • External intel

    Complete

    3 of 3 independent reference sources completed.

Chapter 03

Behavior

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

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 appears low risk based on the evidence available now.

  1. Recovery step 01

    View it only when its sender or download source is one you trust.

  2. Recovery step 02

    A clean result reduces known risk, but it cannot guarantee that every new or targeted threat has been detected.

  3. Recovery step 03

    Keep your antivirus and Windows updates switched on so you stay protected.

Safety FAQ

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

6 evidence-based answers
Is download_file.gif safe?
Evidence-based answer
download_file.gif appears safe. 0 of 75 antivirus engines flagged it. View it only when its sender or download source is one you trust.
What is download_file.gif?
Evidence-based answer
download_file.gif is a media file, about 5 KB. Our analysis did not identify a verdict-driving threat signal. A file's name can be reused by different files, so we identify it by its cryptographic hash (below).
How many antivirus engines detected download_file.gif?
Evidence-based answer
None — 0 of 75 antivirus engines flagged download_file.gif. That's reassuring, though it is not proof that a file is safe, so we also weigh its behaviour, identity, and reputation.
What is the SHA-256 hash of download_file.gif?
Evidence-based answer
The SHA-256 hash of download_file.gif is e2fbfa40c4a5934b6c3b3da0128db44fe9b19e097d6f436faf1704418c1d7bf4, and its MD5 is b5173d7d395ed2bfea0831b80f49aec2. 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.
Is it safe to view download_file.gif?
Evidence-based answer
Based on the recorded evidence, download_file.gif has a low observed risk. The important caveat is source: make sure you downloaded it from the official website or a trusted store, because attackers sometimes distribute malware-laced copies under a legitimate file's name. If your own antivirus flags it, verify the source and the exact hash before overriding the warning.
How up to date is this analysis of download_file.gif?
Evidence-based answer
This report reflects the scan run on September 18, 2026. Because a file's hash never changes, the identity of download_file.gif 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.