Is paqload.exe safe?
Microsoft and two lower-trust engines flagged this new unsigned executable, but no family consensus, runtime evidence, or curated intelligence corroborates the detections.
Three of 75 engines flagged the file, including Microsoft's generic Wacatac machine-learning detection, while 16 other tier-1 engines did not. Because the executable is unsigned, newly observed, and lacks runtime analysis or a complete host-reputation check, it should not be run until its source and behavior can be verified.
ea6a78605a135b8d2e…694a3e861148dcRecommended next actions
Before running
Do not run it until the source and publisher can be verified independently.
If you already ran it
Stop using it, scan the device, and watch for unexpected behavior or security alerts. Get a fresh copy 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.
Three of 75 engines flagged the file, including Microsoft's generic Wacatac machine-learning detection, while 16 other tier-1 engines did not. Because the executable is unsigned, newly observed, and lacks runtime analysis or a complete host-reputation check, it should not be run until its source and behavior can be verified.
The strongest concern is Microsoft's Trojan:Win32/Wacatac.B!ml result, supported by two generic detections from lower-trust engines. However, there is no tier-1 family consensus, and 16 other tier-1 engines did not detect the sample. The file is unsigned and has only one submission from one source on its first observed day, so there is little reputation evidence to offset the detection. No completed sandbox observation is available, and contacted-host reputation was not checked or saved. Curated intelligence produced no hits, while the PE structure does not show obvious packing or high-entropy code. These mixed signals warrant isolation and further verification rather than immediate execution.
What We Detected
Three of 75 engines flagged the executable. Microsoft identified it as Trojan:Win32/Wacatac.B!ml, while APEX and Bkav supplied generic malicious labels; no tier-1 engines agreed on a specific family.
Threat Behavior
No completed sandbox observation is available, so execution behavior cannot be characterized. The contacted-host reputation cross-check was also not completed or saved. Static PE analysis found no listed packer, no likely packing, and no high-entropy code, but those findings do not establish benign intent.
What To Do Now
Do not run the file on a production system. Keep endpoint protection enabled, verify the download against an official publisher source and expected SHA-256, and obtain sandbox or vendor confirmation before allowing execution.
Where this verdict could be wrong4 caveats
- 16/17 reporting tier-1 engines did not detect the sample, including Kaspersky, BitDefender, ESET-NOD32, Avast, and Fortinet.
- externalIntel.yaraify.ruleCount=0, externalIntel.circl.hit=false, and externalIntel.malwareBazaar.hit=false, although absence of a hit does not prove benignity.
- peAnalysis.highEntropyCode=false and peAnalysis.likelyPacked=false provide no static indication of packing or unusually encrypted code.
- similarHashes shows 2/5 prior filetype-only matches marked safe, but filetype alone is not meaningful similarity.
These are the assessment's weak points. If you believe one applies to your file, report the verdict and we'll re-review it.
- Only 3/75 engines reported a detection.
- 16/17 reporting tier-1 engines did not detect the file.
- No tier-1 family consensus was established.
- No CIRCL, MalwareBazaar, or YARAify corroboration was found.
- PE analysis found neither likely packing nor high-entropy code.
- Microsoft reported Trojan:Win32/Wacatac.B!ml.
- The executable is unsigned and has no signer history.
- The file was newly observed from only one source.
- No completed runtime analysis is available.
- No complete contacted-host reputation result is available.
Quarantine the file and verify its origin and SHA-256 with the claimed distributor before use. Keep antivirus protection enabled and seek a completed sandbox assessment if authenticity cannot be established.
Coverage & freshness
Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.
Antivirus
Complete3 of 75 engines flagged the file.
Sandbox
PartialRuntime data is present, but no completed sandbox environment is recorded.
Network
Not runNo contacted-host reputation check is recorded.
No timestamp recordedYARA
CompleteRule evaluation completed with no recorded matches.
External intel
Complete3 of 3 independent reference sources completed.
Behavior
Plain-English impact first, then the observed runtime evidence.
Runtime behavior was not available
The report does not treat a missing runtime observation as a clean result.
Detection & Forensics
Consensus, attribution, signatures, code structure, prevalence, and identity.
Evidence integrity
Chain of custody for the facts preserved in this report.
- 0rule hits recorded
- 3 / 75engines flagged
- 1sources in submission history
Why these facts are shown
Each statement identifies whether it was directly recorded or derived from saved scan facts.
- 01
3 of 75 antivirus engines flagged the file, including APEX and Bkav.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 02
The hash has been submitted 1 time from 1 source.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceSaved report factsObserved at
Detection sources at a glance
Category: generic-trojan
MalwareBazaar, YARAify, and CIRCL hashlookup completed and returned no entries for this hash.
YARA rules
No matchesThe rule pass completed without a saved public match.
3 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
Barely seen in the wild and first surfaced recently. 3 antivirus detections make that low prevalence materially relevant, but rarity alone is not proof of malware.
Fingerprint and provenance
- File name
- paqload.exe
- Format
- Win32 EXE
- Code signing
- No verified publisher
- Size
- 186.5 KB
- Last analyzed
- Oct 4, 2026, 10:15 PM UTC
ea6a78605a135b8d2e7ef1a0f825848576feab86aff5b179d3694a3e861148dcSafety & 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 run 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. Get a fresh copy 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 paqload.exe safe, or is it malware?
What is paqload.exe?
How many antivirus engines detected paqload.exe?
What should I do if I already ran paqload.exe?
How do I remove paqload.exe?
What kind of malware is paqload.exe?
What is the SHA-256 hash of paqload.exe?
How up to date is this analysis of paqload.exe?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.