Is setup.exe safe?
Only Webroot flagged this established unsigned installer, but process-injection mapping and unverified direct-IP contacts warrant caution before execution.
Only 1 of 75 engines detected the file, and no tier-1 engine identified malware, making the repack label likely heuristic. However, the unsigned installer produced T1055 process-injection evidence and contacted multiple IP addresses whose reputations were not completely checked, so it should only be used if its origin can be verified.
f52171a2cd9c96fa4f…b30bfdc9157bdbRecommended 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.
Only 1 of 75 engines detected the file, and no tier-1 engine identified malware, making the repack label likely heuristic. However, the unsigned installer produced T1055 process-injection evidence and contacted multiple IP addresses whose reputations were not completely checked, so it should only be used if its origin can be verified.
Webroot alone flagged the sample as W32.Riskware.Repack, while the tier-1 engines reported no detection. The file has circulated broadly since 2022, and the sandbox did not issue a malware verdict or reveal a confirmed malicious child. Nevertheless, runtime evidence mapped activity to T1055, T1005, and T1134, which is unusual enough to prevent treating the installer as clearly benign. Multiple direct IP contacts were recorded, but no complete host-reputation result is available. Similar imphash cases were mostly treated cautiously, although their lack of signer co-matching makes them weak attribution evidence.
What We Detected
Webroot was the only detector among 75 engines to flag the executable, using the label W32.Riskware.Repack. No tier-1 engine identified a malware family, and no external intelligence rule or known-malicious reference matched the hash. The executable is unsigned, so there is no verified publisher identity supporting its origin.
Threat Behavior
One sandbox run mapped activity to T1005, T1055, and T1134, including possible process injection. It did not produce a malicious sandbox verdict, and none of the 10 inspected child hashes was confirmed malicious, although all child verdicts remained unresolved. The sample also contacted multiple IP addresses directly; because contactedHosts is unavailable, no complete reputation assessment exists for those contacts.
What To Do Now
Verify the download against the software publisher's official release channel and compare its SHA-256 hash before running it. If the source cannot be authenticated, quarantine or delete the file and keep endpoint protection enabled.
Where this verdict could be wrong4 caveats
- The executable is unsigned despite signing.applicable=true, so no publisher identity or clean signer history supports it.
- MalwareTips.Synth.ProcessInjection mapped runtime activity to T1055, which is more concerning than ordinary installer behavior.
- MalwareTips.Synth.DirectIpC2 fired, but contactedHosts=null means the observed IP addresses were not completely reputation-checked.
- Webroot labeled the sample W32.Riskware.Repack, indicating possible unwanted repackaging even though no higher-trust engine agreed.
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 1/75 engines reported a detection
- tier1Malicious=0 and onlyLowTrustFlagging=true
- No malicious sandbox verdict was recorded
- No inspected child was confirmed malicious
- 1,526 sources submitted the file over roughly four years
- Unsigned Win32 executable with no publisher history
- Runtime mapping to MITRE T1055 process injection
- Runtime mapping to MITRE T1005 data collection
- Runtime mapping to MITRE T1134 access-token manipulation
- Direct-IP contacts lack a complete reputation check
- Webroot detection: W32.Riskware.Repack
Run it only after confirming the SHA-256 hash and download source with the legitimate publisher. Otherwise, quarantine or remove it while keeping endpoint protection enabled.
Coverage & freshness
Complete means the check returned a usable result. It does not mean the file is safe.
Antivirus
Complete1 of 75 engines flagged the file.
Sandbox
Complete1 isolated runtime environment contributed observations.
Network
Partial20 runtime contacts were observed without a completed reputation cross-check.
YARA
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
- 24MITRE ATT&CK techniques
- 15spawned processes
- 20network contacts
- 40filesystem & 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: Used an input-capture technique that can record credentials or keystrokes.
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.
Moderate concern: Communicates over the network in a non-standard way.
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
setup.exe
f52171a2cd9c96fa4feba908e684a644b0081834e9c2e89729b30bfdc9157bdb
01Uploaded file
Processes
Runtime execution
- ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\file.exe"
02Isolated runtime analysis - ProcessObserved
Observed process
"C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-BE33S.tmp\file.tmp" /SL5="$2017E,1707074,246272,C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\file.exe"
03Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Files
Created or changed
- Written fileObserved
996E.tmp
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\is-I57BV.tmp\996E.tmp
04Isolated runtime analysis - Written fileObserved
_shfoldr.dll
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\is-OIB33.tmp\_isetup\_shfoldr.dll
05Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
Network
Hosts contacted
- Contacted hostObserved
a83f:8110:0:0:beac:bf78:cce1:d301
Contact observed during runtime.
06Isolated runtime analysis - Contacted hostObserved
20.99.132.105
Contact observed during runtime.
07Isolated runtime analysis - +1 more recorded observation in Analyst mode
7 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.
- a83f:8110:0:0:beac:bf78:cce1:d301
- 20.99.132.105
- 23.216.147.76
- 104.86.182.43
- 23.216.147.64
- 104.71.213.161
- 20.99.184.37
- 20.99.133.109
- a83f:8110:6300:6100:7400:6900:6f00:6e00
- 192.229.211.108
- C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\is-I57BV.tmp\996E.tmp
- C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\is-OIB33.tmp\_isetup\_shfoldr.dll
- C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\is-OIB33.tmp\ISDone.dll
- C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\is-OIB33.tmp\b2p.dll
- C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\is-OIB33.tmp\botva2.dll
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER174C.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER174E.tmp.csv
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER175E.tmp.txt
- C:\Windows\System32\spp\store\2.0\cache\cache.dat
- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WER18F1.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml
- Local\RstrMgr3887CAB8-533F-4C85-B0DC-3E5639F8D511
- Local\RstrMgr-3887CAB8-533F-4C85-B0DC-3E5639F8D511-Session0000
- CTF.LBES.MutexDefaultS-1-5-21-1482476501-1645522239-1417001333-500
- CTF.Compart.MutexDefaultS-1-5-21-1482476501-1645522239-1417001333-500
- CTF.Asm.MutexDefaultS-1-5-21-1482476501-1645522239-1417001333-500
Files this sample writes at runtime
This file drops 10 children at runtime. None are currently flagged malicious in our cache.
- ff1c75370848608f9d8c…5b60acNever scannednever seen before
- 450b9b0ba25bf068afbc…fd0105Never scannednever seen before
- 75fb2984e1b06f4278fb…bc76bfNever scannednever seen before
- 9884e9d1b4f8a873ccbd…360d87Never scannednever seen before
- 68f42a7823ed7ee88a5c…aa172dNever scannednever seen before
- c3729545522fcff70db6…c872b2Never scannednever seen before
- bb8a0245dcc5c10a1c71…38ac71Never scannednever seen before
- a4c86fc4836ac728d7bd…95fd81Never scannednever seen before
- 76287881bc5c3cb5532d…3e4d8aNever scannednever seen before
- 99fa29865d7c3beba730…e77b0dNever 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
- 1 / 75engines flagged
- 1,526sources 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
1 of 75 antivirus engines flagged the file, including Webroot.
Verdict inputView chapterProvenanceObservedSourceAntivirus analysisObserved at - 03
The hash has a long, established submission history across 1,526 sources.
ProvenanceDerivedSourceSubmission historyObserved at - 04
Scanned file: setup.exe — f52171a2cd9c96fa4feba908e684a644b0081834e9c2e89729b30bfdc9157bdb
ProvenanceObservedSourceUploaded fileObserved at - 05
Observed process — "C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\file.exe"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 06
Observed process — "C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\is-BE33S.tmp\file.tmp" /SL5="$2017E,1707074,246272,C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\file.exe"
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 07
File written: 996E.tmp — C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\is-I57BV.tmp\996E.tmp
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 08
File written: _shfoldr.dll — C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\is-OIB33.tmp\_isetup\_shfoldr.dll
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 09
Contacted host: a83f:8110:0:0:beac:bf78:cce1:d301 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at - 10
Contacted host: 20.99.132.105 — Contact observed during runtime.
ProvenanceObservedSourceIsolated runtime analysisObserved at
Detection sources at a glance
Category: pua
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.
Evidence"C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Temp\file.exe"The sample contacted an external IP address directly and no application domain was recorded. Direct-IP traffic also occurs in legitimate installers and infrastructure, so this is supporting context only and requires corroboration from host reputation and other runtime evidence.
Evidencea83f:8110:0:0:beac:bf78:cce1:d301 · 20.99.132.105 · 23.216.147.76
1 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
Widely seen in the wild for a long time. High prior this is legitimate; isolated detections on common-old files are usually false positives.
Fingerprint and provenance
- File name
- setup.exe
- Format
- Win32 EXE
- Code signing
- No verified publisher
- Size
- 2.1 MB
- Last analyzed
- Sep 18, 2026, 6:28 PM UTC
f52171a2cd9c96fa4feba908e684a644b0081834e9c2e89729b30bfdc9157bdbSafety & 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 setup.exe safe, or is it malware?
What is setup.exe?
How many antivirus engines detected setup.exe?
What should I do if I already installed setup.exe?
How do I remove setup.exe?
What kind of malware is setup.exe?
What is the SHA-256 hash of setup.exe?
How up to date is this analysis of setup.exe?
Community
Member reviews and reports for this exact file hash.