GridinSoft Threat Intelligence
formatfactory.exe threat report
GridinSoft Anti-Malware detection
Detected by GridinSoft before you download
The current ThreatInfo record shows this exact file hash detected as PUP.TopTools. Download GridinSoft Anti-Malware to scan the device, confirm whether this file is present, and remove the detected object if it is found.
- Detection name
- PUP.TopTools
- Recommended action
- Scan and remove
- Last analysis
- 2024-04-16 23:07:07 (2 years ago)
- File hash
- a5f0d59d27d16efd38f3aa7d9f19e6f3
Why it matters
Why GridinSoft flags this file
GridinSoft identifies the sample as PUP.TopTools, part of the PUP threat category.
Potentially unwanted programs, bundlers, installers, and utilities with intrusive behavior. Related PUP reports help compare this file with nearby detections, publishers, and hashes.
First seen 2018-09-10 14:04:12 (7 years ago); latest analysis 2024-04-16 23:07:07 (2 years ago).
Company metadata: Free Time. Product metadata: FormatFactory.
Signed by chen jun hao. The signature is reported as valid, but signed files can still be bundled or abused.
ThreatInfo has seen this file in user or system paths listed below. Unexpected locations increase the need for local verification.
Recommended action
What to do next
- Compare the MD5 above with the file found on the device.
- Check whether the file appears in the observed locations or under one of the alternate names.
- Run GridinSoft Anti-Malware to confirm the detection and remove the file if it is present. Review the PUP category for related samples and common context.
File context
formatfactory.exe is a Windows file recorded in the ThreatInfo database. It is associated with FormatFactory. The reported company name is Free Time. The current detection status is PUP.TopTools, based on the latest analysis from 2024-04-16 23:07:07 (2 years ago). ThreatInfo groups this verdict with PUP reports for broader family-level investigation.
If formatfactory.exe appears on your computer unexpectedly, treat it as suspicious. Check its location, digital signature, and recent system changes before allowing it to run. A full anti-malware scan is recommended when this file is detected as PUP.TopTools.
File Details
| Product Name: | FormatFactory |
| Company Name: | Free Time |
| MD5: | a5f0d59d27d16efd38f3aa7d9f19e6f3 |
| Size: | 3 MB |
| First Published: | 2018-09-10 14:04:12 (7 years ago) |
| Latest Published: | 2024-04-16 23:07:07 (2 years ago) |
| Status: | PUP.TopTools (on last analysis) | |
| Analysis Date: | 2024-04-16 23:07:07 (2 years ago) |
Detection screenshot
The screenshot is a visual record of a GridinSoft Anti-Malware detection for this sample. Use the hash and metadata above as the primary identifiers when comparing the file on your system.
Overview
| Signed By: | chen jun hao |
| Status: | Valid |
The signature on formatfactory.exe is reported as valid. A valid signature helps confirm publisher identity, but it does not automatically make the file safe if the installer was bundled, abused, or downloaded from an untrusted source.
Common Places:
| %programfiles%\freetime |
| %programfiles%\convert |
| %desktop%\常用工具\格式工廠\app |
| %sysdrive%\windows.old\program files\freetime |
| %programfiles% |
| %desktop%\νέος φάκελος\format factory 3.2.1 portable multilang.by tsopperas\f.factory 3.2.1 portable |
| %sysdrive%\軟體\格式工廠\app |
| %sysdrive%\best programs\programs\office 2007\program files\freetime |
| %sysdrive%\system volume information\_restore{dd9cf993-7052-457f-8072-ed0f45fdbbef} |
ThreatInfo has observed formatfactory.exe in the locations listed above. Files found in temporary folders, user profile folders, startup locations, or unusual application directories should be reviewed more carefully than files installed under a known program directory.
Geographic signal
Observed country distribution
ThreatInfo has seen formatfactory.exe across 23 countries. Use this signal to compare local evidence with where the sample is most often reported.
The strongest geographic signal for this file is Thailand with 40.4% of observed hits. Geographic distribution can help identify targeted campaigns, regional software bundles, or where a file is most commonly reported.
OS Version:
The most common operating system signal for formatfactory.exe is Windows 7 with 51.7% of observed hits. If your system differs from the common profile, check whether the file was introduced by a specific installer, archive, or removable device.
Analysis
formatfactory.exe is identified as pe for 32-bit systems. The subsystem is Windows GUI. PE header values are useful for triage, especially when they do not match the expected publisher, product, or release timeline.
PE Sections:
Section layout highlights raw-size concentration, repeated names, packer markers, and hashes that can be compared across related samples.
8954eb925ac8a48c82f3f1c933f798c9
3ab45a44a6a15ca069599dc650799ff5
f0643acd9608725b379321730448a71a
5504f64af3ea43c5e45e3716edf59be6
01f77c920aa74141a52bb37c44fbc81b
PE section names and hashes can reveal packing, injected resources, or unusual build artifacts. Sections with uncommon names, very large raw data, or hashes that differ from a trusted copy deserve additional review.
Report conclusion
GridinSoft detects this file as PUP.TopTools
This report identifies formatfactory.exe by MD5 a5f0d59d27d16efd38f3aa7d9f19e6f3. It is part of the PUP report group. If the same file is present on your device, scan the system and remove the detected object after confirming the hash and location.