GridinSoft Threat Intelligence

brave_vpn_helper.exe threat report

Detected as Trojan.Heur! File reputation report
MD5 41aa2618c024792090613ea0006acbd7
Latest seen 2025-02-10 23:02:08 (a year ago)
First seen 2025-02-10 23:02:08 (a year ago)
Size 3 MB
Publisher Brave Software, Inc.
Product Brave VPN Helper

GridinSoft Anti-Malware detection

Detected by GridinSoft before you download

The current ThreatInfo record shows this exact file hash detected as Trojan.Heur!. 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
Trojan.Heur!
Recommended action
Scan and remove
Last analysis
2025-02-10 23:02:08 (a year ago)
File hash
41aa2618c024792090613ea0006acbd7
Download Anti-Malware

Why it matters

Why GridinSoft flags this file

Detection

GridinSoft identifies the sample as Trojan.Heur!, part of the Trojan threat category.

Category context

Malware disguised as legitimate software or delivered through deceptive packaging. Related Trojan reports help compare this file with nearby detections, publishers, and hashes.

Timeline

First seen 2025-02-10 23:02:08 (a year ago); latest analysis 2025-02-10 23:02:08 (a year ago).

Publisher context

Company metadata: Brave Software, Inc.. Product metadata: Brave VPN Helper.

Observed locations

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

  1. Compare the MD5 above with the file found on the device.
  2. Check whether the file appears in the observed locations or under one of the alternate names.
  3. Run GridinSoft Anti-Malware to confirm the detection and remove the file if it is present. Review the Trojan category for related samples and common context.

File context

brave_vpn_helper.exe is a Windows file recorded in the ThreatInfo database. It is associated with Brave VPN Helper. The reported company name is Brave Software, Inc.. The current detection status is Trojan.Heur!, based on the latest analysis from 2025-02-10 23:02:08 (a year ago). ThreatInfo groups this verdict with Trojan reports for broader family-level investigation.

If brave_vpn_helper.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 Trojan.Heur!.

File Details

Product Name: Brave VPN Helper
Company Name: Brave Software, Inc.
MD5: 41aa2618c024792090613ea0006acbd7
Size: 3 MB
First Published: 2025-02-10 23:02:08 (a year ago)
Latest Published: 2025-02-10 23:02:08 (a year ago)
Status: Trojan.Heur! (on last analysis)
Analysis Date: 2025-02-10 23:02:08 (a year ago)

Detection screenshot

brave_vpn_helper.exe 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.

Common Places:

%programfiles%\bravesoftware\brave-browser\application

ThreatInfo has observed brave_vpn_helper.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 brave_vpn_helper.exe across 1 countries. Use this signal to compare local evidence with where the sample is most often reported.

Top country Morocco
Share 100.0%
Low High activity

The strongest geographic signal for this file is Morocco with 100.0% of observed hits. Geographic distribution can help identify targeted campaigns, regional software bundles, or where a file is most commonly reported.

OS Version:

Windows 10 100.0%

The most common operating system signal for brave_vpn_helper.exe is Windows 10 with 100.0% 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

brave_vpn_helper.exe is identified as pe for 64-bit systems. The subsystem is Windows CUI. PE header values are useful for triage, especially when they do not match the expected publisher, product, or release timeline.

Format pe
Architecture 64-bit
Subsystem Windows CUI
Entry point 0x00187ca0
Image base 0x0000000140000000

PE Sections:

Sections 14
Raw data 3603456

Section layout highlights raw-size concentration, repeated names, packer markers, and hashes that can be compared across related samples.

.text 2535936 bytes · 70.4% of section data
MD5 e41be5ec127d50b9dd96867632d0addf
.rdata 329216 bytes · 9.1% of section data
MD5 a9485e1088b2a5e1df6fcce906037b29
.data 62464 bytes · 1.7% of section data
MD5 8bb530bce1ee37238bfcedafa1905a8a
.pdata 61440 bytes · 1.7% of section data
MD5 b9313817c3c63fd07856f2fe9c5cba1c
.gxfg 11776 bytes · 0.3% of section data
Uncommon name
MD5 d2c12749659b96f2cd2c4dba09a81ab1
.retplne 512 bytes · 0.0% of section data
Uncommon name
MD5 a34aa589191fc688005f286ab663bc39
.rodata 2560 bytes · 0.1% of section data
MD5 956c856939278d142083bef02b9de040
.tls 1024 bytes · 0.0% of section data
MD5 5d5afb72237e32008c77c787410d1caa
CPADinfo 512 bytes · 0.0% of section data
Uncommon name
MD5 60d3ea61d541c9be2e845d2787fb9574
LZMADEC 4608 bytes · 0.1% of section data
Uncommon name
MD5 05e9eab8428a551a281ab278073669fa
_RDATA 512 bytes · 0.0% of section data
Uncommon name
MD5 2c9e84bc05fbb36fec0095bb4d6f947c
malloc_h 512 bytes · 0.0% of section data
Uncommon name
MD5 5dbcd7995989005e3051ab24b2aea503
.rsrc 2560 bytes · 0.1% of section data
MD5 306f5b4fd7386def7567bb68dc46006c
.reloc 589824 bytes · 16.4% of section data
MD5 15f0021817e40db10b844c1492c42a4b

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 Trojan.Heur!

This report identifies brave_vpn_helper.exe by MD5 41aa2618c024792090613ea0006acbd7. It is part of the Trojan 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.

Download GridinSoft Anti-Malware Scan the device and confirm whether this exact hash is present. Check this hash on VirusTotal

Recommended next steps

  • Compare the local file MD5 with 41aa2618c024792090613ea0006acbd7.
  • Check the file path, publisher, and signature against the details in this report.
  • Run a GridinSoft scan and remove the object if the same hash is found. Use the Trojan category to compare similar reports.