GridinSoft Threat Intelligence

vswhere.exe threat report

Detected as Hijack.Explorer File reputation report
MD5 8237e93a31cf442fa8acc3d92a0629da
Latest seen 2026-05-27 12:00:34 (11 hours ago)
First seen 2025-02-19 23:00:45 (a year ago)
Size 521 KB

GridinSoft Anti-Malware detection

Detected by GridinSoft before you download

The current ThreatInfo record shows this exact file hash detected as Hijack.Explorer. 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
Hijack.Explorer
Recommended action
Scan and remove
Last analysis
2026-05-27 12:00:34 (11 hours ago)
File hash
8237e93a31cf442fa8acc3d92a0629da
Download Anti-Malware

Why it matters

Why GridinSoft flags this file

Detection

GridinSoft identifies the sample as Hijack.Explorer, part of the Hijack threat category.

Category context

Browser, shortcut, proxy, or system-setting changes that redirect user activity. Related Hijack reports help compare this file with nearby detections, publishers, and hashes.

Timeline

First seen 2025-02-19 23:00:45 (a year ago); latest analysis 2026-05-27 12:00:34 (11 hours ago).

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 Hijack category for related samples and common context.

File context

vswhere.exe is a Windows file recorded in the ThreatInfo database. The current detection status is Hijack.Explorer, based on the latest analysis from 2026-05-27 12:00:34 (11 hours ago). ThreatInfo groups this verdict with Hijack reports for broader family-level investigation.

If vswhere.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 Hijack.Explorer.

File Details

MD5: 8237e93a31cf442fa8acc3d92a0629da
Size: 521 KB
First Published: 2025-02-19 23:00:45 (a year ago)
Latest Published: 2026-05-27 12:00:34 (11 hours ago)
Status: Hijack.Explorer (on last analysis)
Analysis Date: 2026-05-27 12:00:34 (11 hours ago)

Detection screenshot

vswhere.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:

%profile%\.vscode\extensions\ms-vscode.cmake-tools-1.15.31
%programfiles%\microsoft office\root\vfs\programfilescommonx64\microsoft shared
%programfiles%\google\chrome

ThreatInfo has observed vswhere.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 vswhere.exe across 2 countries. Use this signal to compare local evidence with where the sample is most often reported.

Top country Colombia
Share 50.0%
Low High activity

The strongest geographic signal for this file is Colombia with 50.0% 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 50.0%
Windows 7 50.0%

The most common operating system signal for vswhere.exe is Windows 10 with 50.0% 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

vswhere.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.

Format pe
Architecture 32-bit
Subsystem Windows GUI
Entry point 0x00072814
Image base 0x00400000

PE Sections:

Sections 9
Raw data 532992

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

.text 459264 bytes · 86.2% of section data
MD5 62249c187bd2d89e7a755a795429d613
.itext 2560 bytes · 0.5% of section data
Uncommon name
MD5 a55cb933bb4acf9de8ba7ac965575ef4
.data 9728 bytes · 1.8% of section data
MD5 dc9b863276062b2e2c1e1ffe56d7d0b8
.bss 0 bytes · 0.0% of section data
MD5 d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e
.idata 11264 bytes · 2.1% of section data
MD5 aa8abe6176103dc524e88e85de4efcee
.tls 0 bytes · 0.0% of section data
MD5 d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e
.rdata 512 bytes · 0.1% of section data
MD5 74f253aa9f19b5b236f8efef4cfa8a49
.reloc 26624 bytes · 5.0% of section data
MD5 f0d825167de67ca2352628a4f816af30
.rsrc 23040 bytes · 4.3% of section data
MD5 6ce0210c4afea0f26f409a9dd6f84930

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 Hijack.Explorer

This report identifies vswhere.exe by MD5 8237e93a31cf442fa8acc3d92a0629da. It is part of the Hijack 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 8237e93a31cf442fa8acc3d92a0629da.
  • 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 Hijack category to compare similar reports.