What is hlds.exe?

hlds.exe is part of HLDS Launcher and developed by Valve according to the hlds.exe version information.

hlds.exe's description is "HLDS Launcher"

hlds.exe is digitally signed by Valve.

hlds.exe is usually located in the 'c:\users\%USERNAME%\appdata\local\temp\rarsfx0\' folder.

None of the anti-virus scanners at VirusTotal reports anything malicious about hlds.exe.

If you have additional information about the file, please share it with the FreeFixer users by posting a comment at the bottom of this page.

VirusTotal report

None of the 50 anti-virus programs at VirusTotal detected the hlds.exe file.

Sandbox Report

The following information was gathered by executing the file inside Cuckoo Sandbox.

Summary

Successfully executed process in sandbox.

Summary

{
    "dll_loaded": [
        "swds.dll",
        "swds.dll.dll"
    ],
    "directory_enumerated": [
        "C:\\Users\\cuck\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\filesystem_stdio.dll"
    ],
    "regkey_read": [
        "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\GRE_Initialize\\DisableMetaFiles"
    ]
}

Generic

[
    {
        "process_path": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\lsass.exe",
        "process_name": "lsass.exe",
        "pid": 476,
        "summary": {},
        "first_seen": 1601679185.328125,
        "ppid": 376
    },
    {
        "process_path": "C:\\Users\\cuck\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\24a5138467fc174c71b5c833c2604b2c147c7b6f703bdd68f37f02c10ce55020.bin",
        "process_name": "24a5138467fc174c71b5c833c2604b2c147c7b6f703bdd68f37f02c10ce55020.bin",
        "pid": 2436,
        "summary": {
            "dll_loaded": [
                "swds.dll",
                "swds.dll.dll"
            ],
            "directory_enumerated": [
                "C:\\Users\\cuck\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\filesystem_stdio.dll"
            ],
            "regkey_read": [
                "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\GRE_Initialize\\DisableMetaFiles"
            ]
        },
        "first_seen": 1601679185.765625,
        "ppid": 1664
    }
]

Signatures

[
    {
        "markcount": 1,
        "families": [],
        "description": "The executable uses a known packer",
        "severity": 1,
        "marks": [
            {
                "category": "packer",
                "ioc": "InstallShield 2000",
                "type": "ioc",
                "description": null
            }
        ],
        "references": [],
        "name": "peid_packer"
    }
]

Yara

The Yara rules did not detect anything in the file.

Network

{
    "tls": [],
    "udp": [
        {
            "src": "192.168.56.101",
            "dst": "192.168.56.255",
            "offset": 546,
            "time": 3.079026937484741,
            "dport": 137,
            "sport": 137
        },
        {
            "src": "192.168.56.101",
            "dst": "224.0.0.252",
            "offset": 3346,
            "time": 3.0419979095458984,
            "dport": 5355,
            "sport": 51001
        },
        {
            "src": "192.168.56.101",
            "dst": "224.0.0.252",
            "offset": 3674,
            "time": 1.0165350437164307,
            "dport": 5355,
            "sport": 53595
        },
        {
            "src": "192.168.56.101",
            "dst": "224.0.0.252",
            "offset": 4002,
            "time": 3.0559370517730713,
            "dport": 5355,
            "sport": 53848
        },
        {
            "src": "192.168.56.101",
            "dst": "224.0.0.252",
            "offset": 4330,
            "time": 1.5342390537261963,
            "dport": 5355,
            "sport": 54255
        },
        {
            "src": "192.168.56.101",
            "dst": "224.0.0.252",
            "offset": 4658,
            "time": -0.09959793090820312,
            "dport": 5355,
            "sport": 55314
        },
        {
            "src": "192.168.56.101",
            "dst": "239.255.255.250",
            "offset": 4986,
            "time": 1.5479071140289307,
            "dport": 1900,
            "sport": 1900
        },
        {
            "src": "192.168.56.101",
            "dst": "239.255.255.250",
            "offset": 11456,
            "time": 1.049299955368042,
            "dport": 3702,
            "sport": 49152
        },
        {
            "src": "192.168.56.101",
            "dst": "239.255.255.250",
            "offset": 15648,
            "time": 3.0944600105285645,
            "dport": 1900,
            "sport": 53598
        }
    ],
    "dns_servers": [],
    "http": [],
    "icmp": [],
    "smtp": [],
    "tcp": [],
    "smtp_ex": [],
    "mitm": [],
    "hosts": [],
    "pcap_sha256": "85ba064481d9e5a465fa87fac289cb28a81c7d637e435f1a5d4e215d2e9611b1",
    "dns": [],
    "http_ex": [],
    "domains": [],
    "dead_hosts": [],
    "sorted_pcap_sha256": "05e3b75ef49dcd138ddd761e5b66e1cbfd34a9e1d2d02ca619b6560d34723f8b",
    "irc": [],
    "https_ex": []
}

Screenshots

Folder name variants

hlds.exe may also be located in other folders than c:\users\%USERNAME%\appdata\local\temp\rarsfx0\. The most common variants are listed below:

• c:\users\%USERNAME%\appdata\local\temp\rarsfx4\

Other files also named hlds.exe

hlds.exe (72 votes)

Error Messages

Malware or legitimate?

If you feel that you need more information to determine if your should keep this file or remove it, please read this guide.

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