7zip.com

February 13, 2026

What 7zip.com is, and why it matters

If you typed “7zip” into a browser and clicked the first result, there’s a real chance you landed on 7zip.com. That domain looks like it should be the home of 7-Zip, the popular free file archiver. But multiple security researchers and news outlets have recently flagged 7zip.com as an impersonation site used to distribute a trojanized 7-Zip installer. In other words: it can install a working copy of 7-Zip, while also installing malware in the background.

The official project site for 7-Zip is 7-zip.org (note the hyphen). That’s where the legitimate downloads and release notes are published.

Why people confuse 7zip.com with the real 7-Zip site

This is a classic domain lookalike problem. A lot of people assume “.com” is the default, and they’re used to software projects living at a simple brand-name domain. Attackers take advantage of that habit by registering similar domains and making the page look close enough to the original that you don’t notice the difference. In reports about this campaign, researchers described the fake site as convincingly similar to the legitimate one, down to overall layout and download prompts.

A second ingredient is distribution: links placed in places people trust or don’t scrutinize much, like tutorial descriptions. In this case, investigators traced the malicious link path back to a YouTube PC-building tutorial that pointed viewers to 7zip.com instead of 7-zip.org.

What the fake installer does on an infected PC

The key detail that makes this campaign effective is that the installer still delivers real 7-Zip, so the user thinks everything went fine. Behind the scenes, additional components are dropped and executed. Security reporting on the incident says the malware’s goal is to enlist infected machines into a residential proxy network—basically using victims’ home or office internet connections as “exit nodes” for other people’s traffic.

Why proxy malware is nasty in practice:

  • Your IP address can be used to route traffic you didn’t initiate.
  • You can see performance issues (bandwidth, latency) that are hard to explain.
  • You may inherit risk: reputation problems, account lockouts, or complaints tied to your IP.
  • It creates a foothold that can be paired with other malware later, depending on how the operator monetizes access.

One write-up highlighted indicators such as suspicious files placed under system directories and persistence via Windows services, which is consistent with malware that wants to survive reboots and keep proxy functionality running.

How to tell the official 7-Zip site from the impersonator

Start with the simplest rule: the official site is 7-zip.org. If you’re on 7zip.com, treat it as unsafe based on the current reporting.

A few practical checks that help in general (not just for this case):

  • Look carefully for hyphens and extra characters in the domain name. Here it’s the difference between 7-zip.org and 7zip.com.
  • Don’t trust a site because it “looks right.” Cloned pages are easy to produce.
  • Use the project’s own download page and release notes rather than third-party “download portals,” especially for security-sensitive tools.

Also, the official 7-Zip site provides direct downloads and clear version listings. For example, it lists 7-Zip 25.01 (released 2025-08-03) and download options for x64, x86, and ARM64 builds. That kind of consistent release metadata is one of the small signals you want to see on an official project page.

What to do if you downloaded from 7zip.com

If you think you installed 7-Zip from 7zip.com recently, assume it could be compromised and focus on containment plus cleanup.

Immediate steps commonly recommended in coverage of this campaign:

  1. Disconnect the machine from the internet (to stop any proxy traffic).
  2. Run a full antivirus/anti-malware scan with a reputable tool and let it quarantine anything detected.
  3. Look for suspicious persistence (unexpected services, scheduled tasks, odd startup entries).
  4. Review firewall rules for anything newly added that you don’t recognize.
  5. If there are strong signs of compromise, consider a clean OS reinstall and rotate passwords on important accounts (email, banking, work logins), ideally from a different known-clean device.

Some reporting mentioned a specific folder path used in infections (for example, a “hero” folder under C:\Windows\SysWOW64\...) as a possible indicator, but you shouldn’t rely on a single indicator because campaigns evolve fast. Treat it as a hint, not a guarantee.

Why this keeps happening to popular open-source tools

7-Zip is widely used, free, and trusted. That’s exactly the profile attackers like, because it reduces friction: users are accustomed to downloading it quickly and don’t expect surprises. The technique behind 7zip.com fits into a broader bucket of “domain squatting” tactics—registering similar domains across top-level domains to catch people who type fast or assume a default.

The uncomfortable part is that defensive warnings (browser interstitials, antivirus detections) don’t always fire for every user right away. And even when they do, a lot of people click through if they’re in “setup mode” building a PC or reinstalling Windows.

Safe ways to get 7-Zip and reduce risk going forward

A few habits reduce the chance of getting burned again:

  • Bookmark the official download page once you’ve verified it, and use the bookmark next time.
  • Prefer official project domains or well-known app stores that verify publisher identity (when applicable).
  • Verify the installer’s signature on Windows (right-click → Properties → Digital Signatures). This isn’t foolproof, but it’s a meaningful extra check for common software.
  • Be skeptical of tutorial links for downloads. Tutorials are great for steps, not always for sourcing installers.

And a small reminder: 7-Zip itself is legitimate, widely used, and the official site describes it as free and open-source with features like AES-256 encryption support for 7z/ZIP and broad format handling. The risk here is the impersonation and the bundled malware, not the underlying 7-Zip project.

Key takeaways

  • 7zip.com has been reported as a fake lookalike site distributing a trojanized 7-Zip installer.
  • The official 7-Zip website is 7-zip.org (with a hyphen).
  • The malicious installer can still install real 7-Zip, while also adding malware that turns PCs into residential proxy nodes.
  • If you installed from 7zip.com, prioritize containment, scanning, and consider a clean reinstall if compromise indicators appear.

FAQ

Is 7zip.com the official site for 7-Zip?
No. The official site is 7-zip.org, and recent reporting flags 7zip.com as an impersonation site used in a malware campaign.

What’s the harm if the installer still gives me working 7-Zip?
That’s the trick. Reports say the installer can add extra malicious components that convert your machine into a residential proxy node, meaning someone else can route traffic through your internet connection.

How do I safely download 7-Zip?
Use the project’s official download page on 7-zip.org and avoid third-party download portals or tutorial links for installers.

If I think I’m infected, what should I do first?
Disconnect from the internet, run a full malware scan, check for suspicious services/persistence, and consider a clean reinstall if compromise is likely. Then change passwords from a known-clean device.