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What’s adksetup.exe (Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit - Windows 10)? Is it safe or a virus?

Adksetup.exe is the installer file for the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK) by Microsoft Corporation, specifically for Windows 10. The ADK is a collection of tools designed to help IT professionals and developers customize, assess, and deploy Windows operating systems on large-scale or enterprise environments. It includes features such as application compatibility testing, system performance assessment, and tools for creating bootable media or Windows preinstallation environments (WinPE). Running adksetup.exe allows users to install the necessary components locally or configure them for specific deployment scenarios, enhancing the deployment and management of Windows images across multiple systems.

Researched by Carl @ SpyShelter Labs

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A Trojan is a harmful software that pretends to be a legitimate program or file to deceive users into downloading it. It can steal personal information, damage files, or give hackers control over the infected device.

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More about adksetup.exe on WINDOWS

Who makes adksetup.exe (Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit - Windows 10)?

We’ve found Microsoft Corporation should be the publisher of adksetup.exe.

How do we know? Our SpyShelter cybersecurity labs focuses on monitoring different types of Windows PC executables and their behaviors for our popular SpyShelter Antispyware software. Learn more about us, and how our cybersecurity team studies Windows PC executables/processes.

What does it mean if someone is the publisher of a PC .exe (executable or process)?

The publisher of an executable is the entity responsible for its distribution and authenticity. Most processes/executables on your PC should be signed. The signature on the executable should have been verified through a third party whose job it is to make sure the entity is who it says it is. Find an unsigned executable? You should consider scanning any completely unsigned .exe on your PC.

Last updated: March 19, 2025

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Why should you trust us?

Our team at SpyShelter has been studying Windows PC executables for over 15 years, to help fight against spyware, malware, and other threats. SpyShelter has been featured in publications like The Register, PC Magazine, and many others. Now we’re working to share free, actionable, and easy to understand information about Windows executables (processes) with the world, to help as many people as possible keep their devices safe. Learn more about us on our "About SpyShelter” page.

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