Is https://aka.ms a legit microsoft site?

yt22 20 Reputation points
2026-07-23T10:58:06.3233333+00:00

I would like to confirm that the following links are indeed safe and hosted by Microsoft.

https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe

https://aka.ms

I downloaded c++ redistributable through the first link. The file seemed clean after scanning with both Malwarebytes and Microsoft Defender. However, once I cut the link down to just https://aka.ms Malwarebytes Browser Guard stopped me from accessing the page, stating that a Trojan file has been detected. By that point I had already ran the installer from the first link.

Subsequent Malwarebytes Deep Scan, Microsoft Defender Full Scan and Offline Scan all returned clean, and my computer showed no signs of malware infection and my accounts had no unauthorized access anywhere. Virustotal security vendor scores also looked ok, but community scores are a bit less satisfactory. I had been told that it is a false positive by MB, but I just want a second opinion from Microsoft Support on whether those links are indeed safe.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Security and privacy
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Marcin Policht 108.5K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2026-07-23T11:07:43.7333333+00:00

Yep - both links are legitimate Microsoft URLs. The https://aka.ms domain is Microsoft's official URL shortening service, used to redirect users to Microsoft-hosted resources. The specific link https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe is the standard Microsoft redirect for downloading the latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable.

It is not unusual for security products to occasionally flag the root https://aka.ms URL with a false positive because URL shortening services can obscure the final destination. In your case, the direct download link redirected to the official Microsoft installer, and the fact that Malwarebytes, Microsoft Defender (including Offline Scan), and VirusTotal did not detect the downloaded executable strongly indicates that the installer is legitimate.

If you want additional confirmation, you can right-click vc_redist.x64.exe, select Properties > Digital Signatures, and verify that it is signed by Microsoft Corporation with a valid signature. You can also compare the file's SHA-256 hash with the value published by Microsoft when available.

If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

hth

Marcin

Was this answer helpful?

3 people found this answer helpful.

0 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.