SwiftClean
Active · Source repository
Confirmed malware. Marketed as a 'free and open-source' MIT disk cleaner for Windows 10/11 and macOS - junk cleanup, byte-for-byte duplicate finder, large-file analyzer - with bingo-perfect copy (CCleaner-bloat framing, '100% local', 'no telemetry'). The repository contains no source code at all (LICENSE, README, logo, screenshot only) and the single v1.0 release ships one 37 MB password-protected ZIP whose payload was confirmed malicious on manual analysis. Posted to reddit by a throwaway account that was gone within ~3 hours.
Confirmed malware (checked 2026-10-20)Password-protected release archive unpacked and payload analyzed by maintainer on 2026-10-20: confirmed malicious. Repo still distributes the zip at check time (9 downloads observed).
- Platforms
- Interface
- Features
- Dev-junk cleaning
- Not a focus
- Development
- Unknown · leadership unknown
- License
- MIT
MIT claimed (LICENSE file present) but no source is published - the 'open-source' claim is fiction
- Price
- Free
'completely free and open-source under the MIT license' (post)
- Launched
- Oct 19, 2026
repo_created_at
- Repo created
- Oct 19, 2026
- First release
- Oct 19, 2026
- Last seen alive
- Oct 20, 2026
Checks
Mechanical checks derived from the fields above. Each row is one fact; "not yet checked" means exactly that, not a failure. There is no composite score; read them together.
| Track record | 12 days ago |
|---|
| Source published | No |
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| Release signing | Unsigned |
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| Security contact | None found |
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| Reproducible builds | Not yet checked |
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| Telemetry | Not yet checked |
|---|
| Runs elevated | Not yet checked |
|---|
| Auto-update channel | Not yet checked |
|---|
| Recent activity | Last seen 11 days ago |
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Research notes
- CONFIRMED MALWARE: the password-protected zip was unpacked and the payload analyzed by the catalog maintainer (2026-10-20). This is the wave's dark endpoint - not slop, an actual malicious dropper dressed in cleaner-marketing language.
- No source code: the repo's entire git tree is LICENSE + README.md + logo.png + ui-preview.png. 'Open-source under MIT' is a marketing claim with literally nothing to audit.
- Sole release asset is SwiftClean-Setup.zip, 37.1 MB, password-protected ('Archive Password: Swift') - encrypted archives evade antivirus inspection of contents, a classic malware distribution tell.
- A 'disk cleaner' wants broad filesystem read/delete access; here that access is requested by an unauditable binary from anonymous throwaway accounts. Do not run.
- Launch infrastructure was disposable: GitHub account created Oct 18, repo Oct 19, release 1.0 within the hour, reddit burst Oct 20, reddit account gone within ~3 hours.
- Marketing copy hits the genre checklist verbatim - CCleaner turned 'adware', '$30/yr subscriptions', 'no telemetry', '100% local', 'MIT', 'When you close it, it actually closes' - every trust phrase, zero verifiable substance.
- Claims Windows AND macOS support but only one binary shipped - a single Windows 'Setup' zip.
Announcements
2 recorded (2 since removed)
Oct 20, 2026 r/pcmasterrace — Got tired of CCleaner bloat and Windows hiding 50GB of temp files in AppData, so I made a lightweight open-source cleaner by u/mejivith (archived copy)removed
Text post with image (i.redd.it/36k3aq7smiwh1.png). Deleted almost immediately - arctic captured it before deletion.
I used to rely on old-school tools for quick cleanup, but over the years most of them turned into adware — filled with background telemetry, startup popups, and $30/yr subscriptions just to clear a browser cache. — Problem statement
It's completely free and open-source under the MIT license. — Virtue
Zero Background Bloat — 100% local, no telemetry, no startup background services. When you close it, it actually closes. — Trust signal
I'd love to get your feedback, or hear if there are any specific junk directories you think I should add to the scanner list! — Engagement hook
Oct 20, 2026 r/u_mejivith — I got tired of bloated disk cleaners, so I built SwiftClean - a minimal, fast, and private disk cleaner for Windows & macOS by u/mejivith (archived copy)removed
Earliest promotion found (00:08 UTC, posted to the author's own profile); removed with the rest of the throwaway account
Sources
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