Do I need to check the installer for viruses? Can they be there?

Question

Information Security

Can there be viruses in the installer? It's also a type of .exe or a virus can only be in the program itself (the installer is also a program)?

Answer 1

There may be both there and there.
Check virustotal.com for example.

Answer 2

The virus might. and in the program that installs (in the executable or in libraries);
and in those programs that he installs on the computer.
And not just a virus, but any type of malware.
And some malware is designed in such a way that only a program that downloads the actual malicious part from the Internet comes to the computer (according to any of the two options in the first paragraph) - from a specific server or from a server found in a cunning way (well, like with torrents).