Unmasking Svchost.exe – Is It Legit or Malware in Disguise?
Written by: Stelian Pilici
Published on:
SvcHost.exe is a crucial Windows system file that hosts many essential services. Unfortunately, malware often disguises itself as svchost.exe to bypass detection. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover all you need to know about svchost.exe.
This article contains:
What is SvcHost.exe?
SvcHost.exe is the Shared Service Host process for Windows, responsible for managing a large group of Windows services. The services it handles include:
Windows Update – Installs OS and software patches
Windows Firewall – Manages inbound and outbound network access
Windows Audio – Manages sound drivers and audio playback
Network Connections – Manages network adapters and protocols
Windows Event Log – Tracks system events and errors
Windows Error Reporting – Reports errors to Microsoft
In total, svchost.exe can host upwards of 70 different system services. By grouping multiple services into one svchost.exe process, Windows conserves system resources.
Svchost runs as multiple instances, each hosting a subset of Windows services. All instances are located in %SystemRoot%\System32 and signed by Microsoft.
Normal Behavior for SvcHost.exe
When functioning properly, svchost.exe should exhibit this behavior:
Regular multiple instances – It’s normal to see many svchost.exe entries running, each hosting specific services.
Low resource usage – Svchost processes have a small footprint, only using resources for hosted services.
No weird child processes – Legit svchosts only spawn OS service related processes.
Static file locations – Svchost only runs from System32 or the SysWOW64 folder for 32-bit systems.
No direct network calls – The services it hosts may connect outwards, but core svchost makes no network calls directly.
As long as svchost.exe instances align with these parameters, they are legitimate and no cause for concern.
How Malware Abuses SvcHost.exe
Cybercriminals often target svchost.exe for malware impersonation because of its common presence and high privileges. Tactics include:
1. Mimicry
Malware authors name executables svchost.exe and install them in the system folders. This makes them appear legitimate and blend into the crowd of real svchost entries.
2. Service Hijacking
Some malware hijacks existing svchost-hosted services by registering themselves as a service. This grants them the same trusted execution context as critical system services.
4. Privilege Escalation
Svchost runs with SYSTEM privileges, enabling full access to the OS. By impersonating it, malware inherits powerful permissions to bypass restrictions.
5. Stealth
Blending in as one of numerous svchost instances allows malware to operate discreetly, circumventing detection. Malware svchosts are sometimes hidden entirely from task managers.
Once embedded, some things malicious svchosts may do:
Log keystrokes and steal data
Download more malware
Deploy ransomware across files
Abuse services like Windows Update for attacks
Disable security tools
Allow remote attackers access to the system
The high privileges gained allows malware to carry out these tasks while avoiding limits placed on normal software.
How to Spot Malicious SvcHost.exe
While sneaky, fake svchosts do exhibit telltale traits that can reveal their true nature:
1. Check Install Location
Verify svchost.exe instances are only located in %SystemRoot%\System32 or %SystemRoot%\SysWOW64. Other locations indicate an imposter.
2. Inspect Process Properties
Use Process Explorer to view detailed properties on suspect svchosts, like hosted services, command line, parent process, etc. Anything unusual is a red flag.
3. Verify Digital Signature
Real svchost.exe is digitally signed by Microsoft. Bogus ones often lack a legitimate signature.
4. Monitor Resource Usage
Check CPU, memory and disk usage for outliers. Malicious svchosts often consume more resources than the real ones.
5. Examine Network Traffic
Inspect traffic with Wireshark – svchost itself shouldn’t connect outwards at all. Any direct network calls are sure signs of malware.
6. Check Service Registry Entries
Malware svchosts sometimes add suspect service names to the registry that don’t match any legitimate Windows service.
Removing Malicious SvcHost.exe
This malware removal guide may appear overwhelming due to the number of steps and numerous programs that are being used. We have only written it this way to provide clear, detailed, and easy-to-understand instructions that anyone can use to remove malware for free. Please perform all the steps in the correct order. If you have any questions or doubts at any point, stop and ask for our assistance.
To remove the SvcHost.exe Trojan and other malware from your computer, follow these steps:
STEP 1: Use Rkill to terminate malicious processes
In this first step, we will download and run Rkill to terminate malicious processes that may be running on your computer.
RKill is a program that was developed at BleepingComputer.com that attempts to terminate known malware processes so that your normal security software can then run and clean your computer of infections. When RKill runs it will kill malware processes and then removes incorrect executable associations and fixes policies that stop us from using certain tools.
Download Rkill.
You can download RKill to your computer from the below link. When at the download page, click on the Download Now button labeled iExplore.exe. We are downloading a renamed version of Rkill (iExplore.exe) because some malware will not allow processes to run unless they have a certain filename.
RKILL DOWNLOAD LINK (The above link will open a new page from where you can download Rkill)
Run RKill.
After downloading, double-click the iExplore.exe icon to kill malicious processes. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder. The program may take some time to search for and end various malware programs.
When it is finished, the black window will close automatically and a log file will open. Do not restart your computer. Proceed to the next step in this guide.
STEP 2: Uninstall malicious programs from Windows
In this second step, we will manually check if any unknown or malicious programs are installed on the computer. Sometimes adware and browser hijackers can have a usable Uninstall entry that can be used to remove them.
Windows 11Windows 10Windows 8Windows 7
Press the Windows key + I on your keyboard to open the Settings app.
First, open Windows Settings by pressing Windows+I on your keyboard. You can also right-click your Start button and select “Settings” from the list.
In the Settings app, click on “Apps” and then “Apps & features”.
When Settings opens, click “Apps” in the sidebar, then select “Apps & Features”.
Find the malicious program in the list of installed apps and uninstall it.
In Apps & Features settings, scroll down to the app list and search for unknown or suspicious programs. To make things easier, you can sort all installed programs by their installation date. To do this, click “Sort by” and select “Install date”.
Look out for any suspicious program that could be behind all the drama – anything you don’t remember downloading or that doesn’t sound like a genuine program. When you find a malicious program, click the three dots button beside it and select “Uninstall” in the menu that appears.
If you have checked your computer for malicious programs and did not find any, you can proceed with the next step in this guide.
Follow the prompts to uninstall the program.
In the next message box, confirm the uninstall process by clicking on Uninstall, then follow the prompts to uninstall the malicious program.
Make sure to read all of the prompts carefully, because some malicious programs try to sneak things in hoping that you won’t read them closely.
Press the Windows key + I on your keyboard to open the Settings app.
Press the Windows key + I on your keyboard to open the Settings app. You can also ope the Settings app by clicking the Start button on the taskbar, then select “Settings” (gear icon).
In the Settings app, click on “Apps”.
When the “Windows Settings” window opens, click on “Apps“. By default, it should open “Apps and Features” but if it doesn’t, select it from the list on the left.
Find the malicious program in the list of installed apps and uninstall it.
In Apps & Features settings, scroll down to the app list and search for unknown or suspicious programs. To make things easier, you can sort all installed programs by their installation date. To do this, click “Sort by” and select “Install date”.
Look out for any suspicious program that could be behind all the drama – anything you don’t remember downloading or that doesn’t sound like a genuine program. When you find a malicious program, click on it and select “Uninstall” in the menu that appears.
If you have checked your computer for malicious programs and did not find any, you can proceed with the next step in this guide.
Follow the prompts to uninstall the program.
In the next message box, confirm the uninstall process by clicking on Uninstall, then follow the prompts to uninstall the malicious program.
Make sure to read all of the prompts carefully, because some malicious programs try to sneak things in hoping that you won’t read closely.
Go to “Program and Features”.
Right-click on the Start button in the taskbar, then select “Programs and Features”. This will take you directly to your list of installed programs.
Search for malicious program and uninstall it.
The “Programs and Features” screen will be displayed with a list of all the programs installed on your computer. Scroll through the list until you find any unknown or suspicious program, then click to highlight it, then click the “Uninstall” button.
Look out for any suspicious program that could be behind all the drama – anything you don’t remember downloading or that doesn’t sound like a genuine program.
If you have checked your computer for malicious programs and did not find any, you can proceed with the next step in this guide.
Follow the on-screen prompts to uninstall malicious program.
In the next message box, confirm the uninstall process by clicking on Yes, then follow the prompts to uninstall malicious program. Make sure to read all of the prompts carefully, because some malicious programs try to sneak things in hoping that you won’t read closely.
Open the “Control Panel”.
Click on the “Start” button, then click on “Control Panel“.
Click on “Uninstall a Program”.
When the “Control Panel” appears, click on “Uninstall a Program” from the Programs category.
Search for malicious programs and uninstall them.
The “Programs and Features” screen will be displayed with a list of all the programs installed on your computer. Scroll through the list until you find any suspicious or unknown program, then click to highlight it, then click the “Uninstall” button.
Look out for any suspicious program that could be behind all the drama – anything you don’t remember downloading or that doesn’t sound like a genuine program.
If you have checked your computer for malicious programs and did not find any, you can proceed with the next step in this guide.
Follow the on-screen prompts to uninstall malicious program.
In the next message box, confirm the uninstall process by clicking on Yes, then follow the prompts to uninstall malicious program. Make sure to read all of the prompts carefully, because some malicious programs try to sneak things in hoping that you won’t read closely.
If you are experiencing difficulty while attempting to uninstall a program, you can use Revo Uninstaller to completely remove the unwanted program from your computer.
Now that the malicious programs have been removed from your computer, we can proceed with the next step in this guide.
STEP 3: Reset browsers back to default settings
In this step, we will remove spam notifications, malicious extensions, and change to default any settings that might have been changed by malware. Please note that this method will remove all extensions, toolbars, and other customizations but will leave your bookmarks and favorites intact. For each browser that you have installed on your computer, please click on the browsers tab below and follow the displayed steps to reset that browser.
ChromeFirefoxMicrosoft EdgeInternet Explorer
Reset Chrome for Windows to default settings
We will now reset your Chrome browser settings to their original defaults. This will reset your startup page, new tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs. It will also disable all extensions and clear temporary data like cookies. Your favorites, history, and saved passwords will not be cleared.
Click the three dots in the top-right corner and then click on “Settings”.
Open Chrome and click on the menu button (represented by three vertical dots) in the top right corner of the window. In the dropdown menu that opens, click “Settings“.
Click “Advanced”.
Chrome’s “Settings” should now be displayed in a new tab or window, depending on your configuration. In the left sidebar, click on the “Advanced” link.
Click “Reset and clean up”.
In the left sidebar, under the “Advanced” section, click on “Reset and clean up“.
Click “Reset settings to their original defaults”.
In the main window, the “Reset and clean up” section is visible, as shown in the screenshot below. Click on “Reset settings to their original defaults“.
Click “Reset settings”.
A confirmation dialog will now be displayed, detailing the components that will be restored to their default state should you continue with the reset process. To complete the restoration process, click on the “Reset settings” button.
(Optional) Reset Chrome Data Sync.
In case a malicious extension reinstalls itself even after performing a browser reset, you have an additional option to reset the data sync for your browser. To do this, navigate to chrome.google.com/sync and click on the Clear Data button.
Reset Firefox for Windows to default settings
We will now reset your Firefox browser settings to their default. The reset feature fixes many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information like bookmarks, passwords, web form auto-fill information, browsing history, and open tabs.
Click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner and then click on “Help”.
Click on Firefox’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal lines. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled “Help“.
Click “More troubleshooting information”.
From the Help menu, click on “More troubleshooting information“.
Click on “Refresh Firefox”
When the “Troubleshooting Information” page opens, click on the “Refresh Firefox” button.
Confirm that you want to reset your browser settings.
To finish the reset process, click on the “Refresh Firefox” button in the new confirmation window that opens.
Click “Finish”.
Firefox will now close itself and will revert to its default settings. When it’s done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click on “Finish“.
Your old Firefox profile will be placed on your desktop in a folder named “Old Firefox Data“. If the reset didn’t fix your problem you can restore some of the information not saved by copying files to the new profile that was created. If you don’t need this folder any longer, you should delete it as it contains sensitive information.
Reset Microsoft Edge to default settings
We will now reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings to their default. This will reset your startup page, new tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs. It will also disable all extensions and clear temporary data like cookies. Your favorites, history, and saved passwords will not be cleared.
Click the three dots in the top-right corner and then click on “Settings”.
In the top right corner, click on Microsoft Edge’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal dots. When the drop-down menu appears, click on “Settings“.
Click on “Reset Settings”.
On the left side of the window, click on “Reset Settings“.
Click on “Restore settings to their default values”.
In the main window, click on “Restore settings to their default values“.
Click “Reset”.
A confirmation dialog should now be displayed, detailing the components that will be restored to their default state should you continue with the reset process. To complete the restoration process, click on the “Reset” button. Microsoft Edge will now erase all your personal data, browsing history, and disable all installed extensions. Your bookmarks, though, will remain intact and still be accessible.
Reset Internet Explorer to default settings
We will now reset your Internet Explorer browser settings to their default. You can reset Internet Explorer settings to return them to the state they were in when Internet Explorer was first installed on your computer.
Go to “Internet Options”.
Open Internet Explorer, click on the gear icon in the upper-right part of your browser, then select “Internet Options“.
Select the “Advanced” tab, then click “Reset”
In the “Internet Options” dialog box, select the “Advanced” tab, then click on the “Reset” button.
Click on “Reset”.
In the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” section, select the “Delete personal settings” checkbox, then click on the “Reset” button.
Click on “Close”.
When Internet Explorer has completed its task, click on the “Close” button in the confirmation dialogue box. Close your browser and then you can open Internet Explorer again.
STEP 4: Use Malwarebytes to remove for Trojans and Unwanted Programs
In this next step, we will we will install Malwarebytes to scan and remove any infections, adware, or potentially unwanted programs that may be present on your computer.
Malwarebytes stands out as one of the leading and widely-used anti-malware solutions for Windows, and for good reason. It effectively eradicates various types of malware that other programs often overlook, all at no cost to you. When it comes to disinfecting an infected device, Malwarebytes has consistently been a free and indispensable tool in the battle against malware. We highly recommend it for maintaining a clean and secure system.
Download Malwarebytes for Windows
You can download Malwarebytes by clicking the link below.
After the download is complete, locate the MBSetup file, typically found in your Downloads folder. Double-click on the MBSetup file to begin the installation of Malwarebytes on your computer. If a User Account Control pop-up appears, click “Yes” to continue the Malwarebytes installation.
Follow the On-Screen Prompts to Install Malwarebytes
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, the setup wizard will guide you through the process.
You’ll first be prompted to choose the type of computer you’re installing the program on—select either “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer” as appropriate, then click on Next.
Malwarebytes will now begin the installation process on your device.
When the Malwarebytes installation is complete, the program will automatically open to the “Welcome to Malwarebytes” screen.
On the final screen, simply click on the Open Malwarebytes option to start the program.
Enable “Rootkit scanning”.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now start, and you will see the main screen as shown below. To maximize Malwarebytes’ ability to detect malware and unwanted programs, we need to enable rootkit scanning. Click on the “Settings” gear icon located on the left of the screen to access the general settings section.
In the settings menu, enable the “Scan for rootkits” option by clicking the toggle switch until it turns blue.
Now that you have enabled rootkit scanning, click on the “Dashboard” button in the left pane to get back to the main screen.
Perform a Scan with Malwarebytes.
To start a scan, click the Scan button. Malwarebytes will automatically update its antivirus database and begin scanning your computer for malicious programs.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now scan your computer for browser hijackers and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Quarantine detected malware
Once the Malwarebytes scan is complete, it will display a list of detected malware, adware, and potentially unwanted programs. To effectively remove these threats, click the “Quarantine” button.
Malwarebytes will now delete all of the files and registry keys and add them to the program’s quarantine.
Restart your computer.
When removing files, Malwarebytes may require a reboot to fully eliminate some threats. If you see a message indicating that a reboot is needed, please allow it. Once your computer has restarted and you are logged back in, you can continue with the remaining steps.
STEP 5: Use HitmanPro to remove Rootkits and other Malware
In this fifth step, while the computer is in normal back, we will download and run a scan with HitmanPro to remove Trojans, rootkits, and other malicious programs.
HitmanPro is a second-opinion scanner that takes a unique cloud-based approach to malware scanning. HitmanPro scans the behavior of active files and also files in locations where malware normally resides for suspicious activity. If it finds a suspicious file that’s not already known, HitmanPro sends it to its clouds to be scanned by two of the best antivirus engines today, which are Bitdefender and Kaspersky.
Although HitmanPro is shareware and costs $24.95 for 1 year on 1 PC, there is no limit on scanning. The limitation only kicks in when there is a need to remove or quarantine detected malware by HitmanPro on your system and by then, you can activate the one-time 30-days trial to enable the cleanup.
Download HitmanPro.
You can download HitmanPro by clicking the link below.
HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK (The above link will open a new web page from where you can download HitmanPro)
Install HitmanPro.
When HitmanPro has finished downloading, double-click on “hitmanpro.exe” (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or “hitmanpro_x64.exe” (for 64-bit versions of Windows) to install this program on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
You may be presented with a User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow HitmanPro to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
Follow the on-screen prompts.
When HitmanPro starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below. Click on the “Next” button to perform a system scan.
Wait for the HitmanPro scan to complete.
HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for malicious programs.
Click on “Next”.
When HitmanPro has finished the scan, it will display a list of all the malware that it has found. Click on the “Next” button to have HitmanPro remove the detected items.
Click on “Activate free license”.
HitmanPro may now require to activate the free 30-days trial to remove the malicious files. To do this, click on the “Activate free license” button to begin the free 30 days trial and remove all the malicious files from your computer.
When the malware removal process is complete, it will display a screen that shows the status of the various programs that were removed. At this screen, you should click on the Next button and then if prompted you should click on the Reboot button. If HitmanPro does not prompt you to reboot, please just click on the Close button.
STEP 6: Use AdwCleaner to remove Malicious Browser Policies and Adware
In this next step, we will use AdwCleaner to remove malicious browser policies and unwanted browser extensions from your computer.
AdwCleaner is a free popular on-demand scanner that can detect and remove malware that even the most well-known anti-virus and anti-malware applications fail to find. This on-demand scanner includes a lot of tools that can be used to fix the side effects of adware. browser hijackers and other malware.
Download AdwCleaner.
You can download AdwCleaner by clicking the link below.
ADWCLEANER DOWNLOAD LINK (The above link will open a new web page from where you can download AdwCleaner)
Double-click on the setup file.
Double-click on the file named “adwcleaner_x.x.x.exe” to start AdwCleaner. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
AdwCleaner program will now open and you will be presented with the program’s license agreement. After you read it, click on the I agree button if you wish to continue. If Windows prompts you as to whether or not you wish to run AdwCleaner, please allow it to run.
Enable “Reset Chrome policies” to remove malicious browser policies.
When AdwCleaner starts, on the left side of the window, click on “Settings” and then enable “Reset Chrome policies“.
Click on the “Scan” button.
On the left side of the AdwCleaner window, click on “Dashboard” and then click “Scan” to perform a computer scan.
Wait for the AdwCleaner scan to finish.
AdwCleaner will now scan your computer for malware. This process can take a few minutes.
Click on “Quarantine” to remove malware.
When the AdwCleaner scan is completed it will display all of the items it has found. Click on the “Quarantine” button to remove the malicious programs from your computer.
Click on “Continue” to remove the malicious programs.
AdwCleaner will now prompt you to save any open files or data as the program will need to close any open programs before it starts to clean. Click on the “Continue” button to finish the removal process.
AdwCleaner will now delete all detected malware from your computer. When the malware removal process is complete, you may be asked to restart your computer.
STEP 7: Perform a final check with ESET Online Scanner
This step involves installing and running a scan with ESET Online Scanner to check for any additional malicious programs that may be installed on the computer..
ESET Online Scanner is a free second-opinion scanner, designed to rescue your computer from malware (viruses, trojans, rootkits, etc.) that have infected your computer despite all the security measures you have taken (such as anti-virus software, firewalls, etc.).
Download ESET Online Scanner.
You can download ESET Online Scanner by clicking the link below.
Double-click on esetonlinescanner.exe to run the installer.
When ESET Online Scanner has finished downloading, double-click on “esetonlinescanner.exe” to install it program on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
Install ESET Online Scanner.
When ESET Online Scanner starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below. Select your desired language from the drop-down menu and click Get started.
In the Terms of use screen, click Accept.
Select your preference for the Customer Experience Improvement Program and the Detection feedback system and click Continue.
Start a Full Scan with ESET Online Scanner
Click on Full Scan to perform an in-depth inspection of the entire computer.
Select Enable for Detection of Potentially Unwanted Applications, then click Start scan.
Wait for the ESET Online Scanner scan to finish.
ESET Online Scanner will now begin to scan your computer for malware. This process can take quite a while, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
ESET Online Scanner will automatically remove the malicious files.
At the end of the scan, the Found and resolved detections screen will be displayed. You can click View detailed results to view specific information. Detected threats are automatically cleaned and quarantined.
STEP 8: Run the System File Checker (SFC) tool
In this step, we will use System File Checker (SFC) tool to detect and repair files that may have been corrupted by malware.
The SFC tool scans all protected system files on your computer and replaces any files that are corrupt or damaged with a cached copy that is stored in a compressed folder at %WinDir%\System32\dllcache. By running the SFC tool, you can help ensure that your system is functioning properly and fix any issues.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
To open the Command Prompt as an administrator in Windows, type “cmd” in the search bar and then right-click on the Command Prompt result and select “Run as administrator” as shown in the image below. A User Account Control (UAC) prompt will appear asking for permission to allow the program to run. Click “Yes”.
Type “sfc /scannow”.
You will now be presented with a black screen called the ‘Administrator: Command Prompt’. On this screen, type “sfc /scannow” to scan for and repair any corrupt system files.
Restart your computer.
Restart your computer if sfc /scannow repaired files. System File Checker may or may not prompt you to restart but even if it doesn’t, you should restart anyway.
Run again sfc /scannow.
Run again sfc /scannow to check if the files were repaired.
STEP 9: Run the Disk Check tool
As a final step, we will utilize the Disk Check tool, commonly referred to as “chkdsk,” to identify and resolve any issues that were caused by malware.
This tool checks your hard disk for errors and can fix any issues it finds. To use the Disk Check tool, you will need to open the command prompt and enter the “chkdsk” command followed by the drive letter (e.g., “chkdsk C:”). You can also add the “/f” flag to the command to instruct the tool to fix any errors it finds. By running the Disk Check tool, you can help ensure that your hard disk is functioning properly and fix any issues that may be causing high disk usage.”
Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
To open the Command Prompt as an administrator in Windows, type “cmd” in the search bar and then right-click on the Command Prompt result and select “Run as administrator” as shown in the image below.
A User Account Control (UAC) prompt will appear asking for permission to allow the program to run. Click “Yes”.
Type “chkdsk /f /r”
You will now be presented with a black screen called the ‘Administrator: Command Prompt’. On this screen, type “chkdsk /f /r” to repair any errors on your hard drive.
Restart your computer
The Disk Check tool may require you to restart your computer in order to complete the scan and repair process. Type “Y” and click on Enter, then restart the computer.
A CHKDSK command can take a long time, especially when performed on larger drives. Once it’s done, however, it will present a summary of results including total disk space, byte allocation, and, most importantly, any errors that were found and corrected.
Your computer should now be free of the SvcHost.exe Trojan and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed this malicious program on your computer, you may want to consider purchasing Malwarebytes Premium to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
Svchost.exe allows Windows to efficiently handle large groups of integral system services. But this importance also means malware authors are eager to exploit it.
While troubling, the patterns to recognize malicious svchosts masquerading as the real ones are clear. Using the investigative and removal techniques outlined here, you can keep this crucial system file working for you, not against you.
By remaining vigilant and leveraging the right tools, most users can defend against malware abusing this vital process. But if problems point to a deeper kernel level infection, the Microsoft cavalry has your back.
Stay secure out there, keep watch for shady svchosts, and think twice before trusting a process, even fundamental system ones! Proper care means no Windows component needs to undermine your computer’s security.
How to Stay Safe Online
Here are 10 basic security tips to help you avoid malware and protect your device:
Use a good antivirus and keep it up-to-date.
It's essential to use a good quality antivirus and keep it up-to-date to stay ahead of the latest cyber threats. We are huge fans of Malwarebytes Premium and use it on all of our devices, including Windows and Mac computers as well as our mobile devices. Malwarebytes sits beside your traditional antivirus, filling in any gaps in its defenses, and providing extra protection against sneakier security threats.
Keep software and operating systems up-to-date.
Keep your operating system and apps up to date. Whenever an update is released for your device, download and install it right away. These updates often include security fixes, vulnerability patches, and other necessary maintenance.
Be careful when installing programs and apps.
Pay close attention to installation screens and license agreements when installing software. Custom or advanced installation options will often disclose any third-party software that is also being installed. Take great care in every stage of the process and make sure you know what it is you're agreeing to before you click "Next."
Install an ad blocker.
Use a browser-based content blocker, like AdGuard. Content blockers help stop malicious ads, Trojans, phishing, and other undesirable content that an antivirus product alone may not stop.
Be careful what you download.
A top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware—programs or apps that carry malware or try to steal information. This malware can be disguised as an app: anything from a popular game to something that checks traffic or the weather.
Be alert for people trying to trick you.
Whether it's your email, phone, messenger, or other applications, always be alert and on guard for someone trying to trick you into clicking on links or replying to messages. Remember that it's easy to spoof phone numbers, so a familiar name or number doesn't make messages more trustworthy.
Back up your data.
Back up your data frequently and check that your backup data can be restored. You can do this manually on an external HDD/USB stick, or automatically using backup software. This is also the best way to counter ransomware. Never connect the backup drive to a computer if you suspect that the computer is infected with malware.
Choose strong passwords.
Use strong and unique passwords for each of your accounts. Avoid using personal information or easily guessable words in your passwords. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts whenever possible.
Be careful where you click.
Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. These could potentially contain malware or phishing scams.
Don't use pirated software.
Avoid using Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-sharing programs, keygens, cracks, and other pirated software that can often compromise your data, privacy, or both.
To avoid potential dangers on the internet, it's important to follow these 10 basic safety rules. By doing so, you can protect yourself from many of the unpleasant surprises that can arise when using the web.
24 thoughts on “Unmasking Svchost.exe – Is It Legit or Malware in Disguise?”
Yeah its legit if you find it in System32 or System64 depends if your pc is 64-bit or 32-bit but i had it in Sys64Win
i only have 2 viruses I got rid ofthem With out malwarebytes or hitman PRO i used windows defender
Hi, HAVE ABOUT 7 OR 8 instances of svchosts and they are jamming my system. is that normal? I try to right click but I am in XP and there’s no open file option. I downloaded ESET Poweliks Cleaner. It found nothing and neither did roguekiller and hitmanpro.
svchost jumps to 2+ Gb RAM and locks up my system
Thanks. Hope it to work…….
Hi,
I have a slight problem. As I was going through the steps (which were working greatly, thank you) at step four when I clicked on the link you gave, it said it could not find the page. Is there an alternate download link I should use or should I just skip that step? Please help.
Good morning, I need your help and assistance. I am not a computer versatile user, however, as a IT immigrant, I had to be a self taught person. My computer is infected with svchost.exe malware, and albeit having proceeded 4 times with all the above steps, Avast keeps on alerting the malware existance. How can I remove this nasty malware/virus? Pls bear in mind that I shall need very detailed steps. Many thanks in advance.
Malwarebytes has detected the virus and removed it but it keeps coming back especially after restarting and my CPU usage reaches 100% again, i don’t know why people are happy about anti virus/malware stuff, i think they’re all useless, i suffered from iexplorer.exe virus once and tried all popular anti-virus software’s but the virus kicked their asses and i was able to remove it manually after lots of attempts. My advice is stay away from any suspicious sites or downloads and you will not need any anti-sh*t.
I used step 1, which didn’t work, but step 2 worked for about an hour picking out 2,008 objects! Not only did it get rid of svchost, it fixed other annoying viruses like websteroids, search conduit, and illivid! Thank you so much! Every thing is fixed on my PC and finally, my computer is lightning fast!
thanks buddy. really helped
all the steps are smooth like butter..really effective and useful info…thanx alot…
Hello Stelian. Why wouldn’t I choose to delete rather than quarantine the infected files? Thank you so much!
Hello,
You should follow all the steps in the correct order, if you cannot do a step, then go ahead with the other. If you need help, just let me know!!
is it a step by step procedure or need to choose what apps we want to use?
Salut Stelian,acum incerc ghidul tau,deoarece mereu cand deschid un program imi cere acordul shvchost.exe. Daca dupa acest ghid,problema mea tot nu este rezolvata sau mai apar alte probleme,te rog,ma poti ajuta?tot ce am gasit pe net era cu bani,de 3 ore caut ceva sa ma ajute si tu esti momentan singura mea solutie. Multumesc anticipat.
Thanks for the help.
I was having a lot of trubble getting svchost.exe off this laptop. After the first three steps it was smooth sailing for me. I followed all 8 steps and now this laptop is completely clean
Thanks for the help.
I was having a lot of trubble getting svchost.exe off this laptop. After the first three steps it was smooth sailing for me. I followed all 8 steps and now this laptop is completely clean
Hi,
Thanks for your nice guide. I found your pages via googling “Explorer.exe might be using svchost.exe to connect to the Internet”. So my case is that I found one of svchost.exe occupies memory from 400MB–1.7GB,CPU usage of 20% and some network traffic. Unlike other svchost.exe whoes parent process are service.exe, this svchost.exe ‘s parent is explorer.exe instead. Is your guide still suitable in this case?
Thank you so much for this guide
Malware bytes found lots of malware/trojans that my Panda Antivirus Pro 2015 could only detect but not entirely remove it without the shit constantly coming back
with best regards
Damien J – from Sweden
really nice work man,hats off to you
it worked
also I shared link on facebook also
thanks
Hello,
Yes, please perform all the steps from this guide!
Comments are closed.
Meet Stelian Pilici
Stelian leverages over a decade of cybersecurity expertise to lead malware analysis and removal, uncover scams, and educate people. His experience provides insightful analysis and valuable perspective.
Yeah its legit if you find it in System32 or System64 depends if your pc is 64-bit or 32-bit but i had it in Sys64Win
i only have 2 viruses I got rid ofthem With out malwarebytes or hitman PRO i used windows defender
Hi, HAVE ABOUT 7 OR 8 instances of svchosts and they are jamming my system. is that normal? I try to right click but I am in XP and there’s no open file option. I downloaded ESET Poweliks Cleaner. It found nothing and neither did roguekiller and hitmanpro.
svchost jumps to 2+ Gb RAM and locks up my system
Thanks. Hope it to work…….
Hi,
I have a slight problem. As I was going through the steps (which were working greatly, thank you) at step four when I clicked on the link you gave, it said it could not find the page. Is there an alternate download link I should use or should I just skip that step? Please help.
Hello Franklin,
Could you please start a thread in our Malware Removal Assistance forum : http://malwaretips.com/forums/malware-removal-assistance.10/
– as we need some logs from your system to see what’s going on!
Good morning, I need your help and assistance. I am not a computer versatile user, however, as a IT immigrant, I had to be a self taught person. My computer is infected with svchost.exe malware, and albeit having proceeded 4 times with all the above steps, Avast keeps on alerting the malware existance. How can I remove this nasty malware/virus? Pls bear in mind that I shall need very detailed steps. Many thanks in advance.
Hello SE,
Can you please start a thread in our Malware Removal Support forum: http://malwaretips.com/forums/malware-removal-assistance.10/
Malwarebytes has detected the virus and removed it but it keeps coming back especially after restarting and my CPU usage reaches 100% again, i don’t know why people are happy about anti virus/malware stuff, i think they’re all useless, i suffered from iexplorer.exe virus once and tried all popular anti-virus software’s but the virus kicked their asses and i was able to remove it manually after lots of attempts. My advice is stay away from any suspicious sites or downloads and you will not need any anti-sh*t.
I used step 1, which didn’t work, but step 2 worked for about an hour picking out 2,008 objects! Not only did it get rid of svchost, it fixed other annoying viruses like websteroids, search conduit, and illivid! Thank you so much! Every thing is fixed on my PC and finally, my computer is lightning fast!
thanks buddy. really helped
all the steps are smooth like butter..really effective and useful info…thanx alot…
Hello Stelian. Why wouldn’t I choose to delete rather than quarantine the infected files? Thank you so much!
Hello,
You should follow all the steps in the correct order, if you cannot do a step, then go ahead with the other. If you need help, just let me know!!
is it a step by step procedure or need to choose what apps we want to use?
Salut Marius,
Da, normal ca te ajut. Incearca ghidul si vezi daca iti rezolva problema. Daca nu, te rog sa creezi un thread in forumul asta: http://malwaretips.com/forums/malware-removal-assistance.10/
Salut si noroc!
Salut Stelian,acum incerc ghidul tau,deoarece mereu cand deschid un program imi cere acordul shvchost.exe. Daca dupa acest ghid,problema mea tot nu este rezolvata sau mai apar alte probleme,te rog,ma poti ajuta?tot ce am gasit pe net era cu bani,de 3 ore caut ceva sa ma ajute si tu esti momentan singura mea solutie. Multumesc anticipat.
Thanks for the help.
I was having a lot of trubble getting svchost.exe off this laptop. After the first three steps it was smooth sailing for me. I followed all 8 steps and now this laptop is completely clean
Thanks for the help.
I was having a lot of trubble getting svchost.exe off this laptop. After the first three steps it was smooth sailing for me. I followed all 8 steps and now this laptop is completely clean
Hi,
Thanks for your nice guide. I found your pages via googling “Explorer.exe might be using svchost.exe to connect to the Internet”. So my case is that I found one of svchost.exe occupies memory from 400MB–1.7GB,CPU usage of 20% and some network traffic. Unlike other svchost.exe whoes parent process are service.exe, this svchost.exe ‘s parent is explorer.exe instead. Is your guide still suitable in this case?
Thank you so much for this guide
Malware bytes found lots of malware/trojans that my Panda Antivirus Pro 2015 could only detect but not entirely remove it without the shit constantly coming back
with best regards
Damien J – from Sweden
really nice work man,hats off to you
it worked
also I shared link on facebook also
thanks
Hello,
Yes, please perform all the steps from this guide!