What is smss.exe?

Latest Articles

How to tell if you can run Vista 64-bit
Clear Thumbnail Cache
Change Mouse Pointer Speed
Disable Data Execution Prevention
Single Click Instead of Double Click
Automatic Vista Backups
Select Multiple Files with Checkboxes
Delete Temporary Files
Repair Corrupt Vista Files
Hide Hard Drive

Sections

Home Page
Vista Tips
Vista Forums
File Database
Contact Us
Links
Archive
RSS Feed

What is smss.exe?

Click here to run a free scan on smss.exe errors.

The table below includes any processes that may be associated with smss.exe, from which further information can be found by clicking on the process title. The icon beside the information can be used to quickly determine if this is a safe file in combination with the key below:


This file is normally safe to leave running.	In most cases, this file is not required to run on startup and can be run manually.	Warning, this file may be a virus, spyware, resource hog and running it is not recommended.	This file may or may not be necessary to load on startup, depending on your circumstances.	No information is available for this item.

smss.exe Processes:

File Type	Process Name and Information
	.nvsvc Added by the IRCBOT-FP TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup!
	AutoUpdate Added by a variant of the WINSPY.AA TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in a "debug64" subfolder of the Winnt or Windows folder
	DHCP Added by the WINSPY.AG TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup!
	InteliSys Advertisingvision adware! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in the Winnt or Windows folder
	internet Added by the MIFENG-K TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which should NOT appear in Msconfig/Startup!
	Kernel Safe Mode Added by the 78CRACK-A TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in the Winnt or Windows folder
	KernellApps32 Added by the BANCBAN-AN TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup!
	LiveUpdate Added by the VB.BAU TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in a "isas" subfolder of the Winnt or Windows folder
	MDSA Sentinel X Added by SentinelX spyware. Note - SentinelX is spyware that logs keystrokes. It also monitors and records Web sites visited and applications used. The risk can capture periodic screen shots and may be configured so as to block access to specific Web sites and chat rooms, must be manually installed. Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in a "MDSA Software" subfolder of the Program Files folder
	Microsoft Session Manager Subsystem Added by the KALEL-D WORM! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which should NOT appear in Msconfig/Startup!
	Microsoft Windows Session Manager Subsystem Added by the PROXYSER-R TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in the Winnt or Windows folder
	Service Process Added by the DCMBOT-E TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in a "config" subfolder
	Service Process Added by the DCMBOT-E TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in "config" subfolder
	Services Process Added by the SMALL-EK TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in a "config" subfolder
	Services.dll Added by the SOBER-L WORM! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in a msagentsystem subfolder of the Winnt or Windows folder
	SMSS Added by the FLOOD.F TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in a "Catroot" subfolder
	smss Added by the AGENT-TR TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in the Winnt or Windows folder
	smss Added by the BOROBOT-J TROJAN and variants! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup!
	smssLevel4 Unidentified malware! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in Program FilesWindows Media PlayerSkinsWindowsMediaSkinDataLevel4 folder
	System Added by the AGENT.AEP TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup!
	System Session Manager Added by the KALEL-E WORM! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which should NOT appear in Msconfig/Startup!
	Tok-Cirrhatus Added by the BRONTOK-A WORM and variants! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in the "Documents and Settings[User]Local SettingsApplication Data" folder
	Tok-Cirrhatus-2784 Added by the BRONTOK-S WORM! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in the "Documents and Settings[User]Local SettingsApplication Data" folder
	Torjan Program Added by the WOWCRAFT.B TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in the Winnt or Windows folder
	userinit Added by the DLOADR-B TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This trojan file is found in the Windows or Winnt folder
	Windows Added by the BANCBAN-QF TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in the Winnt or Windows folder
	Windows Session Manager Subsystem Added by the KALEL-B WORM! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which should NOT appear in Msconfig/Startup!
	winsystem.sys Added by the SOBER.K TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in a msagentwin32 subfolder of the Winnt or Windows folder
	zsms Added by the BANCOS-CK TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in the Winnt or Windows folder
	zsmss Added by the BANCOS-DD TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate smss.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in the Winnt or Windows folder
	_winsystem.sys Added by the SOBER.K TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate lsass.exe process which is always located in the System (9x/Me) or System32 (NT/2K/XP) folder and should not normally figure in Msconfig/Startup! This file is located in a msagentwin32 subfolder of the Winnt or Windows folder

File Name Search:

[#] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z]

Process Name Search:

[#] [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z]