What is Control.exe?

Control.exe file information

The process known as Windows Control Panel or Control_crypted.exe or OverwolfBrowser belongs to software Microsoft Windows Operating System or Overwolf by Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) or Overwolf LTD.

Description: The original Control.exe from Microsoft is an important part of Windows, but often causes problems. The file Control.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows (e.g. C:\Windows\SysWOW64\). The file size on Windows 10/11/7 is 113,152 bytes.  
It is a Windows core system file. The Control.exe file is a trustworthy file from Microsoft. The program is not visible. The process listens for or sends data on open ports to a LAN or the Internet. Therefore the technical security rating is 4% dangerous, however you should also read the user reviews.

Recommended: Identify Control.exe related errors

Viruses with the same file name

Is Control.exe a virus? No, it is not. The true Control.exe file is a safe Microsoft Windows system process, called "Windows Control Panel". However, writers of malware programs, such as viruses, worms, and Trojans deliberately give their processes the same file name to escape detection. Viruses with the same file name are for instance Artemis!33D0AFBDE232 (detected by McAfee), and HEUR:Trojan.Win32.AntiAV (detected by Kaspersky).
To ensure that no rogue Control.exe is running on your PC, click here to run a Free Virus Scan.

How to recognize suspicious variants?

• If Control.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\, the security rating is 56% dangerous. The file size is 97,280 bytes (50% of all occurrences) or 99,840 bytes. There is no information about the author of the file. The program is not visible. Control.exe is not a Windows core file. Control.exe is able to monitor applications.
• If Control.exe is located in the Windows folder for temporary files, the security rating is 84% dangerous. The file size is 622,592 bytes. There is no description of the program. It is not a Windows core file. The program is not visible. Control.exe appears to be a compressed file.
• If Control.exe is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder, the security rating is 1% dangerous. The file size is 148,992 bytes (50% of all occurrences) or 113,152 bytes.
• If Control.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files", the security rating is 64% dangerous. The file size is 222,728 bytes.

External information from Paul Collins:

• "Windows Control" definitely not required. Browser hijacker. NOTE - On Win9x systems it will overwrite the Windows file of the same name in the Windows directory, so therefore it will be necessary to extract a fresh copy of the file from the Windows setup cabs!

Important: Some malware camouflages itself as Control.exe, particularly when located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the Control.exe process on your PC to see if it is a threat. We recommend Security Task Manager for verifying your computer's security. This was one of the Top Download Picks of The Washington Post and PC World.