The genuine icacls.exe file is a software component of Microsoft Windows Operating System by Microsoft Corporation. "Icacls.exe" is the Microsoft "Integrity Control of Access Control List Settings" process. It can be executed from the command prompt or in scripts. Microsoft created it for Windows Server 2003 and Vista to improve on limitations of earlier commands, to display, modify, backup and restore Access Control Lists (ACLs) for files and folders in NTFS file systems, including the ability to save ACL's in a file and restore them. It is meant for system administrator use, primarily in servers and requires familiarity with SIDs (Security Identifiers) and Access Control Entries (ACE) and Access Control Lists (ACL).
ICACLS stands for Integrity Control of Access Control List Settings
The .exe extension on a filename indicates an executable file. Executable files may in some cases harm your computer. Therefore, please read below to decide for yourself whether the icacls.exe on your computer is a Trojan that you should remove, or whether it is a file belonging to the Windows operating system or to a trusted application.
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Description: The original icacls.exe from Microsoft is an important part of Windows, but often causes problems. The icacls.exe file is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder or sometimes in a subfolder of C:\Windows.
Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 29,696 bytes (66% of all occurrences) or 30,208 bytes.
The icacls.exe file is a Windows core system file. The file is a Microsoft signed file. The program is not visible. There is no file information.
Therefore the technical security rating is 8% dangerous, but you should also take into account the user reviews.
Is icacls.exe a virus? No, it is not. The true icacls.exe file is a safe Microsoft Windows system process, called "icacls".
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 such as TROJ_GEN.R02KC0CHQ14 or TROJ_SPNR.22JL14 (detected by TrendMicro), and Trojan Horse or Trojan.Gen (detected by Symantec).
To ensure that no rogue icacls.exe is running on your PC, click here to run a Free Virus Scan.
How to recognize suspicious variants?
If icacls.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder, the security rating is 71% dangerous. The file size is 134,656 bytes (66% of all occurrences) or 132,096 bytes.
Icacls.exe is not a Windows system file. It is a file with no information about its developer. The program has no visible window. The process is loaded during the Windows boot process (see Registry key: Run, User Shell Folders, RunOnce).
Icacls.exe is able to monitor applications.
Uninstalling this variant:
It is possible to uninstall the associated program (Start > Control Panel > Uninstall a Program > Red AdBlocker).
If icacls.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files", the security rating is 84% dangerous. The file size is 56,320 bytes.
The icacls.exe file is not a Windows core file. The program is not visible. There is no description of the program.
Important: Some malware disguises itself as icacls.exe, particularly when not located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the icacls.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.
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User Comments
This is a Microsoft Windows system utility Shane
This information in this article is incorrect. This IS a Windows system file. Information regarding this can be found on the Microsoft Technet site. Paull (further information)
Summary: Average user rating of icacls.exe:
based on 7 votes with 2 user comments.
4 users think icacls.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application.
One user thinks it's probably harmless.
2 users suspect danger.
Best practices for resolving icacls issues
A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with icacls. This means running a scan for malware, cleaning your hard drive using 1cleanmgr and 2sfc /scannow, 3uninstalling programs that you no longer need, checking for Autostart programs (using 4msconfig) and enabling Windows' 5Automatic Update. Always remember to perform periodic backups, or at least to set restore points.
Should you experience an actual problem, try to recall the last thing you did, or the last thing you installed before the problem appeared for the first time. Use the 6resmon command to identify the processes that are causing your problem. Even for serious problems, rather than reinstalling Windows, you are better off repairing of your installation or executing the 7DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth command. This allows you to repair the operating system without losing data.
To get your computer running as fast as it did on day one, you can 8reset your PC. Your personal files will remain intact, but any programs you installed will need to be reinstalled.
To help you analyze the icacls.exe process on your computer, the following programs have proven to be helpful: ASecurity Task Manager displays all running Windows tasks, including embedded hidden processes, such as keyboard and browser monitoring or Autostart entries. A unique security risk rating indicates the likelihood of the process being potential spyware, malware or a Trojan. A good Bantivirus software detects and removes sleeping spyware, adware, Trojans, keyloggers, malware and trackers from your hard drive.
Score
User Comments
Shane
Paull (further information)
Summary: Average user rating of icacls.exe: based on 7 votes with 2 user comments. 4 users think icacls.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. One user thinks it's probably harmless. 2 users suspect danger.