putty.exe is an executable file that belongs to the PuTTY suite, a free and open-source terminal emulator, serial console and network file transfer application. It was developed by Simon Tatham for the Windows platform. The software supports several network protocols, including SCP, SSH, Telnet, rlogin, and raw socket connection.
The PuTTY suite is a highly versatile tool for remote access to another computer. It's widely used by network administrators to securely access and manage systems located in remote locations. The software is particularly useful for logging into and executing commands from a remote machine, making it a valuable tool for managing web servers and other remote IT infrastructure.
PuTTY is needed when there is a requirement to remotely manage networked systems, especially in a secure manner. It's a lightweight, standalone program that doesn't require installation and can be run from a flash drive. It's also customizable, allowing users to save sessions and configurations for future use.
While PuTTY is a useful tool, it should be removed if it's not being used, to reduce the potential attack surface on a system. If the putty.exe file is located in a suspicious directory (it should typically be in C:\Users\USERNAME\Desktop or a similar user directory), it could be a sign of a malicious program disguised as the PuTTY executable. In such cases, it's advisable to remove the file and scan the system for potential threats.
Description: Putty.exe is not essential for the Windows OS and causes relatively few problems. The file putty.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder (typically C:\Users\USERNAME\Desktop\).
Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 495,616 bytes (25% of all occurrences), 531,368 bytes and 5 more variants.
Putty.exe is not a Windows system file.
Putty.exe is able to record keyboard and mouse inputs.
Therefore the technical security rating is 59% dangerous; however you should also read the user reviews.
Uninstalling this variant:
You can uninstall the program Simon Tatham or SSH, Telnet and Rlogin client, or ask the software vendor for support. Click on Simon Tatham or SSH, Telnet and Rlogin client in Windows Control Panel (Software or Programs section) to uninstall it.
If putty.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files", the security rating is 29% dangerous. The file size is 454,656 bytes (33% of all occurrences), 717,824 bytes or 524,288 bytes.
The putty.exe file is not a Windows system file.
Uninstalling this variant:
You can uninstall the program PuTTY release, or ask the software vendor for support. Click on PuTTY release in Windows Control Panel (Software or Programs section) to uninstall it.
If putty.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\, the security rating is 18% dangerous. The file size is 495,616 bytes.
The program has a visible window. The program listens for or sends data on open ports to a LAN or the Internet. The putty.exe file is not a Windows core file.
If putty.exe is located in the user's "Documents" folder, the security rating is 0% dangerous. The file size is 524,288 bytes.
Important: Some malware camouflages itself as putty.exe, particularly when located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the putty.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.
Score
User Comments
SSH Client
Its ssh program to communicate from Windows to Linux Simon Priscilla
same as telnet, just secured data transfer Attila Simon
SSH - Software
PuTTY is a cross platform terminal emulator Rich Smith
dangerously interferes with windows control interface Tomislav
Perfektes SSH/Telnet-Programm TiefDruckGebiet
A free telnet and SSH-client for Windows from Simon Tatham. Current version (as of December 2008) is 0.60 with a file-size of 454.656 bytes F. Tschernitz (further information)
Summary: Average user rating of putty.exe:
based on 17 votes with 12 user comments.
14 users think putty.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application.
2 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous.
One user thinks putty.exe is dangerous and recommends removing it.
2 users don't grade putty.exe ("not sure about it").
Best practices for resolving putty issues
A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with putty. 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 putty.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
Simon Priscilla
Oliver Henning (further information)
Dynom (further information)
Gerdazech (further information)
Attila Simon
Rich Smith
Tomislav
TiefDruckGebiet
F. Tschernitz (further information)
Patrick (further information)
Summary: Average user rating of putty.exe: based on 17 votes with 12 user comments. 14 users think putty.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 2 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. One user thinks putty.exe is dangerous and recommends removing it. 2 users don't grade putty.exe ("not sure about it").