What is services.exe?

Services.exe file information

The process known as Services and Controller app or Skype or sysconfig or CyberBilling New Protector or Virtual (version PC 2007) or Console Manager or Application Compatibility Database Installer or Microsoft OneDrive

belongs to software Microsoft Windows Operating System or Microsoft Virtual (version PC 2007) or Operacní systém Microsoft Windows or Server.exe or CyberBilling Professional or Microsoft OneDrive or CyberBilling Protection service or Skype

by Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) or CaesarSOFT or Skype Software Sarl or Spytech Software and Design or Skype Technologies S.A (www.skype.com) or lolMiner.

Description: The original services.exe from Microsoft is an important part of Windows, but often causes problems. The services.exe file is located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder. Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 110,592 bytes (41% of all occurrences), 259,072 bytes and 20 more variants.  
The process runs as service, and the service name is Eventlog.
The program is not visible. The file is a Microsoft signed file. Therefore the technical security rating is 12% dangerous; however you should also read the user reviews.

Recommended: Identify services.exe related errors

Viruses with the same file name

Is services.exe a virus? No, it is not. The true services.exe file is a safe Microsoft Windows system process, called "Services and Controller app". 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 Trojan.Gen or Remacc.Radmin (detected by Symantec), and TROJ_SPNR.30DJ12 or TROJ_SPNR.03CG11 (detected by TrendMicro).
To ensure that no rogue services.exe is running on your PC, click here to run a Free Virus Scan.

How to recognize suspicious variants?

• If services.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder, the security rating is 67% dangerous. The file size is 4,480,000 bytes (6% of all occurrences), 2,095,104 bytes and 26 more variants. The services.exe file is not a Windows system file. The software has no file description. The program is not visible. Services.exe is able to monitor applications and manipulate other programs.
• If services.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files", the security rating is 69% dangerous. The file size is 69,632 bytes (14% of all occurrences), 5,592,064 bytes and 14 more variants. Services.exe is not a Windows core file. There is no file information. The program is not visible. Services.exe is able to manipulate other programs, record keyboard and mouse inputs and monitor applications.
• If services.exe is located in the C:\Windows folder, the security rating is 82% dangerous. The file size is 350,764 bytes (30% of all occurrences), 5,541,874 bytes and 7 more variants.
• If services.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows, the security rating is 73% dangerous. The file size is 65,536 bytes (20% of all occurrences), 1,766,912 bytes and 7 more variants.
• If services.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\, the security rating is 56% dangerous. The file size is 64,000 bytes (40% of all occurrences), 1,587,672 bytes, 60,416 bytes or 11,419,288 bytes.
• If services.exe is located in the Windows folder for temporary files, the security rating is 85% dangerous. The file size is 162,816 bytes (25% of all occurrences), 2,499,584 bytes, 118,784 bytes or 2,661,888 bytes.
• If services.exe is located in a subfolder of Windows folder for temporary files, the security rating is 72% dangerous. The file size is 2,754,560 bytes (33% of all occurrences), 430,592 bytes or 5,910,528 bytes.
• If services.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows\System32, the security rating is 72% dangerous. The file size is 90,112 bytes.
• If services.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's "Documents" folder, the security rating is 64% dangerous. The file size is 1,112,576 bytes.

External information from Paul Collins:
There are different files with the same name:

• "FriendlyTypeName" definitely not required. Added by the NEVEG.B or NEVEG.C WORMS! Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup!
• "golumm" definitely not required. CoolWebSearch parasite variant. Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup!
• "Microsoft Services" definitely not required. Added by the ALETS TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup!
• "Microsoft Visual SourceSafe" definitely not required. Added by the NEVEG.B or NEVEG.C WORMS!. Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup or the Microsoft Visual SourceSafe program
• "MSOffice" definitely not required.
• "RPCserv32" definitely not required. Added by the MYDOOM.AL WORM! Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup!
• "Service" definitely not required. Added by the NETSKY or NETSKY.B WORMS! Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process which should NOT appear in Msconfig/Startup!
• "Service" definitely not required. Added by the NETSKY or NETSKY.B WORMS! Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup!
• "Services" definitely not required. Added by a number of VIRUSES, WORMS and TROJANS! Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process which should NOT appear in Msconfig/Startup!
• "Services Logon" definitely not required. Added by the CROWT.A WORM! Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup!
• "Services Process" definitely not required. Added by unidentified spyware - recognized by Kaspersky antivirus as Small.X TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup!
• "Services.EXE" definitely not required. Added by the KAZPING WORM! Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process which should NOT appear in Msconfig/Startup!
• "sysinit" definitely not required. Added by the NEWLFRM-A TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup!
• "System Update2" definitely not required. Added by the AUTOTROJ-C TROJAN!
• "Xpsystem" definitely not required. Added by the DAEMOZ.A TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process which should NOT appear in Msconfig/Startup!
• "xp_system" definitely not required. Added by the KREPPER-G TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup!

Important: Some malware disguises itself as services.exe, particularly when not located in the C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the services.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.