The genuine WmiPrvSE.exe file is a software component of Microsoft Windows Management Instrumentation by Microsoft Corporation. "WmiPrvSE.exe" is Microsoft's Provider Host Service for Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). It resides in the "WBEM" subdirectory of "C:\Windows\System32". It is a core Windows system file and cannot be uninstalled. Multiple instances of it can run at a time, each being a "host" implementing a WMI "provider" routine. Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) is a standard by the Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) which is implemented in Windows as WMI, (a set of extensions to the Windows Driver Model), so that Windows servers and workstations can belong to enterprise networks which use remote infrastructure monitoring and control applications conforming to WBEM and the Common Information Model (CIM). A WMI "provider" routine collects and transmits information to the monitoring application about performance of a process or subsystem. If this name exists outside "C:\Windows\System32\WBEM", it is probably disguised malware. Microsoft is a multinational technology company headquartered in Redmond, WA, USA.
WMIPrvSe stands for Windows Management Instrumentation Provider Host Service
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 WmiPrvSE.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 WmiPrvSE.exe from Microsoft is an important part of Windows, but often causes problems. WmiPrvSE.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows\System32—common is C:\Windows\System32\wbem\.
Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 257,536 bytes (32% of all occurrences), 418,304 bytes and 38 more variants.
The file is a Windows system file. The program is not visible. WmiPrvSE.exe is a trustworthy file from Microsoft.
Therefore the technical security rating is 5% dangerous, but you should also take into account the user reviews.
Is WmiPrvSE.exe a virus? No, it is not. The true WmiPrvSE.exe file is a safe Microsoft Windows system process, called "WMI Component".
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 e.g. PUA:Win32/Presenoker or Virus:Win32/Virut.BO (detected by Microsoft), and HEUR:Trojan.Win32.Generic or Trojan.Win32.CoinMiner.pej (detected by Kaspersky).
To ensure that no rogue WmiPrvSE.exe is running on your PC, click here to run a Free Virus Scan.
How to recognize suspicious variants?
If WmiPrvSE.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\Windows, the security rating is 8% dangerous. The file size is 257,536 bytes (28% of all occurrences), 418,304 bytes and 26 more variants.
The program is not visible. The WmiPrvSE.exe file is a trustworthy file from Microsoft.
If WmiPrvSE.exe is located in a subfolder of "C:\Program Files", the security rating is 84% dangerous. The file size is 120,232 bytes (55% of all occurrences), 6,537,232 bytes and 12 more variants.
It is not a Windows system file. The program is not visible. The application uses ports to connect to or from a LAN or the Internet. The file is digitally signed.
WmiPrvSE.exe appears to be a compressed file.
If WmiPrvSE.exe is located in a subfolder of the user's profile folder, the security rating is 64% dangerous. The file size is 580,608 bytes (40% of all occurrences), 580,096 bytes, 169,472 bytes or 10,620,176 bytes.
If WmiPrvSE.exe is located in a subfolder of C:\, the security rating is 67% dangerous. The file size is 2,112,000 bytes (50% of all occurrences) or 1,889,280 bytes.
"Kernel_check" definitely not required. Added by the SONEBOT-B WORM!
Important: Some malware camouflages itself as WmiPrvSE.exe, particularly when located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the WmiPrvSE.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
WMI, short for Windows Management Instrumentation, is a feature that allows other processes to request information about your Windows system. It will give out information when prompted. Steven (further information)
takes up to much cpu
It's an essential part of the OS that is used for application management and installation. Critical for Windows 8/10. Norton and McCafee commonly find this as a virus on Windows 8/10 and will destroy the OS by blocking it.
i take ownership of file and rename 1WmiPrvSE.exe and the cpu usage back to normal lehur
Kaspersky Internet Security update in mid July 2015 started blocking WmiPrvSE.exe because it is trying to "Read memory from other processes". Seems to happen most frequently when CrashPlan tries to backup files to an external USB drive. Barry
Norton Antivirus.exe is reporting that it is being attacked by WmiPrvSe SantaMaria
C:\Windows\winsxs\wow64_microsoft-windows-wmi-core-providerhost_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_76ac5a84d976d269 It's here in this and other location...
W32/Sonebot-B drops a copy of itself to the Windows System32 folder with the filename WMIPRVSE.EXE See also: Link tarence Jan
Summary: Average user rating of WmiPrvSE.exe:
based on 529 votes with 9 user comments.
215 users think WmiPrvSE.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application.
29 users think it's probably harmless.
106 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous.
81 users suspect danger.
98 users think WmiPrvSE.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it.
68 users don't grade WmiPrvSE.exe ("not sure about it").
Best practices for resolving WmiPrvSE issues
A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with WmiPrvSE. 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 WmiPrvSE.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
Steven (further information)
lehur
Barry
SantaMaria
Jan
(further information)
Summary: Average user rating of WmiPrvSE.exe: based on 529 votes with 9 user comments. 215 users think WmiPrvSE.exe is essential for Windows or an installed application. 29 users think it's probably harmless. 106 users think it's neither essential nor dangerous. 81 users suspect danger. 98 users think WmiPrvSE.exe is dangerous and recommend removing it. 68 users don't grade WmiPrvSE.exe ("not sure about it").