When you buy a new computer or install a fresh copy of Windows XP and Windows Vista, you will notice that your system is running pretty well even if your hardware specs aren’t that great. Things start to slow down as you install more programs whether it is 3rd party software or applications made by Microsoft. If you check your task manager, you might notice a file named msmpeng.exe which looks like a pretty bad file.
About the msmpeng.exe Process
If you have msmpeng.exe running in the background then you have either Windows Defender or Windows Live OneCare installed in your computer. In most cases, the software responsible is Windows Defender. Both of these programs are made to protect the computer from spyware and other malicious attacks. The actual file msmpeng.exe is the Windows service which launches at startup. Microsoft is also planning to make a new anti-malware application that will replace Windows Live OneCare. It is unknown if this process will still be used.
Malware Status
msmpeng.exe is by no means a malware and in fact is designed to rather fight malware instead. Because it is such an important process serving as a first-line defense against malware, other malware take advantage and try to operate under a filename that is similar, but misspelled. Be on the lookout for those and check the location of the file. A legitimate msmpeng.exe should be located in the Windows Defender or Live OneCare folder.
When Not Running
msmpeng.exe is a system process and therefore should be stopped through the settings of the software. This process is not required for Windows and other applications to run properly. Closing this process will free up a considerable amount of RAM, but it makes you wide open for attacks unless you use another anti-malware solution. Leave it running unless you find a suitable replacement.
When Problems Arise
There will be times that when so much is detected, that the memory consumption can go really high causing your computer to slow down significantly unless you have lots of RAM. To fix these memory problems, simply restart the computer or the Windows Defender service.
Fixing Problems
Viruses and malware love to target the anti-malware programs first so they can continue to deliver payloads without interruption. Even if you still see the process loaded, it may not be performing and detecting problems. Use other malware scanners or registry scanners to suppress the spyware and virus activity so you can reinstall Windows Defender or Live OneCare without problems. Install the latest updates too so you are prepared for any future attacks.
Even if you have Windows Defender running, it is recommended to have a virus scanner or registry monitor to make sure that your Windows Defender is actively doing what it is supposed to be doing. Your protection from malware will also be increased at the cost of memory consumption. If you don’t want to go through the trouble of closing processes, simply uninstall Windows Defender or Live OneCare to eliminate the process entirely.