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Unknown
Safe
User Optional
Unwanted
Spyware / Adware
Virus

More than one possible match was found; all matches are listed below in order of their prevalence. This only tells you what the file and the correct action might be.

To understand which possibility is actually running on your own system, perform an Overdrive test and then look at the Software|Processes tab.

You may find more information on this process by visiting Process Detail Pages.

Prevalence

Percentage of recently scanned PC's with this process running: 4.09%
Average CPU use for this program: 0%
Average RAM for this program: 19 MB

Identification

In addition to the file name, msnmsgr.exe, the following version information is used to identify the file. If the file does not match this information, it may be a different file. To ensure the file is absolutely correct, run a free and comprehensive scan.

To view version information with Windows Explorer, right-click the file and click Properties, Version.

Vendor or Distributor's Web Site

http://www.msn.com

PC Pitstop Analysis

MSNMSGR.EXE provides instant messaging (IM) capabilities through MSN. If you are not using this feature you should disable it to save system resources and improve performance. To temporarily disable until the next reboot, right-click the MSN Messenger icon and select Exit. To permanently disable, double-click the icon to open the application, then select Tools | Options from the menu. Under the Preferences tab, clear the check box next to "Always run this program so that I can receive alerts and messages when I am online."
Msn Messenger doesn't need be loaded with windows, you can launch it when you will use it.

msnmsgr.exe  is a user invoked program and a normal part of PC operations. No action required.

PC Pitstop recommends WinPatrol Plus for monitoring all of the background activity on your PC. WinPatrol Plus provides an easy to understand descriptions of over 15,000 processes and programs.

MD5 Hashes

MD5 hashes is the way that computers can define the uniqueness of a file. Anti malware vendors frequently use this technique to detect and clean malware. It is common for a program to have multiple MD5 hashes as the developers create newer versions of the program. For the program called msnmsgr.exe, we have detected more than 10 different MD5 hashes. Click on a hash to research the hash in Google.

Prevalence

Percentage of recently scanned PC's with this process running: 0.06%
Average CPU use for this program: 0%
Average RAM for this program: 73 MB

Identification

In addition to the file name, msnmsgr.exe, the following version information is used to identify the file. If the file does not match this information, it may be a different file. To ensure the file is absolutely correct, run a free and comprehensive scan.

To view version information with Windows Explorer, right-click the file and click Properties, Version.

PC Pitstop Analysis

msnmsgr.exe -

msnmsgr.exe  is returning insufficient information about this program.

PC Pitstop recommends WinPatrol Plus for monitoring all of the background activity on your PC. WinPatrol Plus provides an easy to understand descriptions of over 15,000 processes and programs.

Prevalence

This program has not been seen on any systems tested at PC Pitstop in the past week.

Identification

In addition to the file name, msnmsgr.exe, the following version information is used to identify the file. If the file does not match this information, it may be a different file. To ensure the file is absolutely correct, run a free and comprehensive scan.

To view version information with Windows Explorer, right-click the file and click Properties, Version.

Detailed Description and/or Removal Instructions

http://www.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/virus.aspx?id=48955

PC Pitstop Analysis

msnmsgr.exe - msnmsgr.exe file name has been used by some malware applications.
According to CA:

"Description Win32.Agobot is an IRC controlled backdoor that can be used to gain unauthorized access to a victim's machine. It can also exhibit worm-like behavior by exploiting weak passwords on administrative shares and by exploiting many different software vulnerabilities, as well as backdoors created by other malware. There are hundreds of variants of Agobot, and new variants are consistently being developed. However, their core functionality is quite consistent."

msnmsgr.exe is a VIRUS. Stop all work until the virus is removed or you run the risk of spreading the virus to other people. Worse yet, the virus may be doing harm to your computer and your information.

msnmsgr.exe is a virus and should be removed immediately to avoid doing further harm. PC Pitstop recommends PC Matic in these types of situations.

MD5 Hashes

MD5 hashes is the way that computers can define the uniqueness of a file. Anti malware vendors frequently use this technique to detect and clean malware. It is common for a program to have multiple MD5 hashes as the developers create newer versions of the program. For the program called msnmsgr.exe, we have detected more than 10 different MD5 hashes. Click on a hash to research the hash in Google.

Try a free diagnostic now

PC Pitstop is the undisputed leader in PC diagnostics. Our running process library is culled from our database of over 100 million PC diagnostics and scans.

To find the latest driver for your computer we recommend running our Free Driver Scan.

Find out how to make your computer faster by running our Free Performance Scan.

Tips from the PitCrew

Every process running on your computer takes up CPU cycles and valuable memory. For optimal PC performance and resource utilization, you should be aware of every process on your computer. PC Pitstop designed this process library to help you know which processes are worthwhile and others that slow system performance.

Important Note

A file name alone may not be enough for positive identification. PC Pitstop's Overdrive tests and spyware scan use information such as the company name, product name, or install directory.

If you are unable to identify a file, ask about it in our forums after running our full tests.