When you open the Windows Task Manager using the shortcut Ctrl-Shift-Esc, a long list of processes running on your computer opens (in Windows 10, you need to expand the view). The processes are all the activities that are working on the system and can be internal programs, applications and services. Control of the task manager is very useful for understanding what is running on the PC and, above all, for ending a process that is no longer needed and that is consuming resources unnecessarily.
The Windows task manager is quite complete in the list of processes indicating, in real time, how much CPU and how much memory they use, but it does not say anything about the safety of the various processes that can, in case of malware, perform malicious operations and which they hide from the antivirus.
It therefore takes a different program to check that processes and activities running on Windows are safe .
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1) Microsoft's Process Explorer is probably the most popular alternative to the Task Manager for Windows, the best of this list, freely downloadable in a portable version, without installation. It is a portable application that can be run from any location, which is used to check computer processes and activities in a list. Process Explorer also allows you to perform a security check for each individual process, using the VirusTotal online service. Just press the right mouse button on one of them to immediately have a judgment of integrity and safety. In a few seconds, you will be able to find out if malware is hidden behind an unknown process.
Virustotal, for those unfamiliar with it, is one of the sites that check files sent online using more than 30 antiviruses together.
2) Process Hacker is an open source program for Windows that can be downloaded in installer or portable version. With Process Hacker it is possible to control processes using three highly reliable online virus scanners (Virustotal, Jotti and Comodo). The results are displayed on the web browser.
3) AnVir Task Manager Free is a free program that proposes an adware in the installation process, to be avoided. The free version of the Task Manager provides safety assessments for each process and element that starts automatically. For unknown processes it is possible to check with Virustotal.
4) Process Explorer Security is a Glarysoft task manager that shows all the processes running when the computer starts. For each program, the name, the use of cpu and memory and, optionally, other information selectable from the View menu are displayed. The processes are evaluated by the program using an internal system which cannot be as reliable as Virustotal.
5) System Explorer allows you to perform a process safety check. In this way, you can query an online safety database to check the processes. The detection of harmful processes is based on an internal rating system, but the possibility of carrying out a check with Virustotal is also given.
6) WinUtilities Process Security specializes in the control of process security in Windows by making internal detections based on the analysis of the code and behavior.
7) Hijack Hunter is a program that thoroughly scans your computer for suspicious behavior, checking running processes, registry keys, installed drivers and rootkits.
