Windows Operating System (OS) combines processes, services, utilities, and applications. While the processes and services run in the background, you see the applications functioning through the user interface of the operating system. The processes and services in the background are critical for the proper functioning of the operating system.
One such background Windows system process is Unsecapp.exe. However, the name of the technique is a little unnerving. For this reason, many people are concerned about the safety of Unsecapp.exe.
Is Unsecapp.exe safe to retain or do you need to uninstall it from your computer? We’ll answer these questions and more in this post.
What Is Unsecapp.exe?
Unsecapp is a short form for Universal Sink To Receive Callback from Application. It is a core component of the Windows operating system, and it is a part of Windows Management Instrumentation(WMI).
It is widely used by all the applications that use WMI programming. It is a method to receive asynchronous callbacks from WMI applications, and it is essential for working with several services and drivers in the background.
The complete working of the Unsecapp process is complex and technical. Windows uses the process to understand and respond to requests from WMI client applications.
Therefore, it essentially acts as a middleman between certain services and applications and Windows so that Windows can understand the requests from these applications and respond with proper instructions.
For example, you have installed an app on Windows, and the app wants to show notifications on the taskbar’s notification area. The app will send a call or request to Windows through Unsecapp, and Windows will send a response through Unsecapp to the app to show the notification on the taskbar.
This type of interaction through Unsecapp goes on all the time and hence, it constantly runs in the background. Therefore, you can spot the process in Windows Task Manager.
Is Unsecapp.exe Safe?
Anything that comes pre-installed with the Windows operating system is safe. Unsecapp.exe is a system file, and it is an essential part of the Windows operating system. Its presence is critical for the proper functioning of the services, applications, and operating system as a whole.
In fact, you can locate the file on your Windows computer in C:\Windows\System32\wbem folder. You can also open the file location from Task Manager.
However, many raise doubts about Unsecapp.exe due to its nomenclature. Its name is a short form as we have already stated and somehow, the short form has an ominous sound to it coincidentally. As long as the file is located inside wbem folder as we have stated, it is perfectly safe.
However, there could be malware with the same name as Unsecapp.exe. You can identify it as a malware file by checking its file location. If the location is not C:\Windows\System32\wbem, it is very likely harmful. In that case, you have to remove it instantly.
How To Remove Unsecapp.exe?
The Real Unsecapp.exe – You cannot remove the authentic Unsecapp.exe file Windows. Besides, you should not even try to remove the real Unsecapp.exe file. This is because it is essential for properly functioning the Windows operating system.
If you somehow remove the original Unsecapp.exe file, some services and applications may start malfunctioning and you can get error messages. You can stop the process but cannot remove the file. Even when you forcefully stop the process, Windows may also start malfunctioning.
The Fake Unsecapp.exe – When you open Task Manager and you spot more than one Unsecapp.exe running in the background, this means there is one real Unsecapp.exe, and the other one is a fake Unsecapp.exe. The fake Unsecapp.exe is more likely to be malware.
The reason malware uses the Unsecapp.exe name is that the anti-virus applications cannot detect or ignore the file considering it as a system file. Here are the steps to remove the fake Unsecapp.exe file that is harmful to your computer.
1. Open Windows Task Manager and go to Processes and even Details tab.
2. Under the Processes/Details tab, if you find more than one Unsecapp.exe file, right-click on the files and click on the ‘Open File Location’ option.
3. If the Unsecapp.exe file is located in “C:\Windows\System32\wbem” folder, it is the real Unsecapp.exe file, you should not try to remove it.
If the Unsecapp.exe file is located in any other location, it is a fake and harmful Unsecapp.exe file, and you need to delete it. You can delete the file manually, and in most cases, you may not be able to delete it.
Even if you delete it manually, it may have a duplicate copy in some other location, and therefore, you will still find it under Processes in Task Manager. Therefore, removing the harmful Unsecapp.exe malware file manually may not be effective.
To eradicate the malware, you will need a malware scanner and remover. You can use a third-party malware scanner, but if you do not want a third-party malware remover, we suggest you use Windows Security app, which was previously called Windows Defender. Here are the steps to follow.
1. Right-click on the Start button and select Settings from the menu.
2. From Settings, go to Update & Security > Windows Security tab. Click on the Open Windows Security button. This will open the Windows Security app.
3. Go to Virus & threat protection tab, click on Scan options.
4. Select the Microsoft Defender Offline scan option to detect tricky malware like the fake Unsecapp.exe file.
5. Finally, click the Scan Now button and wait patiently for it to detect the fake Unsecapp.exe file and remove it automatically. After removal, your computer will get restarted and you can go back to Task Manager and see if Unsecapp.exe exists only once.
Final Words
Unsecapp.exe is a system file and an integral part of the Windows operating system. Unsecapp.exe file is a background process that helps certain processes and applications to interact with Windows to gain access to certain Windows functions.
The real Unsecapp.exe file is safe and mandatory for Windows to function properly. However, there could be a fake Unsecapp.exe file disguised as malware, and it can harm your computer, which you need to remove immediately.
