Resources by Tag

Windows operating systems have many dynamic linked libraries that are used by different applications. The DLL files are an essential part of the Windows operating system. For example, applications take less space by using DLLs and are not required to write the same code repeatedly.

If you have been using Windows for some time and regularly access the Task Manager, you might have seen rundll2.exe as one of the processes. Many users are not aware of what the file does and which process uses it. As a result, they may think rundll32.exe is a threat to their PC — but that’s not the case.

Having said that, malware programs often disguise themselves as genuine programs and files. And it is not unheard of malware programs masquerading as rundll32.exe, so it pays to be a little extra careful.

Which raises an important question — how can you ensure if the rundll32.exe running on your computer is genuine?

Continue reading to learn what rundll32.exe does, how to ensure it is not a virus, and a bonus tip to keep your Windows computer in a great shape.

What is rundll32.exe?

As mentioned earlier it is a dynamic linking library used by several applications. By default, it resides in the system32 folder in your C drive. Though it is an executable, you cannot launch it by double-clicking the file. The rundll32.exe contains routines needed by Windows operating system and you will find it in the Task Manager most of the time. If you want to know which applications are using rundll32.exe, follow the steps given below.

• Press the Windows logo key on your keyboard and type cmd in the search bar
• From the list of results, right-click command prompt and select
  Run as administrator.

• In the command prompt window, type the following command
• tasklist /m /fi “imagename eq rundll32.exe”

• Hit enter on your keyboard
• You will see a list of applications or Windows services is using rundll32.exe. If you suspect any malicious program using rundll32.exe, you can locate the program file and delete it.

Alternatively, you can also use Microsoft’s Process Explorer utility to find which applications or services are using rundll32.exe. Here are the steps to follow:

• Download process explorer utility from the Microsoft website
• The program is available in a zip folder. Unzip the folder and click on process explorer.exe to run the program
• In the Process Explorer window, click File
• Next, click Show Details for All Processes. It will show all processes running on your Windows computer with details

How to ensure the rundll32.exe is not a virus?

Check the file’s location to determine whether it is a virus or no. As said earlier, the rundll32.exe is executed by the system and its default location is the system32 folder. If the rundll32.exe is located in any other place, there is a good chance it is a virus.

Here are the steps to find the location of the rundll32.exe program:

• Open Task Manager and go to the Processes tab.

There may be more than one instance of rundll32.exe running on your computer. You need to find the file location of each one by the steps given below

• Right-click on rundll32.exe in the processes list

• Click Open File Location.

• Windows OS will open the folder where the rundll32.exe is located.

If the folder is system32, there is no reason to worry. If the file location is some user folder, there is a probability your computer is infected with a virus. In that case, you need to update your antivirus and scan your PC to remove virus infection.

Keep your device drivers up-to-date

Is your computer running slow? Does it hang often> Are you repeatedly encountering issues and errors while working on your Windows 10 computer?

The most common cause of these problems is out-of-date device drivers. While you can update them manually, the process is time-consuming and requires a certain level of technical know-how. If you are lacking in either or don’t want to go through all the hoops entailed in the manual driver update process, use a reliable and advanced driver update software.

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

• You can update device drivers automatically
• The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
• The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
• Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

 

Start Download

 

Rundll32.exe is a common process running on your windows computer. If you are curious about it or if you are wondering whether it is harmful or not, this post is just for you.

In this post, we provide all relevant information about rundll32.exe that you need. By the time you finish reading, you’ll have the right answers to questions like:

• What is rundll32.exe?
• Why are they running in the background?
• Are they harmful to your system?

What is rundll32.exe?

If you have been using Windows for a long time, you must have seen hundreds/thousands of dll files in every application folder. The dll files are used to store pieces of application logic that can be accessed by different applications.

Since there is no way to directly launch DLL file, the system uses the rundll32.exe program to launch DLL files. The Rundll32.exe is a command line utility program that is responsible for running dynamic linked libraries (DLLs) and placing its libraries in the memory.

The rundll32.exe process is invoked by a function that is exported from a specific 64-bit or 32-bit DLL module. Though the rundll32.exe is a system process, malicious programs can use the name rundll32.exe to disguise their process to escape visual detection of the user.

To ensure that no malicious program is using rundll32.exe for backdoor entry, you need to access the Task Manager and find out the programs that are related to different rundll32.exe processes in the Processes tab. Here are the steps to follow.

• Press Windows logo key and type cmd in the search box
• Click Command Prompt from the list of results

• In the command prompt window, type tasklist /m /fi “imagename eq rundll32.exe” and press Enter

• You will see the list of programs/services that are run by the exe program. If you find anything suspicious, you can locate the program in the system folder and delete it.

How to ensure the rundll32.exe is not a threat to your Window system?

As mentioned earlier, spyware and malware can use the rundll32.exe as a cover to prevent raising an alarm in user’s mind.

Before deleting any suspicious you need to ensure your fears are not misplaced.

Here are the steps you need to follow to find out information about rundll32.exe.

• Right-click taskbar to open the Start menu and click Task Manager from the list

• In the Windows Task Manager window, click Processes Here you will be able to see the different rundll32.exe processes running in the background.

• Right-click on any rundll32.exe process and click Open file location

• The above action should take you to following location C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe.

• if any other folder opens, it could be malicious program disguised as rundll32.exe

Many times malicious programs use different instances of rundll32.exe and you might see processes with names such as rundl132.exe. If you notice closely the last “l” alphabet is replaced by “1”. This trick is generally used to avoid visual detection and give the user an impression that there is nothing wrong with the rundll32.exe file.

What should you do if the rundll32.exe is a virus?

Getting rid of a virus is not easy and many times deleting folders of the program won’t help. In some cases, you won’t be able to delete the malicious program folder. The solution to this problem is updating virus definitions of your anti-virus and running a complete scan to get rid of viruses or malicious programs disguising as rundll32.exe