Users who use ESET products like ESET Smart Security Suite Kernel Service or other products often complain of a process, called ekrn.exe, consuming high CPU resources regularly.

The Ekrn.exe file is an important part of ESET Smart Security Suite Kernel Service, ESET NOD32 Antivirus, and some other ESET security products. Its’ main function is to transfer data on behalf of the installed ESET security program. In addition, it is also responsible for scanning files that you download from the Internet.

Cause of high CPU usage

The exact cause of ekrn.exe high CPU usage is not known. It is suspected that this issue may arise if the ESET product is not up-to-date. The issue may also occur if you are using Windows Vista and have installed Comodo Firewall version 3.014 on it.

Fix high CPU usage

Depending on the cause of the error, you can fix it by updating your ESET security product or upgrading to Comodo Firewall version 3.015.

In case these steps do not fix the issue and high CPU consumption of ekrn.exe is causing too many problems, you are recommended to replace ESET security tool with some other reliable, light security tool. For instance, if you use ESET NOD32, replace it with another reliable antivirus tool which does not consume a lot of space.