certutil.exe

What is certutil.exe?

certutil.exe is a built-in Windows command-line tool used to manage certificates, certificate authorities, and PKI data. It supports operations like -store, -viewstore, -addstore, -delstore, and -verify. It can export/import certificates, generate CRLs, and verify trust chains, typically used by IT admins during deployments and maintenance.

certutil is a robust, scriptable certificate utility that performs cryptographic tasks, interacts with Windows certificate stores and PKI infrastructure via CLI options, enabling automation and policy enforcement.

Types of certutil Processes

• CLI Invocation: Direct command-line usage from a terminal or script
• Background Service Task: Runs as part of scheduled tasks or system maintenance to verify or update cert stores
• Enrollment and Renewal Tasks: Bulk enrollments or renewals via -enroll, -verify, -revoke
• Certificate Store Interaction: Interacts with MY, ROOT, CA, TRUSTEDCERTIFICATE stores
• CRL and OCSP Handling: Fetches CRLs and verifies certificate revocation status
• Enterprise PKI Automation: Used in enterprise toolchains for policy deployment and PKI health checks

Is certutil.exe Safe?

Yes, certutil.exe is safe when it's the legitimate file from Microsoft located in the Windows System32 or SysWOW64 directory.

Is certutil.exe a Virus or Malware?

The real certutil.exe is NOT a virus. However, malware can mimic names to mislead users.

How to Tell if certutil.exe is Legitimate or Malware

1. File Location: Must be in C:\Windows\System32\certutil.exe or C:\Windows\SysWOW64\certutil.exe. Any certutil.exe elsewhere is suspicious.
2. Digital Signature: Right-click certutil.exe in File Explorer > Properties > Digital Signatures. Should show a signature from "Microsoft Windows".
3. Resource Usage: Normal usage is minimal unless performing certificate tasks. High idle CPU is suspicious.
4. Behavior: certutil.exe should run in response to an explicit certificate task or a scheduled PKI operation.

Why Is certutil.exe Running on My PC?

certutil.exe runs when Windows or applications perform certificate operations, verify trust chains, or manage stores. It may be invoked by system components, enterprise tools, or admin scripts.

Reasons it's running:

• Active Certificate Maintenance: You're performing enrollment, renewal, or verification tasks; certutil handles these operations.
• Automatic Certificate Validation: System components periodically verify certificate validity on startup or network access.
• Scheduled Tasks and Services: Group Policy updates, PKI health checks, or backup tasks trigger certutil due to policy automation.
• Deployment and Scripting: Admins run scripts to import/export certificates during software deployments or server configuration.
• Security and Compliance Scans: Some security tools invoke certutil to verify certificate chains or enforce PKI compliance.

Can I Disable or Remove certutil.exe?

Yes, you can disable certutil.exe. It is safe to restrict or control access if certificate tasks are not needed on a system.

How to Stop certutil.exe

• End Individual Tasks: Identify relevant processes with Task Manager and stop specific certutil.exe instances
• Disable Startup: Use Task Manager → Startup tab to disable any scheduled certificate tasks that invoke certutil
• Policy-Based Restriction: Apply AppLocker or Software Restriction Policies to block certutil.exe for non-admin users
• Modify Permissions: Tighten ACLs on C:\Windows\System32\certutil.exe to prevent unauthorized execution
• Audit and Remove from PATH: If not needed, remove certutil.exe usage from scripts and ensure PATH does not rely on it

How to Uninstall certutil.exe

• ✔ certutil.exe is a built-in Windows tool and cannot be uninstalled separately. To restrict usage, use system policies or remove associated certificate management software.
• ✔ If you remove PKI components or disable certificate enrollment services, be aware of potential impact on trusted certificates and OS updates.
• ✔ Consider alternative tools: OpenSSL or your enterprise PKI management suite if certificate operations are required in your environment.

Common Problems: High CPU or Memory Usage

If certutil.exe is consuming excessive resources:

Common Causes & Solutions

• Multiple certificate operations running concurrently: Review active processes and pause or sequence tasks; use certutil per-script instead of parallel invocations
• Invalid or heavy certificate enrollment scripts: Check scripts for loops; validate command syntax and reduce frequency of enrollment attempts
• Corrupted certificate store: Repair or rebuild stores using certutil -repairstore and verify with certutil -verify -store
• Expired or invalid certificates in the store: Renew or replace certificates and remove deprecated ones from stores
• Malicious activity abusing certutil: Run a full malware scan, restrict access with AppLocker, and review PKI-related policy settings
• Permissions or UAC restrictions: Run as Administrator when performing legitimate tasks; adjust ACLs if needed

Related Processes