pssuspend.exe

Sysinternals PsTools - PsSuspend

Command-Line UtilitySafeSysinternals Tool

CPU Usage

0-4%

Memory

2-12 MB

Location

C:\Sysinternals\PsTools

Publisher

Microsoft Corporation

Quick Answer

pssuspend.exe is safe. It is part of the Sysinternals PsTools suite used to suspend a running process temporarily for debugging, maintenance, or incident response.

Is it a Virus?

✔ NO - Safe

Must be from a legitimate PsTools distribution in C:\Sysinternals\PsTools or C:\Program Files\Sysinternals\PsTools

Warning

Possible misuse

Only suspend processes you own or have authorization to manage. Misuse can cause service disruption.

Can I Disable?

✔ YES

Do not run unless you need to suspend a process; there is no background service to disable.

What is pssuspend.exe?

pssuspend.exe is a Sysinternals PsTools command-line utility that temporarily suspends a target process on Windows. It pauses all threads of the specified process, preventing execution without terminating it, which is useful for debugging or maintenance during live operations.

pssuspend.exe operates by attaching to the target process and incrementing its suspend count, halting all threads. It is typically executed from an elevated command prompt and accepts a PID or image name, with a resume option (-r) to restore normal execution.

Quick Fact: PsSuspend is part of the PsTools suite by Sysinternals, now distributed under Microsoft. It is commonly used for controlled suspensions during incident response or debugging sessions.

Types of PsSuspend Usage

Manual Suspension: Suspend a targeted process for debugging or performance testing
Incident Response: Pause suspect processes during security investigations
Maintenance Windows: Temporarily suspend non-critical services during updates
Automation Scripts: Integrate with scripts to pause/resume via Task Scheduler or CI pipelines
Remote Administration: Pause processes on remote hosts through administrative tooling
Development Testing: Test system behavior when a key process is suspended

Is pssuspend.exe Safe?

Yes, pssuspend.exe is safe when obtained from official Sysinternals/Microsoft sources (e.g., C:\Sysinternals\PsTools) and used with proper authorization.

Is pssuspend.exe a Virus or Malware?

The real pssuspend.exe is NOT a virus. Malware may impersonate it; verify the file location and signature before use.

How to Tell if pssuspend.exe is Legitimate or Malware

File Location: Must be in C:\Sysinternals\PsTools\pssuspend.exe or C:\Program Files\Sysinternals\PsTools\pssuspend.exe. Any other path is suspicious.
Digital Signature: Right-click the file in Explorer > Properties > Digital Signatures. Should show signer as "Microsoft Corporation" or "Sysinternals" with a valid timestamp.
Resource Usage: Normal operation uses minimal CPU and memory; abnormal usage when idle may indicate misuse.
Behavior: pssuspend should only run when explicitly invoked by an admin or script. Unexpected background activity or autostart is suspicious.

Red Flags: If pssuspend.exe is found outside of the PsTools folder, lacks a valid signature, or runs without user action, scan with antivirus and verify integrity against the official Sysinternals release.

Why Is pssuspend.exe Running on My PC?

pssuspend.exe runs when an administrator or automation script invokes a suspend operation on a target process. It does not stay running in the background unless a script keeps it active or a command is in progress.

Reasons it's running:

Active Suspension Command: An admin or script explicitly suspended a process to pause its threads for debugging or maintenance.
Automated Incident Response: Security or IT tooling may suspend processes as part of a containment or forensic workflow.
Maintenance Window: A scheduled task uses pssuspend to pause non-essential services during updates.
Remote Administration: Remote management sessions may invoke pssuspend on a target host as part of a task set.
Development/Testing: Developers may suspend a process to observe system behavior under paused conditions.

Can I Disable or Remove pssuspend.exe?

Yes, you can disable usage of pssuspend.exe. It is a tool, not a background service. You can remove the PsTools package if you no longer need it, or restrict its execution via group policy and execution auditing.

How to Stop Using pssuspend.exe

Remove PsTools: Uninstall or delete the PsTools directory (e.g., C:\Sysinternals\PsTools or C:\Program Files\Sysinternals\PsTools).
Disable Startup Usage: If a startup script calls pssuspend, remove or disable the script.
Set Execution Policies: Enforce software restriction policies or AppLocker to block PsTools executables.
Monitor & Audit: Enable process creation auditing to detect any unauthorized invocation of pssuspend.exe.
Use Alternatives: If suspending is required, consider safer, auditable approaches or sanctioned admin tools.

How to Uninstall PsTools (pssuspend.exe)

✔ Open Settings > Apps > Apps & Features > PsTools (Sysinternals) > Uninstall
✔ Delete the PsTools folder from C:\Sysinternals\PsTools or C:\Program Files\Sysinternals\PsTools
✔ Optionally remove any related environment PATH entries

Common Problems: Suspending and Resuming

If pssuspend.exe behaves unexpectedly, such as failing to suspend or failing to resume, consider these common causes and fixes.

Common Causes & Solutions

Not running with elevated permissions: Run cmd or PowerShell as Administrator and re-execute pssuspend with appropriate arguments.
Target process is protected or immune: Some system processes cannot be suspended. Verify target and permissions.
Incorrect target (PID or image name): Ensure you provide a valid PID or image name; confirm with tasklist or Get-Process.
PsTools not installed or path not in environment: Install PsTools or reference the full path, e.g., C:\Sysinternals\ PsTools\pssuspend.exe
Conflict with security software: Temporarily whitelist pssuspend.exe or run from an approved admin console.
Mismatched 32/64-bit context: Use the correct PsTools binary for your OS architecture and target process.

Quick Fixes:
1. Open an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell
2. Verify PsTools path exists: dir C:\Sysinternals\PsTools
3. Suspend a process: pssuspend.exe <PID> or pssuspend.exe <ImageName>
4. Resume a process: pssuspend.exe -r <PID>
5. Check for updates: download latest PsTools from Microsoft Sysinternals site

Frequently Asked Questions

Is pssuspend.exe safe to run on a production system?

Yes, when obtained from official Sysinternals distribution and used with proper authorization. Do not suspend critical system processes unless required by troubleshooting.

How do I use pssuspend.exe to suspend a process by PID?

Open an elevated prompt and run: pssuspend.exe <PID>. To resume later, use pssuspend.exe -r <PID>.

Can I suspend multiple processes at once?

Yes, you can suspend processes individually in sequence or via a script loop that calls pssuspend.exe for each target PID or image name.

What happens if a suspended process is a service?

Suspending a service can pause its worker threads, potentially affecting functionality. Exercise caution and resume promptly when debugging is complete.

Where can I download pssuspend.exe?

From the official Sysinternals PsTools package: https://docs.microsoft.com/sysinternals/downloads/pssuspend. Ensure you download the full PsTools suite and verify the signature.

Do I need admin rights to run pssuspend.exe?

Yes, elevated privileges are typically required to suspend arbitrary processes, especially those started by other users or protected by OS security.