spidernt.exe

What is spidernt.exe?

spidernt.exe is the core crawler executable for Invicti Netsparker's SpiderNT component. It drives site-wide crawling by discovering pages, links, and assets to build a map of the target site for vulnerability assessment. It runs as part of the scanner suite and communicates with the controller.

This process uses a multi-threaded crawler architecture to fetch pages, parse links, and queue subsequent requests. It respects crawl settings, limits per-domain requests, and reports findings back to the main scanner controller for risk assessment and reporting.

Types of SpiderNT Processes

• Controller Process: Main UI/orchestrator that coordinates crawling and scanning tasks
• Crawler Process: Worker that fetches pages per domain and queueing discovered links
• Parser Process: HTML/JS parser extracting links, forms, and assets
• Network Process: HTTP request/response handling with throttling and retries
• Dispatcher Process: Task scheduling and domain-level crawl management
• Utility Process: Background tasks such as reporting and result aggregation

Is spidernt.exe Safe?

Yes, spidernt.exe is safe when it's the legitimate file from Invicti, downloaded from official sources (Invicti.com or Netsparker installer).

Is spidernt.exe a Virus or Malware?

The real spidernt.exe is NOT a virus. Malware can imitate names, so verify origin and signature.

How to Tell if spidernt.exe is Legitimate or Malware

1. File Location: Must be in C:\Program Files\Invicti\SpiderNT\spidernt.exe or C:\Program Files (x86)\Invicti\SpiderNT\spidernt.exe. Any other location is suspicious.
2. Digital Signature: Right-click spidernt.exe -> Properties -> Digital Signatures. Should show signer "Invicti Security, Inc.".
3. Resource Usage: Normal usage is 2-15% CPU per crawler thread, 50-300 MB total memory. Abnormally high usage outside scans is suspicious.
4. Behavior: Should run only when a scan or crawl is active within Invicti Netsparker. Background activity outside scans indicates malware.

Why Is spidernt.exe Running on My PC?

spidernt.exe runs when Invicti Netsparker is actively scanning or when a scheduled crawl is configured to run in the background. It is part of the site enumeration phase of a vulnerability assessment.

Reasons it's running:

• Active Scan in Progress: An ongoing crawl maps the site as part of a vulnerability assessment, spawning spidernt.exe instances as needed.
• Scheduled or Background Crawling: Automated crawls for periodic assessments run spidernt.exe in the background to keep findings up to date.
• Startup or Service Mode: Invicti/Netsparker may be configured to launch at Windows startup to monitor job queues.
• Parallel Crawling: Multiple per-domain workers speed up site mapping by running concurrent spiders.
• Background Data Sync: Crawler components report results to the central server and update reports even while the UI is idle.

Can I Disable or Remove spidernt.exe?

Yes, you can disable spidernt.exe. It's safe to pause or stop crawls; to remove it, uninstall Invicti Netsparker or disable startup.

How to Stop spidernt.exe

• Pause or Stop Scan: In Invicti Netsparker, click Stop Scan or Pause Scan to halt crawling tasks.
• Close Application: Exit Invicti Netsparker to stop all spidernt.exe processes.
• End Remaining Processes: Open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and end any lingering spidernt.exe tasks.
• Disable Startup: Task Manager -> Startup tab -> Disable Invicti Netsparker
• Stop Background Crawls: In Netsparker settings, disable "Continue running background crawls after scan"

How to Uninstall Invicti Netsparker

• ✔ Windows Settings → Apps → Invicti Netsparker → Uninstall
• ✔ Follow prompts to remove the application and its components
• ✔ Reboot the system if prompted

Common Problems: High CPU or Memory Usage

If spidernt.exe is consuming excessive resources:

Common Causes & Solutions

• Very large site with deep crawl depth: Limit crawl depth and max pages per domain in scan settings; prune irrelevant paths.
• High concurrency settings: Reduce parallel crawler threads in scan configuration to balance load.
• Resource-heavy pages/assets: Exclude or throttle heavy assets; enable filtering for image/video-heavy paths.
• Network or proxy issues: Check proxy, firewall, and rate limits; ensure stable connectivity and proper timeouts.
• Outdated SpiderNT version: Update Invicti Netsparker to the latest build that includes SpiderNT improvements.
• Malware masquerading as spidernt.exe: Verify digital signature and path; scan with antivirus and compare with official Invicti binaries.

Related Processes