Is it a Virus?
✔ NO - Safe
Must be obtained from the official Sysinternals distribution and run with a valid configuration
Warning
Sysmon logs can be verbose with proper config
Misconfigured or overly broad configs can generate大量 events; keep configs minimal for routine checks
Can I Disable?
✔ YES
You can stop the Sysmon service and uninstall if needed; use the official uninstall command when done
What is sysmon64.exe?
sysmon64.exe is the executable for the Microsoft Sysinternals Sysmon System Monitor tool. It monitors and logs system activity to the Windows Event Log based on a configuration file you provide. When installed, it can run as a service and provide detailed telemetry for security and troubleshooting.
Sysmon captures events such as process creations, network connections, image loads, and file writes using Windows ETW with a user-supplied config. It writes to the Windows Event Log or a configured channel, allowing granular visibility for incident response and for SIEM integration.
Quick Fact: Sysmon was developed by Sysinternals and is widely used to provide a stable, event-based view of activity across the host.
Types of Sysmon Processes
- Service Process: Sysmon runs as a Windows service after installation to collect events per the config
- Event Logging: Logs are written to Windows Event Log channels (e.g., Applications and Services Logs)
- Command Invocation: Admins may run sysmon64.exe with parameters for installation or updates
- Config Loading: Sysmon loads its configuration file at startup to determine what to log
- Uninstall Mode: Uninstall runs through a dedicated flag to stop the service and remove artifacts
- Telemetry Output: Output is designed for forensic analyses and SIEM ingestion
Is sysmon64.exe Safe?
Yes, sysmon64.exe is safe when downloaded from the official Sysinternals site and used with a proper configuration.
Is sysmon64.exe a Virus or Malware?
The real sysmon64.exe is not a virus. Malware may imitate names; always verify signature and path.
How to Tell if sysmon64.exe is Legitimate or Malware
- File Location: Must be in
C:\Sysmon\sysmon64.exe or C:\Sysmon\sysmon.exe, or under a custom Sysinternals install path. Any other location is suspicious.
- Digital Signature: Right-click the executable -> Properties -> Digital Signatures. Should show a signature from "Microsoft Corporation" and/or recognized Sysinternals signer.
- Resource Usage: Normal operation uses modest CPU and memory. Constant high usage or activity without a config is suspicious.
- Behavior: Sysmon runs as a service and logs to Windows Event Logs. Running without config or as a stand-alone binary is unusual.
Red Flags: If sysmon64.exe is located in unusual folders (Temp, AppData\Roaming, System32), runs without a config, has no valid signature, or generates unexpected event volumes, scan with antivirus and collect a malware scan.
Why Is sysmon64.exe Running on My PC?
Sysmon64.exe runs to monitor system activity as configured. It can operate as a Windows service and may start at boot or on demand to provide event telemetry for security and troubleshooting.
Reasons it's running:
- Active Monitoring: You installed Sysmon with a config that enables event logging; Sysmon will run to collect those events
- Startup and Background Logging: Sysmon can be configured to start automatically and log events in the background for ongoing visibility
- Configuration-Driven: The config file defines which events to log; changes can cause more or fewer processes to appear in logs
- Security Posture: As part of incident response tooling, Sysmon is used to audit process creation, network connections, and file activity
- SIEM Integration: Many security stacks ingest Sysmon events; Sysmon running ensures telemetry is available for detection rules and dashboards
Can I Disable or Remove sysmon64.exe?
Yes, you can disable sysmon64.exe. After understanding its role, you can stop the service and uninstall if you no longer need it.
How to Stop sysmon64.exe
- Stop the service: Open an elevated command prompt and run: sc stop sysmon64 or net stop sysmon64
- Uninstall Sysmon: Run: C:\Sysmon\Sysmon64.exe -u to uninstall and remove the service
- Remove Config: Delete or archive the Sysmon config file you used (e.g., C:\Sysmon\sysmonconfig.xml)
- Verify Service Removal: Open Services.msc and confirm Sysmon is no longer listed
- Reboot: Restart the machine to ensure all components are fully removed
How to Uninstall Sysmon
- ✔ Open an elevated command prompt
- ✔ Run: C:\Sysmon\Sysmon64.exe -u
- ✔ Delete remaining Sysmon files if desired
- ✔ Optionally remove any config copies
- ✔ Reboot the system
Common Problems: High CPU or Log Overflow
If sysmon64.exe logs too much data or seems to cause performance issues, review the configuration and system state.
Common Causes & Solutions
- Overly broad logging configured: Edit or replace the config file to log only essential events; test changes with a smaller scope
- Low-end hardware or overload: Reduce logging and ensure adequate CPU cores and memory; consider disabling network logging if not needed
- No config file loaded: Provide a valid sysmonconfig.xml and reinstall or reconfigure to enable logging
- High volume network events: Limit network-related rules or filter to known hosts; aggregate logs for SIEM
- Corrupted logs: Clear logs if necessary and reconfigure; verify log channels permissions
- Outdated Sysmon version: Update to the latest Sysmon release and adjust config for new events
Quick Fixes:
1. Review config with a focused event set
2. Restart Sysmon after config changes
3. Ensure the config path is accessible (permissions)
4. Check Windows Event Viewer for Sysmon events
5. Update Sysmon to latest version
Frequently Asked Questions
Is sysmon64.exe a virus?
No, the legitimate Sysmon binary from Sysinternals is not a virus. Verify the file path (e.g., C:\Sysmon\|C:\Sysmon\Sysmon64.exe) and check the digital signature from Microsoft Corporation.
How do I install Sysmon?
Download Sysmon from the official Sysinternals site, extract, and run: C:\Sysmon\Sysmon64.exe -i C:\Sysmon\sysmonconfig.xml to install with a config.
What does Sysmon log?
Sysmon logs detailed telemetry such as process creation, network connections, file creation, image loads, and driver loads to Windows Event Logs according to the config.
Can I disable Sysmon after installation?
Yes. Stop the service and uninstall by running Sysmon64.exe -u, then remove the config and reboot if needed.
Where can I view Sysmon logs?
Sysmon logs appear in Windows Event Viewer under Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > Sysmon or a configured channel.
How do I uninstall Sysmon?
Run: C:\Sysmon\Sysmon64.exe -u to uninstall the service, then delete remaining Sysmon files and reboot if desired.