Investigating Malicious Processes with Task Manager

Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving battlefield where threats emerge daily, making it crucial for users to stay vigilant. One of the most accessible tools for identifying suspicious activities on a Windows system is Task Manager. While it may seem like a simple utility for ending unresponsive programs, Task Manager can be a powerful ally in investigating malicious processes. In this guide, we will explore how to utilize Task Manager effectively to detect, analyze, and address malicious activities.

Understanding Task Manager

Task Manager is a built-in Windows utility that provides real-time information about the processes, performance, applications, and services running on your computer. It offers insights into:

• Processes: Lists all active applications and background tasks.
• Performance: Displays resource usage like CPU, memory, disk, and network.
• App History: Logs usage statistics for modern apps.
• Startup: Manages programs that run at system boot.
• Users: Shows active users on the machine.
• Details: Provides granular data about running processes.
• Services: Lists active and inactive system services.