There are several ways to examine the csrss.exe process more closely. The most convenient way is to use the built-in Task Manager. You can open it using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Esc or by typing “Task Manager” in the Windows search box. The Task Manager features multiple tabs with information about CPU utilization, active processes, and services.
In Windows 10, you can find csrss.exe in the “Processes” tab of the Task Manager under Client Server Runtime Process. In previous versions, it was listed under its application name (“csrss.exe”) in the Task Manager. You can right-click the process and choose from several options. The following are useful for inspecting the process:
- Open file location: Opens a File Explorer window with the location of csrss.exe. This file location must always be “Windows\System32\.” If not, this is not the correct process.
- Go to details: You can view the process ID, see whether the process is running and find out which user is running it. For csrss.exe, the user should always be SYSTEM because it’s a system process.
- Properties: You can display details about application on the “Details” tab. You can open the certificate on the “Digital Signatures” tab. The issuer of the csrss.exe certificate must always be Microsoft.
One well-established alternative for scanning system processes like csrss.exe is to use programs by Windows insider Mark Russinovich. His Sysinternals Suite contains a wealth of useful software, including the Process Explorer program, which allows you to display active processes hierarchically. In addition, the software includes a direct link to the platform Virustotal.com, where you can submit processes for a quick check.