Securityhealthsystray.exe

Users have valid reasons to be suspicious of unknown executable (.exe) files running or being present on their computers. That is why even legitimate Windows processes could be viewed as potentially threatening, in cases where their purpose is not obvious. SecurityHealthSystray.exe is exactly such an example that users may notice running in the background of their systems via Task Manager. However, this is an important component of the Windows OS related to the Windows Search Filter Host.

The legitimate SecurityHealthSystray.exe is signed by Microsoft and will be executed at system startup. The file is supposed to be located in the C:\Windows\System32. Even if it causes issues from time to time users should have nothing to worry about. However, many malware threats are designed to pose as official or legitimate system processes to avoid detection. That is why you should thoroughly examine your version of the file if you have any reason to suspect that it may be unsafe. Check its location, size, and security certificates, and compare them to the official characteristics of SecurityHealthSystray.exe.

If the file indeed belongs to a malware threat, the consequences of keeping it on your system could be devastating. For example, Trojan threats can perform a host of different, threatening actions, based on the goals of the cybercriminals. Such threats could have backdoor capabilities allowing remote access to the system, they could establish keylogging routines capturing sensitive user details, or be used as a delivery system for more specialized malware payloads.