Though MSASCuiL.exe is a legitimate Microsoft file associated with the Windows Defender program and causes no harm to your PC; however, hackers are using the same file name to escape detection and inject systems with trojan malware or adware.
Let’s learn more about the executable file and differentiate between the legitimate MSASCuiL.exe file and the virus of the same name.
What is MSASCuiL.exe?
Microsoft Corporation created the file in 2016 for Windows 10. The file’s only function is to display the Windows Defender icon in the taskbar and the Windows Defender Center. MSASCuiL stands for Microsoft Antivirus Security Center User Interface Logo.
The executable icon file is stored in the folder path C:\Program\Files\Windows Defender and can be viewed in the Task Manager. The file runs automatically at the system startup to make the icon appear on the taskbar and be disabled via the Task Manager.
The file is a trustworthy one and is an official Microsoft Corporation creation, and hardly harms. But there are several trojan files with the same filename that are infecting users’ PC and escaping detection under the disguise of MSASCuiL.exe.
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Read More: How to Fix Windows Defender Error Code 0x8e5e021f
Virus with the File Name MSASCuiL.exe
MSASCuiL.exe is not a virus but a safe file associated with the Microsoft Windows defender system process. But, malware writers and developers of virus-infected programs are hiding their trojans under the same file name so that they can go undetected to the users. Some of the known trojan viruses that have been found are hidden under MSASCuiL.exe.
Still, there are certain ways you can distinguish between the actual file and the hidden virus.
How to Distinguish Between the Right and Wrong MSASCuiL.exe File?
There are two instances where the virus file is purely visible and detectable if there’s any with the file name MSASCuiL.exe on the system;
- If you MSASCuiL.exe in a subfolder in the User’s Profile folder
The file size of an MSASCuil.exe file, in this case, is mostly around 2.3MB or 2362368 Bytes in most cases; however, it has got seven more variants as well. This is not a Windows core system file and can track keyboard and mouse inputs or monitor applications’ usage.
- If you find MSASCuiL.exe in the Windows Temporary Files folder
This file is comparatively less dangerous but can still access the usage of applications. The size is around 1.2 MB or 1287168 bytes, to be exact.
Read More: How To Disable Windows Defender In Windows 10?
How to Remove MSASCuiL.exe Virus From Windows 10 PC?
To remove the MSASCuiL.exe virus, using an antivirus solution is the best shot. It helps detect the virus along with other malware or trojan traces in the system, and it helps prevent an error caused during manual search and removal of malware files.
A high-quality virus protection software such as Systweak Antivirus is the best way to detect and remove the disguised virus from your PC.
How to Use Systweak Antivirus to Remove MSASCuiL.exe from your PC?
Step 1: Download and install Systweak Antivirus on your PC.
Step 2: Run Systweak Antivirus once the installation is complete.
Step 3: From the home screen interface, click on the Scan icon and choose scanning mode. We recommend a deep scan to detect the hideous traces of viruses and malware on your system.
Step 4: Once the scan mode is selected, click on Deep Scan and the scanning and virus detection process will start automatically.
Step 5: After detection, the Systweak Antivirus will list all the found viruses and malware traces. You can choose to quarantine the found viruses.
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Systweak Antivirus will not just help you eliminate viruses like MSASCuiL.exe virus but also offers a complete, all-in-one system protection module to keep your PC safe from virus or malware threats.
Its Exploit Protection feature helps detect PUPs on your system while the Malware Protection feature allows users to detect and delete malicious programs.
Besides, the Systweak Antivirus comprises of various features that add up to layers of security and protection for PC against all kinds of threats:
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- Removing unwanted start-up items that may be malicious and slowing down the system response time.
- Automatic 24/7 Always On feature, which keeps the program up and running all the time.
While MSASCuiL.exe is not a threat, the disguised viruses under its name are found to have an 85% threat percentage and can cause severe harm to the system. A tool like Systweak Antivirus is an effective and essential component for system protection that every user must-have.
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What is MSASCuiL.exe?
MSASCuiL.exe is a legitimate system process in Windows that stands for “Microsoft Security Client User Interface”. It is associated with the Windows Defender antivirus program, which is a built-in security feature in Windows that helps protect against malware and other security threats.
MSASCuiL.exe is responsible for managing the graphical user interface (GUI) for Windows Defender, which allows users to access and configure the program’s settings, scan for malware, and view any detected threats or actions taken by the program.
MSASCuiL.exe is not an essential system process, and it can be stopped or disabled without affecting the overall functioning of the operating system. However, doing so may prevent users from accessing and managing the Windows Defender program.
It’s important to note that some malware may try to disguise themselves as MSASCuiL.exe, so it’s essential to ensure that the file is located in the correct directory (%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCuiL.exe) and has a valid digital signature before allowing it to run.
Is MSASCuiL.exe malware?
No, MSASCuiL.exe is not malware. MSASCuiL.exe is a legitimate system file that is included with the Windows operating system. However, like any other system file, it can be targeted by malware that attempts to disguise itself as a legitimate file.
Should you be uncertain as to whether MSASCuiL.exe is malicious or a false positive detection, you can submit the affected file to VirusTotal to be scanned with multiple antivirus engines.
If you suspect that MSASCuiL.exe is infected with malware, you can follow the below free malware removal guide to clean up your device.
Remove malware from your Windows device
The below malware removal instructions are for Windows users, however, we also have an Android Guide and a Mac Guide which should help clean up your device.
This malware removal guide may appear overwhelming due to the number of steps and numerous programs that are being used. We have only written it this way to provide clear, detailed, and easy-to-understand instructions that anyone can use to remove malware for free.
Please perform all the steps in the correct order. If you have any questions or doubts at any point, stop and ask for our assistance.
To remove the MSASCuiL.exe Trojan and other malware from your computer, follow these steps:
- STEP 1: Uninstall malicious programs from Windows
- STEP 2: Reset browsers back to default settings
- STEP 3: Use Rkill to terminate suspicious programs
- STEP 4: Use Malwarebytes to remove for Trojans and Unwanted Programs
- STEP 5: Use HitmanPro to remove Rootkits and other Malware
- STEP 6: Use AdwCleaner to remove Malicious Browser Policies and Adware
- STEP 7: Perform a final check with ESET Online Scanner
STEP 1: Uninstall malicious programs from Windows
In this first step, we will manually check if any unknown or malicious programs are installed on the computer. Sometimes adware and browser hijackers can have a usable Uninstall entry that can be used to remove them.
Windows 11Windows 10Windows 8Windows 7
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Press the Windows key + I on your keyboard to open the Settings app.
First, open Windows Settings by pressing Windows+I on your keyboard. You can also right-click your Start button and select “Settings” from the list.
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In the Settings app, click on “Apps” and then “Apps & features”.
When Settings opens, click “Apps” in the sidebar, then select “Apps & Features”.
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Find the malicious program in the list of installed apps and uninstall it.
In Apps & Features settings, scroll down to the app list and search for unknown or suspicious programs. To make things easier, you can sort all installed programs by their installation date. To do this, click “Sort by” and select “Install date”.
Look out for any suspicious program that could be behind all the drama – anything you don’t remember downloading or that doesn’t sound like a genuine program. When you find a malicious program, click the three dots button beside it and select “Uninstall” in the menu that appears.
If you have checked your computer for malicious programs and did not find any, you can proceed with the next step in this guide.
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Follow the prompts to uninstall the program.
In the next message box, confirm the uninstall process by clicking on Uninstall, then follow the prompts to uninstall the malicious program.
Make sure to read all of the prompts carefully, because some malicious programs try to sneak things in hoping that you won’t read them closely.
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Press the Windows key + I on your keyboard to open the Settings app.
Press the Windows key + I on your keyboard to open the Settings app. You can also ope the Settings app by clicking the Start button on the taskbar, then select “Settings” (gear icon).
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In the Settings app, click on “Apps”.
When the “Windows Settings” window opens, click on “Apps“. By default, it should open “Apps and Features” but if it doesn’t, select it from the list on the left.
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Find the malicious program in the list of installed apps and uninstall it.
In Apps & Features settings, scroll down to the app list and search for unknown or suspicious programs. To make things easier, you can sort all installed programs by their installation date. To do this, click “Sort by” and select “Install date”.
Look out for any suspicious program that could be behind all the drama – anything you don’t remember downloading or that doesn’t sound like a genuine program. When you find a malicious program, click on it and select “Uninstall” in the menu that appears.
If you have checked your computer for malicious programs and did not find any, you can proceed with the next step in this guide.
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Follow the prompts to uninstall the program.
In the next message box, confirm the uninstall process by clicking on Uninstall, then follow the prompts to uninstall the malicious program.
Make sure to read all of the prompts carefully, because some malicious programs try to sneak things in hoping that you won’t read closely.
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Go to “Program and Features”.
Right-click on the Start button in the taskbar, then select “Programs and Features”. This will take you directly to your list of installed programs.
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Search for malicious program and uninstall it.
The “Programs and Features” screen will be displayed with a list of all the programs installed on your computer. Scroll through the list until you find any unknown or suspicious program, then click to highlight it, then click the “Uninstall” button.
Look out for any suspicious program that could be behind all the drama – anything you don’t remember downloading or that doesn’t sound like a genuine program.
If you have checked your computer for malicious programs and did not find any, you can proceed with the next step in this guide.
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Follow the on-screen prompts to uninstall malicious program.
In the next message box, confirm the uninstall process by clicking on Yes, then follow the prompts to uninstall malicious program. Make sure to read all of the prompts carefully, because some malicious programs try to sneak things in hoping that you won’t read closely.
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Open the “Control Panel”.
Click on the “Start” button, then click on “Control Panel“.
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Click on “Uninstall a Program”.
When the “Control Panel” appears, click on “Uninstall a Program” from the Programs category.
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Search for malicious programs and uninstall them.
The “Programs and Features” screen will be displayed with a list of all the programs installed on your computer. Scroll through the list until you find any suspicious or unknown program, then click to highlight it, then click the “Uninstall” button.
Look out for any suspicious program that could be behind all the drama – anything you don’t remember downloading or that doesn’t sound like a genuine program.If you have checked your computer for malicious programs and did not find any, you can proceed with the next step in this guide.
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Follow the on-screen prompts to uninstall malicious program.
In the next message box, confirm the uninstall process by clicking on Yes, then follow the prompts to uninstall malicious program. Make sure to read all of the prompts carefully, because some malicious programs try to sneak things in hoping that you won’t read closely.
If you are experiencing difficulty while attempting to uninstall a program, you can use Revo Uninstaller to completely remove the unwanted program from your computer.
Now that the malicious programs have been removed from your computer, we can proceed with the next step in this guide.
STEP 2: Reset browsers back to default settings
In this step, we will remove spam notifications, malicious extensions, and change to default any settings that might have been changed by malware.
Please note that this method will remove all extensions, toolbars, and other customizations but will leave your bookmarks and favorites intact. For each browser that you have installed on your computer, please click on the browsers tab below and follow the displayed steps to reset that browser.
ChromeFirefoxMicrosoft EdgeInternet Explorer
Reset Chrome for Windows to default settings
We will now reset your Chrome browser settings to their original defaults. This will reset your startup page, new tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs. It will also disable all extensions and clear temporary data like cookies. Your favorites, history, and saved passwords will not be cleared.
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Click the three dots in the top-right corner and then click on “Settings”.
Open Chrome and click on the menu button (represented by three vertical dots) in the top right corner of the window. In the dropdown menu that opens, click “Settings“.
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Click “Advanced”.
Chrome’s “Settings” should now be displayed in a new tab or window, depending on your configuration. In the left sidebar, click on the “Advanced” link.
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Click “Reset and clean up”.
In the left sidebar, under the “Advanced” section, click on “Reset and clean up“.
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Click “Reset settings to their original defaults”.
In the main window, the “Reset and clean up” section is visible, as shown in the screenshot below. Click on “Reset settings to their original defaults“.
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Click “Reset settings”.
A confirmation dialog will now be displayed, detailing the components that will be restored to their default state should you continue with the reset process. To complete the restoration process, click on the “Reset settings” button.
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(Optional) Reset Chrome Data Sync.
In case a malicious extension reinstalls itself even after performing a browser reset, you have an additional option to reset the data sync for your browser. To do this, navigate to chrome.google.com/sync and click on the Clear Data button.
Reset Firefox for Windows to default settings
We will now reset your Firefox browser settings to their default. The reset feature fixes many issues by restoring Firefox to its factory default state while saving your essential information like bookmarks, passwords, web form auto-fill information, browsing history, and open tabs.
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Click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner and then click on “Help”.
Click on Firefox’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal lines. When the drop-down menu appears, select the option labeled “Help“.
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Click “More troubleshooting information”.
From the Help menu, click on “More troubleshooting information“.
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Click on “Refresh Firefox”
When the “Troubleshooting Information” page opens, click on the “Refresh Firefox” button.
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Confirm that you want to reset your browser settings.
To finish the reset process, click on the “Refresh Firefox” button in the new confirmation window that opens.
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Click “Finish”.
Firefox will now close itself and will revert to its default settings. When it’s done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click on “Finish“.
Your old Firefox profile will be placed on your desktop in a folder named “Old Firefox Data“. If the reset didn’t fix your problem you can restore some of the information not saved by copying files to the new profile that was created. If you don’t need this folder any longer, you should delete it as it contains sensitive information.
Reset Microsoft Edge to default settings
We will now reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings to their default. This will reset your startup page, new tab page, search engine, and pinned tabs. It will also disable all extensions and clear temporary data like cookies. Your favorites, history, and saved passwords will not be cleared.
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Click the three dots in the top-right corner and then click on “Settings”.
In the top right corner, click on Microsoft Edge’s main menu button, represented by three horizontal dots. When the drop-down menu appears, click on “Settings“.
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Click on “Reset Settings”.
On the left side of the window, click on “Reset Settings“.
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Click on “Restore settings to their default values”.
In the main window, click on “Restore settings to their default values“.
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Click “Reset”.
A confirmation dialog should now be displayed, detailing the components that will be restored to their default state should you continue with the reset process. To complete the restoration process, click on the “Reset” button.
Microsoft Edge will now erase all your personal data, browsing history, and disable all installed extensions. Your bookmarks, though, will remain intact and still be accessible.
Reset Internet Explorer to default settings
We will now reset your Internet Explorer browser settings to their default. You can reset Internet Explorer settings to return them to the state they were in when Internet Explorer was first installed on your computer.
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Go to “Internet Options”.
Open Internet Explorer, click on the gear icon in the upper-right part of your browser, then select “Internet Options“.
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Select the “Advanced” tab, then click “Reset”
In the “Internet Options” dialog box, select the “Advanced” tab, then click on the “Reset” button.
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Click on “Reset”.
In the “Reset Internet Explorer settings” section, select the “Delete personal settings” checkbox, then click on the “Reset” button.
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Click on “Close”.
When Internet Explorer has completed its task, click on the “Close” button in the confirmation dialogue box.
Close your browser and then you can open Internet Explorer again.
STEP 3: Use Rkill to terminate suspicious programs.
In this thrid step, we will download and run Rkill to terminate suspicious programs that may be running on your computer.
RKill is a program that was developed at BleepingComputer.com that attempts to terminate known malware processes so that your normal security software can then run and clean your computer of infections. When RKill runs it will kill malware processes and then removes incorrect executable associations and fixes policies that stop us from using certain tools.
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Download Rkill.
You can download RKill to your computer from the below link. When at the download page, click on the Download Now button labeled iExplore.exe. We are downloading a renamed version of Rkill (iExplore.exe) because some malware will not allow processes to run unless they have a certain filename.
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Run RKill.
After downloading, double-click the iExplore.exe icon to kill malicious processes. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
The program may take some time to search for and end various malware programs.
When it is finished, the black window will close automatically and a log file will open. Do not restart your computer. Proceed to the next step in this guide.
STEP 4: Use Malwarebytes to remove for Trojans and Unwanted Programs
In this next step, we will we will install Malwarebytes to scan and remove any infections, adware, or potentially unwanted programs that may be present on your computer.
Malwarebytes stands out as one of the leading and widely-used anti-malware solutions for Windows, and for good reason. It effectively eradicates various types of malware that other programs often overlook, all at no cost to you. When it comes to disinfecting an infected device, Malwarebytes has consistently been a free and indispensable tool in the battle against malware. We highly recommend it for maintaining a clean and secure system.
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Download Malwarebytes for Windows
You can download Malwarebytes by clicking the link below.
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Install Malwarebytes
After the download is complete, locate the MBSetup file, typically found in your Downloads folder. Double-click on the MBSetup file to begin the installation of Malwarebytes on your computer. If a User Account Control pop-up appears, click “Yes” to continue the Malwarebytes installation.
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Follow the On-Screen Prompts to Install Malwarebytes
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, the setup wizard will guide you through the process.
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You’ll first be prompted to choose the type of computer you’re installing the program on—select either “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer” as appropriate, then click on Next.
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Malwarebytes will now begin the installation process on your device.
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When the Malwarebytes installation is complete, the program will automatically open to the “Welcome to Malwarebytes” screen.
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On the final screen, simply click on the Open Malwarebytes option to start the program.
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Enable “Rootkit scanning”.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now start, and you will see the main screen as shown below. To maximize Malwarebytes’ ability to detect malware and unwanted programs, we need to enable rootkit scanning. Click on the “Settings” gear icon located on the left of the screen to access the general settings section.
In the settings menu, enable the “Scan for rootkits” option by clicking the toggle switch until it turns blue.
Now that you have enabled rootkit scanning, click on the “Dashboard” button in the left pane to get back to the main screen.
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Perform a Scan with Malwarebytes.
To start a scan, click the Scan button. Malwarebytes will automatically update its antivirus database and begin scanning your computer for malicious programs.
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Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now scan your computer for browser hijackers and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
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Quarantine detected malware
Once the Malwarebytes scan is complete, it will display a list of detected malware, adware, and potentially unwanted programs. To effectively remove these threats, click the “Quarantine” button.
Malwarebytes will now delete all of the files and registry keys and add them to the program’s quarantine.
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Restart your computer.
When removing files, Malwarebytes may require a reboot to fully eliminate some threats. If you see a message indicating that a reboot is needed, please allow it. Once your computer has restarted and you are logged back in, you can continue with the remaining steps.
STEP 5: Use HitmanPro to remove Rootkits and other Malware
In this fifth step, while the computer is in normal back, we will download and run a scan with HitmanPro to remove Trojans, rootkits, and other malicious programs.
HitmanPro is a second-opinion scanner that takes a unique cloud-based approach to malware scanning. HitmanPro scans the behavior of active files and also files in locations where malware normally resides for suspicious activity. If it finds a suspicious file that’s not already known, HitmanPro sends it to its clouds to be scanned by two of the best antivirus engines today, which are Bitdefender and Kaspersky.
Although HitmanPro is shareware and costs $24.95 for 1 year on 1 PC, there is no limit on scanning. The limitation only kicks in when there is a need to remove or quarantine detected malware by HitmanPro on your system and by then, you can activate the one-time 30-days trial to enable the cleanup.
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Download HitmanPro.
You can download HitmanPro by clicking the link below.
HITMANPRO DOWNLOAD LINK
(The above link will open a new web page from where you can download HitmanPro) -
Install HitmanPro.
When HitmanPro has finished downloading, double-click on “hitmanpro.exe” (for 32-bit versions of Windows) or “hitmanpro_x64.exe” (for 64-bit versions of Windows) to install this program on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
You may be presented with a User Account Control pop-up asking if you want to allow HitmanPro to make changes to your device. If this happens, you should click “Yes” to continue with the installation.
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Follow the on-screen prompts.
When HitmanPro starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below. Click on the “Next” button to perform a system scan.
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Wait for the HitmanPro scan to complete.
HitmanPro will now begin to scan your computer for malicious programs.
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Click on “Next”.
When HitmanPro has finished the scan, it will display a list of all the malware that it has found. Click on the “Next” button to have HitmanPro remove the detected items.
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Click on “Activate free license”.
HitmanPro may now require to activate the free 30-days trial to remove the malicious files. To do this, click on the “Activate free license” button to begin the free 30 days trial and remove all the malicious files from your computer.
When the malware removal process is complete, it will display a screen that shows the status of the various programs that were removed. At this screen, you should click on the Next button and then if prompted you should click on the Reboot button. If HitmanPro does not prompt you to reboot, please just click on the Close button.
STEP 6: Use AdwCleaner to remove Malicious Browser Policies and Adware
In this next step, we will use AdwCleaner to remove malicious browser policies and unwanted browser extensions from your computer.
AdwCleaner is a free popular on-demand scanner that can detect and remove malware that even the most well-known anti-virus and anti-malware applications fail to find. This on-demand scanner includes a lot of tools that can be used to fix the side effects of adware. browser hijackers and other malware.
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Download AdwCleaner.
You can download AdwCleaner by clicking the link below.
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Double-click on the setup file.
Double-click on the file named “adwcleaner_x.x.x.exe” to start AdwCleaner. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
AdwCleaner program will now open and you will be presented with the program’s license agreement. After you read it, click on the I agree button if you wish to continue. If Windows prompts you as to whether or not you wish to run AdwCleaner, please allow it to run.
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Enable “Reset Chrome policies” to remove malicious browser policies.
When AdwCleaner starts, on the left side of the window, click on “Settings” and then enable “Reset Chrome policies“.
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Click on the “Scan” button.
On the left side of the AdwCleaner window, click on “Dashboard” and then click “Scan” to perform a computer scan.
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Wait for the AdwCleaner scan to finish.
AdwCleaner will now scan your computer for malware. This process can take a few minutes.
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Click on “Quarantine” to remove malware.
When the AdwCleaner scan is completed it will display all of the items it has found. Click on the “Quarantine” button to remove the malicious programs from your computer.
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Click on “Continue” to remove the malicious programs.
AdwCleaner will now prompt you to save any open files or data as the program will need to close any open programs before it starts to clean. Click on the “Continue” button to finish the removal process.
AdwCleaner will now delete all detected malware from your computer. When the malware removal process is complete, you may be asked to restart your computer.
STEP 7: Perform a final check with ESET Online Scanner
This final step involves installing and running a scan with ESET Online Scanner to check for any additional malicious programs that may be installed on the computer..
ESET Online Scanner is a free second-opinion scanner, designed to rescue your computer from malware (viruses, trojans, rootkits, etc.) that have infected your computer despite all the security measures you have taken (such as anti-virus software, firewalls, etc.).
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Download ESET Online Scanner.
You can download ESET Online Scanner by clicking the link below.
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Double-click on esetonlinescanner.exe to run the installer.
When ESET Online Scanner has finished downloading, double-click on “esetonlinescanner.exe” to install it program on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
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Install ESET Online Scanner.
When ESET Online Scanner starts you will be presented with the start screen as shown below. Select your desired language from the drop-down menu and click Get started.
In the Terms of use screen, click Accept.
Select your preference for the Customer Experience Improvement Program and the Detection feedback system and click Continue.
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Start a Full Scan with ESET Online Scanner
Click on Full Scan to perform an in-depth inspection of the entire computer.
Select Enable for Detection of Potentially Unwanted Applications, then click Start scan.
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Wait for the ESET Online Scanner scan to finish.
ESET Online Scanner will now begin to scan your computer for malware. This process can take quite a while, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
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ESET Online Scanner will automatically remove the malicious files.
At the end of the scan, the Found and resolved detections screen will be displayed. You can click View detailed results to view specific information. Detected threats are automatically cleaned and quarantined.
Your computer should now be free of the MSASCuiL.exe Trojan and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed this malicious program on your computer, you may want to consider purchasing Malwarebytes Premium to protect against these types of threats in the future.
If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
- Run a computer scan with ESET Online Scanner
- Ask for help in our Windows Malware Removal Help & Support forum.
Here are 10 basic security tips to help you avoid malware and protect your device:
To avoid potential dangers on the internet, it’s important to follow these 10 basic safety rules. By doing so, you can protect yourself from many of the unpleasant surprises that can arise when using the web.
Sam Boyd
Updated on: February 24, 2025
Chief Editor
This article contains
- Preliminary Step: Checking for a MSASCuiL.exe Infection
- Step 1. Identify the MSASCuiL.exe Infection With Your Antivirus (And Don’t Make The Problem Worse!)
- Step 2. Remove the MSASCuiL.exe Infection and Delete Any Other Infected Files
- Step 3. Keep Your Device From Getting Re-Infected
- Quick Summary of the Best Antiviruses for Removing MSASCuiL.exe
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Best Antiviruses for Protecting Against Viruses (Including MSASCuiL.exe) — Final Score:
Short on time? Here’s how to remove the MSASCuiL.exe virus:
- 1. Scan Device — Run a full system scan of your device using a high-quality antivirus — Norton is my favorite.
- 2. Remove Virus — Once the scan is complete, let the antivirus remove all instances of the MSASCuiL.exe virus infection and any other files related to it.
- 3. Stay Protected — Protect yourself from further infections with a high-quality internet security package like Norton, which offers flawless malware detection, a wide range of extra internet security tools, and good customer support. It’s affordable too, and you can try it risk-free for 60 days.
MSASCuiL.exe is the name of a legitimate Windows process used to display the Windows Defender (Windows’s built-in antivirus) icon in the taskbar. However, hackers like to hijack the names of legitimate files and processes, like MSASCuiL.exe, to disguise viruses and make them harder to detect.
Removing the MSASCuiL.exe virus is a simple process, but you have to be careful — there’s a lot of bad advice out there. If you attempt a manual removal (by going into the computer’s command line) you might accidentally erase essential system files. Doing so can cause permanent damage to your computer’s operating system, and it might even stop it from functioning.
Downloading an antivirus is the safest way to remove MSASCuiL.exe from your system. A good antivirus scanner will remove any traces of the virus from your system, quarantine compromised files, and use real-time virus scanning to prevent you from getting another malware infection.
Norton 360 Deluxe is my top pick for an antivirus. It offers protection on up to 5 devices, and on top of its flawless malware protection, it also has some of the best extra features on the market, like parental controls, a password manager, and an unlimited-data VPN. You can get an affordable Norton plan for just RUB2,490 / year, and there’s a 60-day money-back guarantee on all purchases.
| Threat name | MSASCuiL.exe |
|---|---|
| Threat type | Virus |
| Devices affected | Windows devices |
| Sources | Phishing emails, compromised websites, malicious adverts, P2P file-sharing networks, bundled software |
| Symptoms | Unusual system performance issues, unexpected netword activity, programs and files behaving strangely, frequent pop-ups, unwanted changes to the hompage and search engine, firewall and antivirus is disabled, appearance of unauthorized user accounts |
| Damage | Data theft, system damage, ransomware attacks, resource hijacking, legal issues, reputation damage |
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Preliminary Step: Checking for a MSASCuiL.exe Infection
Remember: Even if you have completed the manual checks and everything looks ok, you should still use an antivirus to get a second opinion!
Check to see where MSASCuiL.exe is located. If MSASCuiL.exe is currently running in your system processes and it’s located outside of its usual folder (C:\Program Files\Windows Defender — Note: Substitute “C:\” for your primary drive), then there’s a very good chance the file is dangerous. You are at even more risk if MSASCuiL.exe is located in the “Windows” or “System32” folder.
If the file is in the correct location, you can check its file size to confirm it’s not malicious. Right-click on the suspicious MSASCuiL.exe and click Properties at the bottom of the drop-down list.
On the window that appears, look at the listing next to “Size” in the General tab. If the file size is between 483,840 bytes and 631,808 bytes, then chances are the file is not malicious.
If anything looks different, chances are you’ve got an active infection.
Step 1. Identify the MSASCuiL.exe Infection With Your Antivirus (And Don’t Make The Problem Worse!)
IMPORTANT: Never connect your cell phone, tablet, or any other external device to an infected computer. If you do, there’s a risk that the virus will replicate itself onto your other devices.
Once you’ve downloaded a reliable antivirus (like Norton), you need to run a full disk scan to locate and remove the virus and all related files from your computer. It’s really important to do this even if you think you know where the suspicious .exe file is located because it might have replicated into other areas of your computer.
A full disk scan will detect, quarantine, and remove MSASCuil.exe from your computer. What’s more, it will ensure that it isn’t infected with any other malware, like spyware or worms that frequently run undetected.
It’s really important to run the full system scan until it completes. Don’t be tempted to just cancel the scan when you see the virus appear on the infected file list, because there might well be other copies of it lurking elsewhere on your system that the antivirus is yet to pick up.
A full disk scan can take anywhere from 1–4 hours, depending on which antivirus you’re using. It takes time for the antivirus to analyze every single file and process on your device, so be patient.
When the full scan is complete, the antivirus will give you an alert. Great news! Now the MSASCuiL.exe virus and every other piece of malware on your system has been safely identified and quarantined.
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Step 2. Remove the MSASCuiL.exe Infection and Delete Any Other Infected Files
Now your antivirus has identified malware on your device, you can quarantine and delete it. If you’re a more advanced user, you can look through the quarantined files to make sure there are no false positives before you delete anything. However, if you’re a less technical user, it’s fine to just trust the antivirus — if a reliable product like Norton has identified something as malware, it’s probably not something you want to keep on your computer. If you do have any concerns about deleting a particular quarantined file, you can always contact your antivirus’s customer support team to check.
Once you’ve deleted all the infected files, it’s time to restart your computer. After restarting, you should run a second full disk scan. This is to make absolutely sure that every trace of the MSASCuiL.exe infection has been fully removed. Hopefully the second scan will be much quicker — antiviruses like Norton can remember which files they’ve already scanned, which speeds the process up for subsequent scans.
As with the first scan, you need to let your antivirus complete the second scan. Once it’s done, and you’ve reviewed and deleted all the compromised files that were quarantined, you can rest easy that your device is 100% malware-free! However, there are thousands of malware files still out there just waiting for the opportunity to infect your device, so it’s important to move onto step 3 before your online security is compromised again.
Step 3. Keep Your Device From Getting Re-Infected
There are new threats every day, and hackers are always looking for new vulnerabilities to exploit. Here are several practical steps you can take to reduce the chances of getting caught out again:
- Keep Your Software, OS, and Drivers Up-To-Date. Hackers can identify and exploit software vulnerabilities, prompting developers to respond with timely software updates that address these flaws. Failure to maintain up-to-date software significantly heightens the risk of falling prey to malicious attacks. Alongside updating your software and operating system, it’s crucial to regularly update your drivers. Over time, as an operating system ages, developers cease to provide support, leaving its vulnerabilities unaddressed. The older your operating system becomes, the more susceptible it becomes to security threats. Fortunately, the majority of operating systems and programs offer an auto-update feature. Many PC cleaners come with vulnerability checkers that can look for outdated software. To ensure the ongoing security of your devices and system drivers, it’s important to always update.
- Don’t Download Suspicious Files. If you’re not totally sure what a file is and where it comes from, don’t download it to your device. Often, malware will be disguised as apparently free software or attached to emails that are made to look legitimate. Antiviruses like Norton are able to scan your emails and identify any suspicious files, as well as scanning anything you try to download before it can cause any harm to your device. That said, while good antiviruses are great at protecting you from threats, it’s still important to use common sense and never open anything you’re not sure about.
- Secure Your Wireless Network. Before you go online, you need to make sure the wireless network you’re going to use is secure. Using a firewall is important, but you should definitely also ensure your Wi-Fi connection is password-protected. Anyone can connect to a Wi-Fi network that isn’t password-protected, so they’re way more vulnerable. That said, hackers can infiltrate secured networks too — which is why having a really strong password is vital. A good password manager like 1Password can help you generate unguessable passwords and store them so you don’t need to worry about forgetting them.
- Download a Secure Antivirus Program. Having a solid antivirus program is crucial in safeguarding your device against viruses, ransomware, and phishing attacks. With an antivirus program, you can run a thorough system scan to ensure your device stays safe. But that’s not all! These programs also offer extras like real-time scanning, automatic updates, and a firewall to add an extra layer of protection. My personal favorite is Norton 360 — its scanner uses artificial intelligence, advanced heuristics, and a massive malware database to provide flawless malware detection.
Quick Summary of the Best Antiviruses for Removing MSASCuiL.exe
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is MSASCuiL.exe?
The typical MSASCuiL executable is a genuine and safe Windows 10 application developed by Microsoft.
It’s short for Microsoft Antivirus Security Center User Interface Logo.
Microsoft developed MSASCuiL.exe in 2015 as a component of Windows Defender — Windows’s built-in antivirus engine.
MSASCuiL.exe is responsible for displaying the Windows Defender notification icon that you see on your system’s taskbar.
In most cases, MSASCuiL.exe won’t harm your system. However, hackers disguise malicious software using trusted file names, making detection challenging — even for experienced users and virus scanners.
If you suspect this has happened to you, follow the above steps on how to remove MSASCuiL.exe.
How can MSASCuiL.exe infect my computer?
The MSASCuiL.exe virus is pretty common, and it’s most often shared with users through scam emails.
If you don’t recognize the email’s sender, and they’re trying to convince you to download a file, then the chances are the email is malicious.
Other methods of infection include:
- Internet File Downloads — If you don’t trust the website you’re on, don’t download any files from it.
- Social Media Links — With social media being as prominent as it is, many fake accounts share links containing virus downloads. If you see a page that looks too good to be true, chances are it is.
- Text Messaging Apps — A lot of applications like WhatsApp have their own web clients that users use to share files between their phones and computers. Remember, just because a text messaging application was developed for phones, that doesn’t mean it can’t spread viruses to a computer system.
Should I disable MSASCuiL.exe?
No. If you see MSASCuiL.exe running in your task manager, that doesn’t mean your computer is infected.
MSASCuiL.exe is commonly a legitimate file created by Microsoft. It running in the background of your system is expected, and disabling it might compromise the functionality of Windows Defender.
When in doubt, follow this guide on how to remove MSASCuiL.exe. It will take you through all the steps necessary in detecting and removing any malicious file on your system.
Best Antiviruses for Protecting Against Viruses (Including MSASCuiL.exe) — Final Score:
About the Author
Updated on: February 24, 2025
About the Author
Sam Boyd is a Chief Editor at SafetyDetectives, specializing in antiviruses and password managers. He has years of experience writing, reviewing, editing, and optimizing blog articles, and he has researched and tested hundreds of cybersecurity products since joining the SafetyDetectives team. When he isn’t exploring the latest cybersecurity products, he enjoys chilling out with video games, watching sports, and exploring new parts of the world with his family.
What is msascuil.exe?
msascuil.exe (or MSASCuiL.exe) is a legitimate file/process, which is a part of Microsoft Windows 10. This file can be found in the «C:\Program Files\Windows Defender» folder and is part of the Windows Defender user interface. The purpose of msascuil.exe is (or was) to display the Windows Defender icon in the taskbar.
In fact, this is a legitimate file/process. Unfortunately, like most of these processes and files, the names can be used by cyber criminals to disguise malicious processes and programs.
«Msascuil» (Microsoft antivirus security center user interface logo or msascuil.exe) is associated with Windows Defender, an anti-virus suite created by Microsoft. This is a legitimate file/process that can be trusted, however, cyber criminals often use the names of legitimate files/processes to disguise malicious software and their processes in Task Manager.
Typically, they make minor changes to names that cannot be noticed without careful inspection. Furthermore, malicious files with similar names are usually placed in other folders, and not those designated for the original, legitimate versions. In this case, a malicious process is placed outside of the «C:\Program Files\Windows Defender» folder.
Malicious processes usually have graphical icons beside them, whereas genuine system processes do not. If the msascuil.exe (or MSASCuiL.exe) filename is used to disguise a malicious file, it should be removed immediately. It could be a trojan that might lead to serious problems relating to privacy, browsing safety, financial loss, additional infections, and so on.
The list of disguised malicious applications also includes a cyptocurrency miner called COINMINER/CoinMiner. Before taking any action, we recommend that you run a scan with the installed anti-virus or anti-spyware suite and check if it detects any threats relating to this file.
Due to mistakes in databases, however, some anti-virus or anti-spyware tools detect legitimate files as threats and then instigate removal of harmless (sometimes, important) system files. When security software detects legitimate file as threats, this is called a «false positive» result.
Fortunately, these mistakes are generally fixed quickly. In any case, before removing files, we recommend that you verify that they are placed in the correct folders and have correct names.
Threat Summary:
| Name | msascuil.exe trojan |
| Threat Type | False positive, Trojan, Password-stealing virus, Banking malware, Spyware |
| Detection Names (COINMINER) | Avast (Win64:Trojan-gen), Avira (TR/AD.CoinMiner.sjwdw), BitDefender (Gen:Variant.Ulise.36452), ESET-NOD32 (a variant of Win64/CoinMiner.OZ), Full List (VirusTotal) |
| Malicious Process Name(s) | mscascuil, MSASCuiL.exe, mscascuil.exe |
| Symptoms | Trojans are designed to stealthily infiltrate the victim’s computer and remain silent, and thus no particular symptoms are clearly visible on an infected machine. |
| Distribution methods | Infected email attachments, malicious online advertisements, social engineering, software cracks. |
| Damage | Stolen banking information, passwords, identity theft, victim’s computer added to a botnet. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) |
To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by RCS LT, the parent company of PCRisk.com. |
Cyber criminals commonly disguise malware using the names of legitimate files and processes. These actions sometimes lead to ‘false positive’ results, thereby flagging legitimate files as threats.
Nevertheless, if there is good reason to believe that there is malicious software installed on the system (a malicious process running in the system background), it should be removed immediately. Some examples of other files that are legitimate but could be identified as threats or used to disguise malware are msfeedssync.exe, gwx.exe, and csrss.exe.
How did msascuil.exe infiltrate my computer?
There are various ways to proliferate malicious programs. Cyber criminals use spam campaigns to send emails that contain malicious files (attachments). They present these emails as official and try to trick people into opening the included files, which then download and install high-risk malware.
Some examples of attachments that they use to proliferate viruses are MS Office documents, JavaScript files, PDF documents, various executables such as .exe files, archives such as ZIP, RAR, and so on.
Another way to trick people into infecting computers is to present malicious files as legitimate using Peer-to-Peer networks, freeware or free file hosting websites, unofficial websites, various third party downloaders, and so on. If downloaded and opened, their files infect computers with malicious programs.
Fake software update tools can be used to proliferate malware. If used, these tools download/install viruses rather than updating installed programs. They might also be used to exploit outdated software bugs/flaws or other vulnerabilities. If a computer is infected with a trojan, it might cause additional damage such as downloading and installing other malicious programs.
Bear in mind that tools that supposedly allow users to bypass software activation free of charge (‘cracks’) are often used to proliferate malware.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Choose only official and trustworthy sources/websites to download software. Avoid using Peer-to-Peer networks, rogue websites, and other dubious channels mentioned above. If an email is received from a suspicious/unknown address, is irrelevant, or contains a file or link, do no not open anything.
Update installed software using implemented functions or tools provided by official software developers only, and not other, third party (fake) tools. Furthermore, installed software should be activated properly. Various third party (‘cracking’) tools should not be used — they are illegal and often infect computers with malicious programs.
Keep your computer safe by having a reputable anti-virus or anti-spyware suite installed and enabled. If you believe that your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with
Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
The msascuil.exe files detected as a threat by a number of virus engines:
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
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By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by RCS LT, the parent company of PCRisk.com.
Quick menu:
- What is msascuil.exe?
- STEP 1. Manual removal of msascuil.exe malware.
- STEP 2. Check if your computer is clean.
How to remove malware manually?
Manual malware removal is a complicated task — usually it is best to allow antivirus or anti-malware programs to do this automatically. To remove this malware we recommend using
Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows. If you wish to remove malware manually, the first step is to identify the name of the malware that you are trying to remove.
Here is an example of a suspicious program running on a user’s computer:
If you checked the list of programs running on your computer, for example, using task manager, and identified a program that looks suspicious, you should continue with these steps:
Download a program called Autoruns. This program shows auto-start applications, Registry, and file system locations:
Restart your computer into Safe Mode:
Windows XP and Windows 7 users: Start your computer in Safe Mode. Click Start, click Shut Down, click Restart, click OK. During your computer start process, press the F8 key on your keyboard multiple times until you see the Windows Advanced Option menu, and then select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
Video showing how to start Windows 7 in «Safe Mode with Networking»:
Windows 8 users: Start Windows 8 is Safe Mode with Networking — Go to Windows 8 Start Screen, type Advanced, in the search results select Settings. Click Advanced startup options, in the opened «General PC Settings» window, select Advanced startup.
Click the «Restart now» button. Your computer will now restart into the «Advanced Startup options menu». Click the «Troubleshoot» button, and then click the «Advanced options» button. In the advanced option screen, click «Startup settings». Click the «Restart» button. Your PC will restart into the Startup Settings screen. Press F5 to boot in Safe Mode with Networking.
Video showing how to start Windows 8 in «Safe Mode with Networking»:
Windows 10 users: Click the Windows logo and select the Power icon. In the opened menu click «Restart» while holding «Shift» button on your keyboard. In the «choose an option» window click on the «Troubleshoot», next select «Advanced options». In the advanced options menu select «Startup Settings» and click on the «Restart» button.
In the following window you should click the «F5» button on your keyboard. This will restart your operating system in safe mode with networking.
Video showing how to start Windows 10 in «Safe Mode with Networking»:
Extract the downloaded archive and run the Autoruns.exe file.
In the Autoruns application, click «Options» at the top and uncheck the «Hide Empty Locations» and «Hide Windows Entries» options. After this procedure, click the «Refresh» icon.
Check the list provided by the Autoruns application and locate the malware file that you want to eliminate.
You should write down its full path and name. Note that some malware hides process names under legitimate Windows process names. At this stage, it is very important to avoid removing system files. After you locate the suspicious program you wish to remove, right click your mouse over its name and choose «Delete».
After removing the malware through the Autoruns application (this ensures that the malware will not run automatically on the next system startup), you should search for the malware name on your computer. Be sure to enable hidden files and folders before proceeding. If you find the filename of the malware, be sure to remove it.
Reboot your computer in normal mode. Following these steps should remove any malware from your computer. Note that manual threat removal requires advanced computer skills. If you do not have these skills, leave malware removal to antivirus and anti-malware programs.
These steps might not work with advanced malware infections. As always it is best to prevent infection than try to remove malware later. To keep your computer safe, install the latest operating system updates and use antivirus software.
To be sure your computer is free of malware infections, we recommend scanning it with
Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
The genuine MSASCuiL.exe file is a software component of Microsoft Windows 10 by .
Microsoft created the file «MSASCuiL.exe» in 2016 for the «Redstone 1» anniversary update of Windows 10. Its function is (or was) to display the icon for the Windows Defender antivirus program in the Windows taskbar, also known as the Windows Defender Center. (As early as May 2017, users alleged it has been merged into SecurityHealthService.) Residing in «C:\Program Files\Windows Defender», it runs at startup and can be disabled through Task Manager. Care must be taken not to confuse it with «msascui.exe», which is Windows Defender itself. On any older Windows OS, (8.1/8/7/Vista/XP), or in another location, it is disguised malware. Microsoft Corporation, located since 1979 in Redmond, Washington, USA, was founded April 4, 1975, in Albequerque, New Mexico, USA, by Paul Allen and Bill Gates. It is today the world’s largest software maker by revenue despite repeated litigation and regulatory action in multiple countries.
MsASCUIL stands for Microsoft Antivirus Security Center User Interface Logo
The .exe extension on a filename indicates an executable file. Executable files may, in some cases, harm your computer. Therefore, please read below to decide for yourself whether the MSASCuiL.exe on your computer is a Trojan that you should remove, or whether it is a file belonging to the Windows operating system or to a trusted application.
Click to Run a Free Scan for MSASCuiL.exe related errors
MSASCuiL.exe file information
The process known as Windows Defender notification icon or WindowsDefender or Host Process for Windows Services belongs to software Microsoft Windows Operating System by Microsoft (www.microsoft.com).
Description: The original MSASCuiL.exe from Microsoft is an important part of Windows, but often causes problems. MSASCuiL.exe is located in a subfolder of «C:\Program Files» (usually C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\).
Known file sizes on Windows 10/11/7 are 631,808 bytes (32% of all occurrences), 630,168 bytes and 8 more variants.
It is a Windows system file. The program is not visible. The MSASCuiL.exe file is a Microsoft signed file. The file has a digital signature.
MSASCuiL.exe is able to monitor applications.
Therefore the technical security rating is 5% dangerous; however you should also read the user reviews.
Uninstalling this variant:
In the event of any problems with MSASCuiL.exe, you can also do the following:
1) safely remove the program using the uninstall program of Microsoft Windows (Control Panel ⇒ Uninstall a Program)
2) go to the support area of the Microsoft website.
Recommended: Identify MSASCuiL.exe related errors
Viruses with the same file name
Is MSASCuiL.exe a virus? No, it is not. The true MSASCuiL.exe file is a safe Microsoft Windows system process, called «Windows Defender notification icon».
However, writers of malware programs, such as viruses, worms, and Trojans deliberately give their processes the same file name to escape detection. Viruses with the same file name are for example Win64:Evo-gen [Susp] (detected by Avast), and Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner.C!cl or Trojan:Win32/Wacatac.B!ml (detected by Microsoft).
To ensure that no rogue MSASCuiL.exe is running on your PC, click here to run a Free Malware Scan.
How to recognize suspicious variants?
- If MSASCuiL.exe is located in a subfolder of the user’s profile folder, the security rating is 85% dangerous. The file size is 4,402,176 bytes (11% of all occurrences), 2,355,712 bytes and 7 more variants.
The program has no visible window. There is no description of the program. The file is not a Windows core file.
MSASCuiL.exe is able to manipulate other programs, monitor applications and record keyboard and mouse inputs. - If MSASCuiL.exe is located in the Windows folder for temporary files, the security rating is 68% dangerous. The file size is 1,287,168 bytes.
The MSASCuiL.exe file is not a Windows core file. The program has no visible window.
MSASCuiL.exe is able to monitor applications.Uninstalling this variant:
In the event of any problems with MSASCuiL.exe, you can also do the following:
1) safely remove the program using the uninstall program of Internet Download Manager (Control Panel ⇒ Uninstall a Program)
2) go to the support area of the SadeemPC website.
Important: Some malware camouflages itself as MSASCuiL.exe, particularly when located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder. Therefore, you should check the MSASCuiL.exe process on your PC to see if it is a threat. We recommend Security Task Manager for verifying your computer’s security. This was one of the Top Download Picks of The Washington Post and PC World.
Best practices for resolving MSASCuiL issues
A clean and tidy computer is the key requirement for avoiding problems with MSASCuiL. This means running a scan for malware, cleaning your hard drive using 1cleanmgr and 2sfc /scannow, 3uninstalling programs that you no longer need, checking for Autostart programs (using 4msconfig) and enabling Windows’ 5Automatic Update. Always remember to perform periodic backups, or at least to set restore points.
Should you experience an actual problem, try to recall the last thing you did, or the last thing you installed before the problem appeared for the first time. Use the 6resmon command to identify the processes that are causing your problem. Even for serious problems, rather than reinstalling Windows, you are better off repairing of your installation or, for Windows 8 and later versions, executing the 7DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth command. This allows you to repair the operating system without losing data.
To help you analyze the MSASCuiL.exe process on your computer, the following programs have proven to be helpful: ASecurity Task Manager displays all running Windows tasks, including embedded hidden processes, such as keyboard and browser monitoring or Autostart entries. A unique security risk rating indicates the likelihood of the process being potential spyware, malware or a Trojan. BMalwarebytes Anti-Malware detects and removes sleeping spyware, adware, Trojans, keyloggers, malware and trackers from your hard drive.
Other processes
cxutilsvc.exe muistartmenu.exe bin.exe MSASCuiL.exe smartscreen.exe tcpsvcs.exe bit4cnsp.dll a2service.exe bitguard.dll sp.exe olbpre.exe [all]