What is iusb3mon.exe

Some users have been wondering whether the iusb3mon.exe process is genuine or malicious. Most suspicions arise after the users discover that the process is not signed by any publisher and the resource impact is not displayed in Task Manager.

What is iusb3mon.exe?

The legitimate iusb3mon.exe process is a genuine software component belonging to Intel’s USB version 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller. The acronym IUSB3Mon stands for Intel USB 3.0 Monitor.

The iusb3mon.exe takes the role of a listener, monitoring the current status of all USB ports that are active at any given time. If the user connects or disconnects a device using the 3.0 USB ports, the iusb3mon.exe process will generate a custom pop-up event notification.

The iusb3mon.exe process is in no way crucial to the well-functioning of your operating system. Because it’s an optional part, it can be easily uninstalled via Programs and Features.

Potential security threat?

Although we haven’t managed to identify any occurrences where the iusb3mon.exe process was confirmed to be malware in disguise, you can never be too careful. However, the classic approach of verifying the location of the process will not work in this case because the Open File Location option is greyed out.

However, you can manually check if you have an iusb3mon.exe executable at the legitimate location. This is usually a definitive signal that you don’t have to worry about virus infection. Simply open File Explorer and navigate manually to C:\ Program Files \ Intel \ Intel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller Driver \ Application \. 

Note: If you find the iusb3mon executable at the end of the above-specified location, you should stop suspecting the process of being a virus.

If you’re suspecting the  iusb3mon.exe process of being malicious (due to high resource usage or other reasons), you have few other choices than to perform a full security scan on your system and make sure that no stone is left unturned. To do this, you’ll need a powerful security scanner. If you don’t have one at the ready, you can use Malwarebytes to remove get rid of any malware on your system.

Should I remove  iusb3mon.exe?

Removing the iusb3mon.exe process is certainly doable and will not affect the state of your operating system in any way.  However, deleting just the executable is not an ideal solution since it will likely break the USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller software.

In the event that you’re having high usage problems with the iusb3mon.exe process you simply want the software removed from your system, the best approach is to uninstall the intel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller (or Intel(R) USB 3.0 3.1 eXtensible Host).

Here’s a quick guide on how to uninstall the software suite containing the iusb3mon.exe process:

1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run window. Then, type “appwiz.cpl” and hit Enter to open Programs and Features.
   
2. In Programs and Features, scroll through the application list and locate lntel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller or Intel(R) USB 3.0 3.1 eXtensible Host, depending on which USB technology you have on your PC.
3. Right-click on lntel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller or Intel(R) USB 3.0 3.1 eXtensible Host and choose Uninstall.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the uninstallation and reboot your system at the end of it.

If you ever decide to reinstall the software back to your system, you can do so from these links:

• lntel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller 
• USB 3.1 eXtensible Host Controller