Software protection service is stealing window focus

[MaxKohler]

Checked the event viewer. It causes minimizations of 3d games.

 

[MaxKohler]

I've been leaving the task manager open to look there when I lose window focus, and it's happened about 3 times in the last few hours, and each time I see MRT.exe.

I went to the task scheduler to look for MRT & the Software Protection Service, and under \Microsoft\Windows\RemovalTools MRT_HB says "last run time" = never. And everything under \Microsoft\Windows\SoftwareProtectionPlatform hasn't been run for 9 months.

So I don't know what's even toggling these processes.

 

[MilesAhead]

According to this page it is only run after the Patch Tuesday install, one time.

I don't know if that clarifies anything unless someone is masquerading another exe by that name.

 

[MaxKohler]

Yeah, I read that too, but is it even possible for it to be a masquerade if it also shows up in the event viewer as "Security-SPP"?

 

[MilesAhead]

Yeah, I read that too, but is it even possible for it to be a masquerade if it also shows up in the event viewer as "Security-SPP"?

I avoid antivirus programs and "real time shield" schemes since they seem to interfere with the PC more than anything else. I use a snapshot utility to restore to a previous state and an image backup program that I update incrementally every 10 days or so.

I do scan with MBAM and SAS but shields cause more problems than they prevent in my opinion.
For this reason I don't know the nitty gritty in this case. Perhaps an av aficionado may chime in.