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Learn how to protect your Windows PC from malware and other threats.Application Control
Control your PC apps and their behaviors.What’s that .exe?
Is that executable safe, or a threat?SpyShelter PC Protection
Learn how to protect your PC from bad apps.Registry Protection
Protect your Windows Registry from harm.Executable Directory
Our ultimate directory of Windows PC executables.Cloudflare describes Warp (CloudflareWARP.exe) as "a WireGuard tunnel through a Cloudflare data center..." and also writes that "traffic to sites behind Cloudflare became even faster and a user’s experience with the rest of the Internet became more secure and private".
The security and privacy aspect is due to Cloudflare's private DNS service. They encrypt your DNS lookups by using a VPN protocol called "Wireguard". So, if you type in Microsoft.com in your browser, this DNS lookup is probably still visible to your ISP, but can stop attackers from changing or poisoning the responses to your DNS requests. Cloudflare also claims that they speed up your DNS lookups, making your Internet connection faster.
Please note though that Cloudflare Warp is not a VPN, so it does not always hide your IP address or change your IP to another country like a "classic" style of VPN does. Cloudflare writes on their website that "WARP does not provide anonymity and is not designed to prevent servers you communicate with from identifying you".
As long as "Cloudflare WARP.exe" is officially signed by Cloudflare, Inc., then it should be safe to have running on your PC.
Below are 4 simple steps you can take to see if the Cloudflare WARP.exe process is safe or malware.
Researched by Jon @ SpyShelter Labs
A Trojan is a harmful software that pretends to be a legitimate program or file to deceive users into downloading it. It can steal personal information, damage files, or give hackers control over the infected device.
Download SpyShelter to see detailed safety information about every .exe on your PC.
Check your PC for threatsWe’ve found Cloudflare, Inc. should be the publisher of Cloudflare WARP.exe.
How do we know? Our SpyShelter cybersecurity labs focuses on monitoring different types of Windows PC executables and their behaviors for our popular SpyShelter Antispyware software. Learn more about us, and how our cybersecurity team studies Windows PC executables/processes.
The publisher of an executable is the entity responsible for its distribution and authenticity. Most processes/executables on your PC should be signed. The signature on the executable should have been verified through a third party whose job it is to make sure the entity is who it says it is. Find an unsigned executable? You should consider scanning any completely unsigned .exe on your PC.
Our team at SpyShelter has been studying Windows PC executables for over 15 years, to help fight against spyware, malware, and other threats. SpyShelter has been featured in publications like The Register, PC Magazine, and many others. Now we’re working to share free, actionable, and easy to understand information about Windows executables (processes) with the world, to help as many people as possible keep their devices safe. Learn more about us on our "About SpyShelter” page.
Have any questions? Please join our free public SpyShelter PC Security Forum and talk cybersecurity with our USA-based team. We love talking about PC Security and we’d like to get to know you.
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