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Freedom251 › Blog › CVE-2020-36934

What Is deepnetworkservice.exe? Is It Safe, and How to Fix deepnetworkservice.exe Errors on Windows

By Freedom251 Team · · 10 min read

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DeepNetworkService.exe is a Windows service executable associated with Deep Instinct security software, including installations branded HP Sure Sense. A copy in the expected program directory with a valid Deep Instinct or related publisher signature is generally consistent with the installed product; the filename alone is not proof of safety. Verify the path, signature, installed agent version, hash and scan results before you trust, disable or remove it. A documented Deep Instinct Windows Agent 1.2.24.0 vulnerability also makes version checking important.

What DeepNetworkService.exe does

SystemLookup identifies DeepNetworkService.exe as a service component of Deep Instinct cybersecurity software. It is normally installed inside the product’s program directory and runs as a background service rather than as an application that you launch yourself. HP Sure Sense installations may use a path such as C:Program FilesHP Sure SenseDeepNetworkService.exe.

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The service can legitimately start with Windows, inspect activity and communicate with the rest of the endpoint-protection product. That means some CPU, memory, disk or network activity can be normal during boot, an update, a scan or a security event. It does not mean every executable with this name is genuine. Malware can copy a legitimate filename into another directory, register its own service or use a missing/invalid signature to disguise itself.

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There is no authoritative prevalence statistic showing how often DeepNetworkService.exe errors occur. Available information consists of software-identification references, Microsoft security guidance and version-specific vulnerability advisories, so an error message by itself cannot establish either legitimacy or infection.

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How to decide whether the file is safe

Use several independent checks. A known path is useful evidence, but it should agree with the publisher, product installation, version and scan result.

Check What supports a legitimate installation What raises concern
Full filesystem path The file is inside the Deep Instinct or HP Sure Sense directory installed on the computer. A copy in a user profile, temporary folder, Downloads, a random root folder or another unrelated directory.
Digital signature Properties > Digital Signatures shows a valid signature from the expected software publisher, and Windows reports that the signature is intact. No signature, an invalid signature, an unknown signer or a signature that does not match the installed product.
Installed product Deep Instinct or HP Sure Sense is intentionally installed and appears in Apps, Programs and Features or the organization’s software inventory. No corresponding security product, an installation nobody authorized or a service that appeared after an unexplained download.
Agent version The installed version is supported by the vendor and is not the affected 1.2.24.0 release described below. The system still runs Deep Instinct Windows Agent 1.2.24.0, or the version cannot be identified.
Hash and reputation The hash is documented by your IT team or vendor and Microsoft security tools do not flag the file. An unknown hash, a changed binary or a detection that persists after definitions are updated.
Service behavior The service starts with the security product, has a sensible description and uses the expected executable path. Unexplained persistence, a path different from the file you inspected, unusual child processes or activity unrelated to endpoint protection.

Microsoft notes that unknown or uncommon software can remain unclassified until reputation data is available. An unclassified result is not the same as a clean bill of health; combine reputation information with the checks above.

Why Windows may show an error or high resource use

Normal protection activity

DeepNetworkService.exe may use resources while the security agent starts, updates, scans files or responds to an event. A short spike that ends when the operation completes is different from sustained usage while the computer is idle.

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Damaged or incomplete installation

An interrupted update, missing dependency, damaged executable or inconsistent service registration can produce messages such as “DeepNetworkService.exe has stopped working,” a service-start failure or repeated restarts. Removing one file rarely repairs that condition and can leave the protection product in a worse state.

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Outdated or incompatible agent

Older agents may conflict with a current Windows build, another security component or a changed network policy. Check the installed product and agent version before attempting compatibility workarounds.

Wrong-file impersonation

A file with the right name in the wrong directory, without a valid signature or without the corresponding product deserves suspicion. Treat unexplained network connections or persistence as a security issue, not merely a performance problem.

Version-specific service-path vulnerability

The Deep Instinct Windows Agent 1.2.24.0 was reported with an unquoted service path. On an affected installation, Windows could interpret an earlier executable in the path, allowing a local attacker to place a malicious binary that runs with LocalSystem privileges. This is a flaw in the affected product configuration; it is not proof that every file named DeepNetworkService.exe is malicious.

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Preserve evidence before changing anything

If the file is suspicious or the error is recurring, record enough information for an administrator or the vendor to reproduce it.

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  1. Copy the complete path shown by Windows, including the drive letter and every folder.
  2. Write down the exact error text, time, frequency and what you were doing when it appeared.
  3. Record the service name, startup type and current status from the Services console.
  4. Note the signer shown on the Digital Signatures tab and whether Windows reports the signature as valid.
  5. Record the installed Deep Instinct or HP Sure Sense product name and agent version.
  6. Calculate and save the file hash before quarantine or deletion. In an elevated PowerShell window, use Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256 -LiteralPath "C:pathtoDeepNetworkService.exe". Replace the example path with the exact path you recorded.
  7. Do not upload a company-owned binary or send incident details externally unless your organization’s policy permits it.

Verify the executable in Windows

Use Task Manager

  1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. On the Details tab, find DeepNetworkService.exe. If it is not visible, check the Processes tab for the associated security product.
  3. Right-click the process and choose Open file location. The folder that opens is the path you must compare with the installed product’s directory.
  4. Right-click the file, select Properties, and inspect Details and Digital Signatures. A missing or invalid signature is a reason to stop and investigate, not a reason to delete the file immediately.

Check the service registration

  1. Press Win+R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
  2. Look for a Deep Instinct, HP Sure Sense or similarly named service. Open Properties and record Service name, Path to executable, Startup type and Service status.
  3. Compare the registered path with the file location you opened from Task Manager. A mismatch can indicate a stale installation, a broken update or an impostor.
  4. Use the service’s Dependencies tab and the Windows Event Viewer to identify a missing dependency or a repeated start/stop cycle.

Confirm that the product is installed

Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps on Windows 11 or 10, or Control Panel > Programs and Features on older editions. Search for Deep Instinct or HP Sure Sense. On a managed computer, also check the organization’s software inventory. If the product is not wanted, use its supported uninstaller rather than deleting the executable from the filesystem.

Scan the file and the computer

Update Microsoft Defender first

  1. Open Windows Security > Virus & threat protection.
  2. Under Virus & threat protection updates, select Check for updates and allow the security intelligence update to finish.
  3. Return to Virus & threat protection, choose Scan options, select Full scan and start it. A full scan can take a long time, especially on a large disk.

Microsoft recommends current Defender security intelligence and a full scan when unwanted software is suspected. If the process or detection persists, run Microsoft Defender Offline from the same Scan options page. Windows restarts into a separate scanning environment, so save work first and expect the computer to be unavailable during the scan.

Microsoft also points to Microsoft Safety Scanner for broader removal work. Download it only from Microsoft’s official distribution channel, use the current version available for your Windows edition, and remember that it is a diagnostic/removal utility rather than a replacement for ongoing protection.

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Submit an unknown or suspicious file

When the path, signature and product information do not line up, preserve the hash and submit the suspicious software through Microsoft’s malware-analysis submission process. Microsoft uses submissions and reputation data to classify unknown software. Do not submit confidential files from a business system without authorization.

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Repair a legitimate installation

Restart only after identity is established

If the file is signed, located in the expected product directory and belongs to an authorized installation, restart the related service from services.msc. Check whether the error returns immediately, only during scans or only after a reboot. Repeated failures should be investigated rather than hidden by setting the service to Disabled.

Install the vendor’s current agent update

Check the Deep Instinct or HP Sure Sense management console, vendor support channel or your organization’s endpoint-management system for the current Windows agent. Apply updates through the supported mechanism. Do not replace the executable with a copy from another computer or an unverified download.

Repair or reinstall through supported software controls

  1. Back up any required policy or record the endpoint’s management information according to your organization’s procedure.
  2. In Settings > Apps > Installed apps or Programs and Features, select the authorized security product.
  3. Choose Modify, Repair or Uninstall only when that option is provided and you understand the protection impact.
  4. Restart when requested, then install the approved current package and confirm that the service path, signature and version are consistent.
  5. Run a Defender scan and review Event Viewer after the repair.

On a company-managed endpoint, contact the security administrator before uninstalling or stopping the agent. Removing a protection service can violate policy or leave the computer without its intended controls.

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Investigate resource spikes without disabling protection

  • In Task Manager, sort by CPU, Memory, Disk and Network, and note whether the spike coincides with a scan, update or boot.
  • Check Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Application and System for entries at the same time as the error.
  • Check available disk space and whether Windows is waiting for a pending restart.
  • Temporarily pause scheduled work only through the product’s documented management controls and only with administrator approval.
  • If usage remains high while idle after an update and restart, collect the evidence listed above and escalate it to the product administrator or vendor.

Understand and address CVE-2020-36934

VulnCheck identifies the affected issue as CVE-2020-36934, classified as CWE-428 (unquoted search path or element), with a CVSS score of 8.5 (VulnCheck, 2026). SyxSense describes the affected path as C:Program FilesHP Sure SenseDeepNetworkService.exe in Deep Instinct Windows Agent 1.2.24.0. Because the service path was not properly quoted, a local attacker could place a malicious executable in a location Windows evaluates earlier and obtain LocalSystem execution.

To assess exposure, identify the installed agent version and inspect the exact service path. If the endpoint runs 1.2.24.0 or the path matches an affected deployment, follow the vendor or enterprise security update process. Keep the endpoint protected while you plan the update; do not delete DeepNetworkService.exe or manually edit the service command line unless your administrator has a tested remediation procedure. The vulnerability advisory concerns a particular product version and configuration, not every copy of the filename.

If the file looks malicious

  1. Disconnect the computer from untrusted networks if your incident-response policy instructs you to do so, while preserving any information needed by the administrator.
  2. Do not open the executable, rename it, or grant it additional permissions.
  3. Use Microsoft Defender quarantine or the approved enterprise endpoint tool, then run a full scan and, if necessary, Defender Offline.
  4. Preserve the path, signer, hash, service name, version and detection details for investigation.
  5. Do not delete a security-agent executable blindly. A manual deletion can break protection and destroy evidence.
  6. Submit the file to Microsoft for analysis when policy allows, and ask the product administrator to verify whether the binary belongs to the authorized installation.

Can you disable or remove DeepNetworkService.exe?

Do not disable or remove it simply because the name is unfamiliar or because Task Manager shows activity. If Deep Instinct or HP Sure Sense is protecting the computer, stopping its service can reduce or eliminate endpoint protection. If the software is unwanted, remove the complete product with Windows’ supported uninstaller or the vendor’s removal utility, then restart and verify that the associated service and files are gone. On a managed computer, let the administrator perform that change.

If you need a temporary stop for troubleshooting, document the reason, obtain authorization and use the product’s own maintenance controls. Re-enable protection as soon as the test ends and confirm that Windows Security reports the intended protection status.

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Recognize fake Microsoft error pop-ups

A web page that displays a phone number, demands immediate payment or tells you to install remote-access software is a tech-support scam signal. Microsoft states: Microsoft error and warning messages never include phone numbers. Do not call the number, provide payment or credentials, or install software offered by the pop-up. Close the browser page, restart if necessary, update Defender security intelligence and run the scans described above. A genuine DeepNetworkService.exe error should be investigated through Windows, the installed security product and your administrator—not through a phone number shown in a browser alert.

Quick decision checklist

  • Expected path, valid signature, authorized product and clean scans: treat the file as part of the security installation, update the agent and investigate any recurring service error through supported repair steps.
  • Expected product but agent 1.2.24.0: prioritize the vendor or enterprise update because of CVE-2020-36934 and the unquoted service-path risk.
  • Wrong path, missing signature or no corresponding product: preserve evidence, quarantine with approved security tools and escalate for analysis.
  • Browser pop-up with a phone number: treat it as a scam, close it and use Defender rather than calling.

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