process-monitor/service

Process Monitor

Simple Windows C++ application that checks running processes every 30 seconds and sends one HTTP heartbeat with all matching processes.

What it does

• Enumerates running Windows processes via ToolHelp API
• Finds processes by partial name match
• Sends one JSON payload with all currently matched processes
• Builds with CMake without external runtime dependencies

Expected payload

The application sends HTTP POST with Content-Type: application/json.

{
  "machine_name": "PC-01",
  "status": "running",
  "detected_at": "2026-03-27T12:34:56Z",
  "processes": ["notepad.exe", "notepad++.exe"]
}

If api_token is set, request header Authorization: Bearer <token> is added.

If no process matches in a cycle, the application still sends a heartbeat, but without the processes field:

{
  "machine_name": "PC-01",
  "status": "running",
  "detected_at": "2026-03-27T12:34:56Z"
}

Configuration

Edit process-monitor.conf.

api_url=http://10.0.0.147/hb/api
api_token=
machine_name=
interval_seconds=30
request_timeout_seconds=2
process_names=fortnite,chrome,discord,steam

Notes:

• machine_name is optional; if empty, Windows computer name is used
• process_names is a comma-separated list of substrings to search in executable names
• interval_seconds can be changed from the default 30
• request_timeout_seconds sets WinHTTP connect/send/receive timeout in seconds

Build

Developer Command Prompt for Visual Studio:

cmake -S . -B build
cmake --build build --config Release

Or with Ninja if you have a compiler environment ready:

cmake -S . -B build -G Ninja
cmake --build build

Run

When started manually, the executable runs in console mode:

.\build\Release\process-monitor.exe

Or specify custom config path:

.\build\Release\process-monitor.exe .\my-config.conf

To force console mode explicitly:

.\build\Release\process-monitor.exe --console .\my-config.conf

Windows Service

The executable can now run directly as a native Windows service through StartServiceCtrlDispatcher. If started by the Service Control Manager, it registers itself under the actual service name assigned in SCM and handles stop/shutdown requests gracefully.

Important notes:

• Default config file is resolved relative to the executable directory, not the current working directory
• Log file is always written next to the executable as process-monitor.log
• Optional service argument after the executable path is treated as custom config path

Create the service with default config:

sc create ProcessMonitorService binPath= "D:\path\to\process-monitor.exe" start= auto

Create the service with custom config:

sc create ProcessMonitorService binPath= "\"D:\path\to\process-monitor.exe\" \"D:\path\to\custom.conf\"" start= auto

Start and stop:

sc start ProcessMonitorService
sc stop ProcessMonitorService

Or install it with the bundled script:

install-service.bat

The script expects process-monitor.exe and process-monitor.conf to be in the same directory as install-service.bat.

Remove the service with:

uninstall-service.bat

Next useful improvements

• Add retry/backoff for failed API calls
• Add richer payload items if your API needs both matched pattern and actual process name
• Load config from JSON/YAML if richer metadata is needed