What’s hydra_pmi_proxy.exe (PMI proxy for Hydra Process manager)? Is it safe or a virus?

hydra_pmi_proxy.exe from Intel Corporation is a support helper used by Intel’s MPI (Message Passing Interface) library runtime, specifically the Hydra process manager that Intel MPI uses to launch and coordinate parallel jobs. It isn’t meant to be launched directly by users, but runs behind the scenes when you run MPI-based applications so that distributed processes can be started, managed and communicate properly across threads or nodes.

You might have it because Intel MPI or a development tool/package that includes Intel’s MPI runtime was installed on your PC (for example through Intel oneAPI, HPC tooling, or applications that bundle Intel MPI for parallel computing).

Below are 4 simple steps you can take to see if the hydra_pmi_proxy.exe process is safe or malware.

Researched by Laura @ SpyShelter Labs

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Who makes hydra_pmi_proxy.exe (PMI proxy for Hydra Process manager)?

We’ve found Intel Corporation should be the publisher of hydra_pmi_proxy.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.

What does it mean if someone is the publisher of a PC .exe (executable or process)?

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.

Last updated: January 6, 2026

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