Do I have a virus?

[arielfall]

I have a CPU monitoring program running 24/7 and I notice when my monitor is asleep (not the whole PC) that there is about a constant 30% CPU usage.  When I wake the screen it immediately goes from 30% constant to 0% or what I'd consider normal idle. 

 

Could it be a virus stealing CPU cycles in the backround? Avast doesn't detect anything. Anyone have any sort of idea what's going on?

[Alec Harpers]

It's possible you have your antivirus set to scan your system while it's idle .

[arielfall]

Perhaps, has been doing this same thing for a couple weeks though. Not sure if it constantly scans all the time when the monitor is asleep.

[Sauron]

Perhaps, has been doing this same thing for a couple weeks though. Not sure if it constantly scans all the time when the monitor is asleep.

 

It does if you tell it to. Try checking your av's settings.

[arielfall]

I checked, that's not it.

 

Thanks for the help so far guys. Starting to think it's a virus then.

[TDP_Equinox]

stop using avast. 
Thousands of systems come in with avast and all of them have a balls tonne of malware.
We always recommend Microsoft Security Essentials.

[Boatiy]

Get M$ Security Essentials, but take out your HDD/SSD and scan it with Clam

 

[arielfall]

Well to update I started an application monitor and it said that the process using my CPU was called "system" so no idea if that's normal or not.