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CPU Usage is Over 100%? Don’t Panic — Read This First!
As a Linux system engineer, I’m sure you’ve all used the top command.
It’s been the go-to tool for decades — simple, reliable, and always there when you need it.
But have you ever noticed one thing? Occasionally, you might spot a process with CPU usage skyrocketing to 150%, 200%, or even 400%! Surprised?
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So what’s going on here? How is that possible?
At first glance, these numbers might seem like a mistake — after all, how can something use more than 100% of the CPU? Is the system broken? or hacked?
But in reality, this is completely normal. The reason lies in how Linux reports CPU usage and how multi-core processors function.
In this article, we’ll explore why this happens and prove it with practical tools and real-world examples.