Firstly, two engineering examples concerning interharmonic exciting SSO are enumerated and analyzed. Then, the mechanism of interharmonics arising from asynchronous HVDC scheme linking two AC systems of same nominal frequency is analyzed based on modulation theory; SSO will be excited if the frequencies of interharmonics match with the nature frequencies of shafts and at the same time the magnitudes of them are noticeable, which is the mechanism of interharmonic exciting SSO. Next, two types of interaction with regard to interharmonic exciting SSO are generalized, one is the severe shaft torsional oscillation, and the other is the long-term fatigue life loss; the excitation conditions and characteristics of the two types of interaction are analyzed; in fact, the second type of interaction is ubiquitous and its harmfulness to shafts is even greater than three-phase-to-ground fault. Finally, the counter-measures against interharmonic exciting SSO are discussed.