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What are these?

Hi all,

I have Zone Alarm installed on my Windows XP computer. Every time after the computer is started, warning messages from ZA pop up: "Do you want the xyz to access the Internet?" "The program has accessed the Internet before"

The xyzs are:

a) Spooler SubSystem App

b) BackWeb - 1940576.exe

c) Generic Host Process for Win32

What are these programs? Should I let them access the Internet?

(Also this message pops up: "Do you want the LiveUpdate Engine COM Module to access the internet?". I let it access the Internet - it downloads updates for Windows XP.)

I use AOL 9.0 with a dial up connection to access the Internet.

Thanks for any input.

Roman

Reply to
SpawaczGE
Loading thread data ...

Roman:

Google is your friend! Give it a try first.

a) and c) are part of your MS operating system. b) BackWeb delivers software updates among other things to your PC. Some people consider it spyware. I removed it from a former PC of mine about 4 years ago.

Steve

Reply to
Steve

Probably not. I can see no reason for the spooler to access the Internet.

What are you using Backweb for?

Try not allowing c) and see what fails.

I suspect it has more to do with Norton/Symantec than Microsoft.

Ah well. Never mind.

No. Thank you for reminding us how useless software firewalls are in the hands of the inexperienced and uneducated (Normal users in other words).

If in doubt - Block.

Reply to
Mike

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Yes, Generic Host Process for Win32 (shows up as svchost.exe i the process listing) is a part of the Win OS. However, that is only half the truth.

Quoting MS: "Svchost.exe is a generic host process name for services that run from dynamic-link libraries (DLLs)." That means that you have to know what is running "behind" a svchost process before you can decide if it is something you want to be there or not.

How to find out what is behind a svchost process in Win XP, read

formatting link
In other Win versions, the use of SysInternals' "Process Explorer" freeware is useful to find out what is behind a svchost process:
formatting link
a svchost process that you want to check, select Process ->

Properties and look in the Servcies tab. You may also find one or more ..exe file running befind a svchost process. If that is the case, you find it in the process list indented below the svshost process.

Regards /Patrik

Reply to
Patrik Norqvist

I have seen this. The spooler wants to contact the DNS server, probably to register itself with the DNS in a Win 2k (or later) domain.

You may want to google up the "Spooler subsystem app accessing DNS" thread in this group back in May 2003.

Regards /Patrik

Reply to
Patrik Norqvist

What are you using Backweb for?

I am not using it. I want to know what it is.

Try not allowing c) and see what fails.

Nothing fails. Just want to know why they pop up.

I suspect it has more to do with Norton/Symantec than Microsoft.

I have Norton, it has its own update window that pops up at set intervals.

Ah well. Never mind.

No. Thank you for reminding us how useless software firewalls are in the hands of the inexperienced and uneducated (Normal users in other words).

On the box it says: Install and forget that it's there. According to the several AV programs I run, my computer is clean, which is good enough for me.

If in doubt - Block.

I did at first, but then I relaxed and let them in. Now I want to know what they are.

Roman

Reply to
SpawaczGE

Roman:

Google is your friend! Give it a try first.

a) and c) are part of your MS operating system. b) BackWeb delivers software updates among other things to your PC. Some people consider it spyware. I removed it from a former PC of mine about 4 years ago.

Steve

Thanks Steve. Will google the BackWeb.

Reply to
SpawaczGE

[cut]

[cut]

[cut]

Yes, Generic Host Process for Win32 (shows up as svchost.exe i the process listing) is a part of the Win OS. However, that is only half the truth.

Quoting MS: "Svchost.exe is a generic host process name for services that run from dynamic-link libraries (DLLs)." That means that you have to know what is running "behind" a svchost process before you can decide if it is something you want to be there or not.

How to find out what is behind a svchost process in Win XP, read

formatting link
In other Win versions, the use of SysInternals' "Process Explorer" freeware is useful to find out what is behind a svchost process:
formatting link
a svchost process that you want to check, select Process ->

Properties and look in the Servcies tab. You may also find one or more ..exe file running befind a svchost process. If that is the case, you find it in the process list indented below the svshost process.

Regards /Patrik

Thanks Patrik. I will leave A and C alone and investigate the BackWeb.

Roman

Reply to
SpawaczGE

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