What is the "lync.exe" process on windows 7? Is the "lync.exe" process a virus? Can I terminate the "lync.exe" process?

"lync.exe - Skype for Business" process is Microsoft communication tool for text, audio, or video conversations over the Internet.

"lync.exe" process is created by the startup program entry "Microsoft Office 2013".

On the Processes tab of "Task Manager", "lync.exe" process may be listed as:

Image Name  PID   Memory    Description

lync.exe    2696  73,236 K  Skype for Business

Additional information about "lync.exe" process:

Command line:
   "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 15\root\office15\lync.exe" 
   /fromrunkey
   
Started by: explorer.exe

Files used:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 15\root\office15
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\OFFICE\ClickToRunPackageLocker
C:\Users\Public\Juniper Networks\Logging\debuglog.log
C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Lync\Tracing
C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\Offline Address Books
C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\gliding
C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\counters.dat
C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\My
C:\Windows\Fonts
C:\Windows\System32
C:\Windows\System32\en-US

Registry keys: 
Key	HKCR\CLSID\{e74e57b0-6c6d-44d5-9cda-fb2df5ed7435}
Key	HKCR\MIME\Database\Charset
Key	HKCR\MIME\Database\Codepage
Key	HKCR\PROTOCOLS\Filter\text/xml
Key	HKCU\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\Communicator
Key	HKCU\EUDC
Key	HKCU\Software\Classes\.htm
Key	HKCU\Software\Classes\MIME\DataBase
Key	HKCU\Software\Classes\callto
Key	HKCU\Software\Classes\conf
Key	HKCU\Software\Classes\im
Key	HKCU\Software\Classes\ma-chan
Key	HKCU\Software\Classes\sip
Key	HKCU\Software\Classes\sips
Key	HKCU\Software\Classes\tel
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Direct3D
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Exchange
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\MSOIdentityCRL\Trace
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Lync
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Outlook
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Lync
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\SystemCertificates
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Tracing\Office\15.0\Lync\UCAddin
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Tracing\UcClient\Lync
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Tracing\WPPMediaPerApp\lync
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
Key	HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
Key	HKCU\Software\Policies
Key	HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office
Key	HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\SystemCertificates
Key	HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Direct3D
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Direct3D\Drivers
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\EnterpriseCertificates
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\15.0\ClickToRun
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Lync
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SystemCertificates
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PerHwIdStorage
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\SystemCertificates
Key	HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
Key	HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class
Key	HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\CoDeviceInstallers
Key	HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\DeviceClasses
Key	HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\GraphicsDrivers\Scheduler
Key	HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\NetworkProvider\HwOrder
Key	HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls
Key	HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Session Manager
Key	HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum
Key	HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services
Key	HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\WinSock2\Parameters\NameSpace_Catalog5
Key	HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\WinSock2\Parameters\Protocol_Catalog9
Key	HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\crypt32

"lync.exe" process is not a virus. You can terminate "lync.exe" process or remove the startup program entry "Microsoft Office 2013". You can always start Lync manually from the Start button.

 

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