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

"wlanext.exe" process represents "Windows Wireless LAN 802.11 Extensibility Framework" program. "wlanext.exe" process is created by the "WLAN AutoConfig" service.

"wlanext.exe" process is normally running under the parent process "svchost" as shown in the process tree below:

Boot
   wininit
      services
         svchost
            wlanext

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

Image Name                 Memory   Description
--------------------   ----------   -----------
wlanext.exe              12,352 K   Windows Wireless LAN 802.11 Extensibility Framework

Additional information about "wlanext.exe" process:

Command line:
   C:\windows\system32\WLANExt.exe 22132976

Programe file information:
   Name: wlanext.exe
   Location: C:\windows\system32\WLANExt.exe
   Description: Windows Wireless LAN 802.11 Extensibility Framework
   Version: 6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)
   Size: 99328 bytes
   Last modified: 7/13/2009 9:39:54 PM
   Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
   
Some data files used:
C:\Windows\System32
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\wlanext.exe.mui
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\setupapi.dll.mui
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\crypt32.dll.mui
C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\My
C:\Program Files\Intel\WiFi\UnifiedLogging\ds-debug.log
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\wlanapi.dll.mui

Some registry keys used:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Versions
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\SESSION MANAGER
HKU\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\International
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\crypt32
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptography\OID\EncodingType 0\CertDllCreateCertificateChainEngine\Config
HKU\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\My
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\ROOT
HKU\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\CA
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\CA

Some DLL libraries used:
C:\windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
C:\windows\system32\kernel32.dll
C:\windows\system32\KERNELBASE.dll
C:\windows\system32\ADVAPI32.dll
C:\windows\system32\msvcrt.dll
C:\windows\SYSTEM32\sechost.dll
C:\windows\system32\RPCRT4.dll
C:\windows\system32\USER32.dll
C:\windows\system32\GDI32.dll
C:\windows\system32\LPK.dll

"wlanext.exe" process is not a virus. You should not terminate "wlanext.exe" process.

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