What is the "taskhost.exe" process on Windows 8? Is the "taskhost.exe" process a virus? Can I terminate the "taskhost.exe" process?

"taskhost.exe - Host Process for Windows Tasks" process acts the host for all DLL based services that are run. "taskhost.exe" process is very similar to "svchost.exe" in that it’s a generic process used to load DLLs. Because of this, "taskhost.exe" may open multiple instances of itself in order to handle DLL’s that may be unrelated to one another.

"taskhost.exe" processes is created by the "services.exe" process.

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

Image Name   PID   Memory   Description

taskhost.exe 2512  1,200 K  Host Process for Windows Tasks

Additional information about "taskhost.exe" process:

Command line:
   C:\Windows\System32\taskhost.exe
   
Started by: services.exe

Files used:
   C:\Windows\System32
   C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCacheLock.dat
   C:\Windows\System32\en-US\KernelBase.dll.mui
   C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache\WebCacheV01.dat
   C:\Windows\System32\en-US\wdmaud.drv.mui
   C:\Windows\System32\en-US\MMDevAPI.dll.mui
   C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache\V01.log
   C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache\WebCacheV01.tmp
   
Registry keys: 
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Versions
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Session Manager
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Locale\Alternate Sorts
HKCU\Software\Classes
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Locale
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Language Groups
HKCU\Keyboard Layout\Toggle
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\CTF\DirectSwitchHotkeys
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Keyboard Layouts
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\CTF\SortOrder
HKCU\Keyboard Layout\Preload
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\CTF\Assemblies
HKCU\Keyboard Layout
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\CTF\TIP
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\CTF\TIP
HKCU\Control Panel\Input Method\Hot Keys
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Drivers32

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

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