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

"VSSVC.exe" process represents "Microsoftr Volume Shadow Copy Service" program.

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

Boot
   VSSVC

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

Image Name                 Memory   Description
--------------------   ----------   -----------
VSSVC.exe                 5,888 K   Microsoftr Volume Shadow Copy Service

Additional information about "VSSVC.exe" process:

Command line:
   C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe

Programe file information:
   Name: VSSVC.exe
   Location: C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe
   Description: Microsoftr Volume Shadow Copy Service
   Version: 6.2.9200.16384 (win8_rtm.120725-1247)
   Size: 1483776 bytes
   Last modified: 5/4/2013 2:59:51 AM
   Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
   
Some data files used:
C:\Windows\System32
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\VSSVC.exe.mui

Some registry keys used:
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\SESSION MANAGER
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Versions
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Ids
HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WindowsRuntime\CLSID
HKCR\ActivatableClasses\CLSID
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\VSS\Diag\SwProvider_{b5946137-7b9f-4925-af80-51abd60b20d5}
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\VSS\Diag\Registry Writer
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\VSS\Diag\COM+ REGDB Writer
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\VSS\Diag\ASR Writer
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\VSS\Diag\Shadow Copy Optimization Writer

Some DLL libraries used:
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
C:\Windows\system32\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\Windows\system32\KERNELBASE.dll
C:\Windows\system32\msvcrt.dll
C:\Windows\system32\OLEAUT32.dll
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\combase.dll
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\sechost.dll
C:\Windows\system32\RPCRT4.dll
C:\Windows\system32\VSSAPI.DLL
C:\Windows\system32\CLUSAPI.dll

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

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