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

"alg.exe" process represents "Application Layer Gateway Service" service.

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

Boot
   alg

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

Image Name                 Memory   Description
--------------------   ----------   -----------
alg.exe                   3,408 K   Application Layer Gateway Service

Additional information about "alg.exe" process:

Command line:
   C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe

Programe file information:
   Name: alg.exe
   Location: C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe
   Description: Application Layer Gateway Service
   Version: 6.2.9200.16384 (win8_rtm.120725-1247)
   Size: 94208 bytes
   Last modified: 7/25/2012 11:08:16 PM
   Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
   
Some data files used:
C:\Windows\System32
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\alg.exe.mui

Some registry keys used:
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\SESSION MANAGER
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Versions
HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WindowsRuntime\CLSID
HKCR\ActivatableClasses\CLSID
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Ids
HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\ALG\ISV

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\CRYPTBASE.dll
C:\Windows\System32\MSWSOCK.dll
C:\Windows\System32\bcryptPrimitives.dll
C:\Windows\system32\RPCRT4.dll
C:\Windows\system32\WS2_32.dll
C:\Windows\system32\NSI.dll

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

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