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

"dsNcService.exe - Network Connect Service" process for "Juniiper Network Connect Service" manages secure network connections related to Junos Pulse VPN connections.

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

Image Name      PID  User Name   Memory  Description

dsNcService.exe 2044 SYSTEM      944 K   Network Connect Service

Additional information about "dsNcService.exe" process:

Command line:
   C:\Program Files\Juniper Networks\Common Files\dsNcService.exe
   
Started by: services.exe

Files used:
   C:\Windows\System32
   C:\Users\Public\Juniper Networks\Logging\debuglog.log
   C:\Windows\System32\en-US\wininet.dll.mui
   C:\Users\Public\Juniper Networks\Logging\jsrvprt.log

Registry keys: 
   HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Versions
   HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Session Manager
   HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\Tcpip\Parameters
   HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces
   HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\WinSock2\Parameters\NameSpace_Catalog5
   HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\WinSock2\Parameters\Protocol_Catalog9
   HKU\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\International

"dsNcService.exe" process is not a virus. You can terminate "dsNcService.exe" process or stop "Juniper Network Connect Service". If you need to use Junos Pulse VPN connection later, you can start it again.

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