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

"lync.exe - Skype for Business" process is Microsoft communication tool for text, audio, or video conversations over the Internet.

"lync.exe" process is created by the startup program entry "Microsoft Office 2013".

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

Image Name  PID   Memory    Description

lync.exe    2696  73,236 K  Skype for Business

Additional information about "lync.exe" process:

Command line:
   "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 15\root\office15\lync.exe" 
   /fromrunkey
   
Started by: explorer.exe

Files used:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office 15\root\office15
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\OFFICE\ClickToRunPackageLocker
C:\Users\Public\Juniper Networks\Logging\debuglog.log
C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Lync\Tracing
C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\Offline Address Books
C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\gliding
C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\counters.dat
C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\My
C:\Windows\Fonts
C:\Windows\System32
C:\Windows\System32\en-US

Registry keys: 
Key  HKCR\CLSID\{e74e57b0-6c6d-44d5-9cda-fb2df5ed7435}
Key  HKCR\MIME\Database\Charset
Key  HKCR\MIME\Database\Codepage
Key  HKCR\PROTOCOLS\Filter\text/xml
Key  HKCU\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\Communicator
Key  HKCU\EUDC
Key  HKCU\Software\Classes\.htm
Key  HKCU\Software\Classes\MIME\DataBase
Key  HKCU\Software\Classes\callto
Key  HKCU\Software\Classes\conf
Key  HKCU\Software\Classes\im
Key  HKCU\Software\Classes\ma-chan
Key  HKCU\Software\Classes\sip
Key  HKCU\Software\Classes\sips
Key  HKCU\Software\Classes\tel
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Direct3D
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Exchange
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\MSOIdentityCRL\Trace
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Lync
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Outlook
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Lync
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\SystemCertificates
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Tracing\Office\15.0\Lync\UCAddin
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Tracing\UcClient\Lync
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Tracing\WPPMediaPerApp\lync
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
Key  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
Key  HKCU\Software\Policies
Key  HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office
Key  HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\SystemCertificates
Key  HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Direct3D
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Direct3D\Drivers
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\EnterpriseCertificates
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\15.0\ClickToRun
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Lync
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SystemCertificates
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PerHwIdStorage
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\SystemCertificates
Key  HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
Key  HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class
Key  HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\CoDeviceInstallers
Key  HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\DeviceClasses
Key  HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\GraphicsDrivers\Scheduler
Key  HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\NetworkProvider\HwOrder
Key  HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls
Key  HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Session Manager
Key  HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum
Key  HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services
Key  HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\WinSock2\Parameters\NameSpace_Catalog5
Key  HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\WinSock2\Parameters\Protocol_Catalog9
Key  HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\crypt32

"lync.exe" process is not a virus. You can terminate "lync.exe" process or remove the startup program entry "Microsoft Office 2013". You can always start Lync manually from the Start button.

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