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

"Skype.exe" process represents "Skype " program.

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

Boot
   Skype

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

Image Name                 Memory   Description
--------------------   ----------   -----------
Skype.exe                98,108 K   Skype 

Additional information about "Skype.exe" process:

Command line:
   "C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe" /minimized /regrun

Programe file information:
   Name: Skype.exe
   Location: C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe
   Description: Skype 
   Version: 6.16.0.105
   Size: 21444224 bytes
   Last modified: 5/8/2014 9:51:52 AM
   Company Name: Skype Technologies S.A.
   
Some data files used:
C:\Windows
C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone
C:\Users\fyi\AppData\Roaming\Skype
C:\Users\fyi\AppData\Roaming\Skype\shared_httpfe\queue.db
C:\Users\fyi\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\counters.dat

Some registry keys used:
HKCU\ActivatableClasses\CLSID
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Versions
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\CustomLocale
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\SESSION MANAGER
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Direct3D
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Direct3D\Drivers
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\GraphicsDrivers\Scheduler
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Ids
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\WinSock2\Parameters\Protocol_Catalog9
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\WinSock2\Parameters\NameSpace_Catalog5

Some DLL libraries used:
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\wow64.dll
C:\Windows\system32\wow64win.dll
C:\Windows\system32\wow64cpu.dll
C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ntdll.dll
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\KERNELBASE.dll
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\oleaut32.dll
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\msvcrt.dll

"Skype.exe" process is not a virus. You can terminate "Skype.exe" process, if you are not using Skype.

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