What is the "taskhost.exe" process on windows 7? Is the "taskhost.exe" process a virus? Can I terminate the "taskhost.exe" process?

"taskhost.exe" process represents "Host Process for Windows Tasks" program. "taskhost.exe" acts the host for all DLL based services that are running on the system. "taskhost.exe" process is very similar to "svchost.exe" in that it’s a generic process used to load DLLs. Because of this, "taskhost.exe" may open multiple instances of itself in order to handle DLL’s that may be unrelated to one another.

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

Boot
   wininit
      services
         taskhost

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

Image Name                 Memory   Description
--------------------   ----------   -----------
taskhost.exe             18,308 K   Host Process for Windows Tasks

Additional information about "taskhost.exe" process:

Command line:
   taskhost.exe USER

Programe file information:
   Name: taskhost.exe
   Location: C:\windows\system32\taskhost.exe
   Description: Host Process for Windows Tasks
   Version: 6.1.7600.16385 (win7_rtm.090713-1255)
   Size: 68608 bytes
   Last modified: 11/22/2012 10:13:57 PM
   Company Name: Microsoft Corporation

Some data files used:
C:\Windows\System32
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\taskhost.exe.mui
C:\Windows\System32
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\MsCtfMonitor.dll.mui
C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCacheLock.dat
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\KernelBase.dll.mui
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\winmm.dll.mui
C:\Windows\Fonts\StaticCache.dat
C:\Windows\System32\en-US\user32.dll.mui
C:\Users\fyicenter\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache\WebCacheV01.tmp

Some registry keys used:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Versions
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\SESSION MANAGER
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Language Groups
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Locale\Alternate Sorts
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Locale
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderDescriptions\{905E63B6-C1BF-494E-B29C-65B732D3D21A}\PropertyBag
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\crypt32
HKCU\Keyboard Layout\Toggle
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\CTF\TIP

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\ole32.dll
C:\windows\system32\GDI32.dll
C:\windows\system32\USER32.dll
C:\windows\system32\LPK.dll
C:\windows\system32\USP10.dll
C:\windows\system32\RPCRT4.dll

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

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