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

"perfhost.exe" process represents "x86 Performance Counter Host" program, created by the "Performance Counter DLL Host" service.

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

Boot
   perfhost

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

Image Name                 Memory   Description
--------------------   ----------   -----------
perfhost.exe              2,440 K   x86 Performance Counter Host

Additional information about "perfhost.exe" process:

Command line:
   C:\Windows\SysWow64\perfhost.exe

Programe file information:
   Name: perfhost.exe
   Location: C:\Windows\SysWow64\perfhost.exe
   Description: x86 Performance Counter Host
   Version: 6.2.9200.16384 (win8_rtm.120725-1247)
   Size: 20992 bytes
   Last modified: 7/25/2012 11:20:52 PM
   Company Name: Microsoft Corporation
   
Some data files used:
C:\Windows
C:\Windows\SysWOW64

Some registry keys used:
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Versions

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:\Windows\SysWow64\perfhost.exe
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ntdll.dll
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\KERNELBASE.dll
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\msvcrt.dll
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\RPCRT4.dll

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

⇒ "Locator.exe" Process on Windows 8

⇐ "TurboBoost.exe" Process on Windows 8

⇑ System Service Processes on Windows 8

⇑⇑ Windows 8 Processes Tutorials