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

"FlashUtil_ActiveX.exe" process represents "Adobe Flash Player Utility" program.

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

Boot
   FlashUtil_ActiveX

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

Image Name                 Memory   Description
--------------------   ----------   -----------
FlashUtil_ActiveX.ex      7,964 K   Adobe Flash Player Utility

Additional information about "FlashUtil_ActiveX.exe" process:

Command line:
   "C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash\FlashUtil_ActiveX.exe" -Embedding

Programe file information:
   Name: FlashUtil_ActiveX.exe
   Location: C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash\FlashUtil_ActiveX.exe
   Description: Adobe Flash Player Utility
   Version: 11,9,900,170
   Size: 533464 bytes
   Last modified: 12/3/2013 7:53:54 PM
   Company Name: Adobe Systems Incorporated
   
Some data files used:
C:\Windows\System32
C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash\FlashUtil_ActiveX.exe
C:\Windows\System32\stdole2.tlb

Some registry keys used:
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\SESSION MANAGER
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Versions
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\GraphicsDrivers\Scheduler
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\NetworkProvider\HwOrder
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Nls\Sorting\Ids
HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WindowsRuntime\CLSID
HKCR\ActivatableClasses\CLSID

Some DLL libraries used:
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
C:\Windows\system32\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\Windows\system32\KERNELBASE.dll
C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\OLEACC.dll
C:\Windows\system32\USER32.dll
C:\Windows\system32\GDI32.dll
C:\Windows\system32\ADVAPI32.dll
C:\Windows\system32\SHELL32.dll
C:\Windows\system32\ole32.dll
C:\Windows\system32\OLEAUT32.dll

"FlashUtil_ActiveX.exe" process is not a virus. You should not terminate "FlashUtil_ActiveX.exe" process. It is used by Internet Explorer (IE) and Map apps

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