Generic Host Process for Win32

[Lisa]

My Norton Internet Security has been giving me alerts
several times per day that "a remote system is attempting
to access Microsoft Generic Host Process for Win32
Services on (my) computer" at C\WINDOWS\System32
\svchost.exe. The protocol is "UDP (Inbound)". It
recommends that I permit it. Does any on know what this is
and why something is trying to access it, and if I should
permit it or not? So far I have been blocking access.

I am a single user, and I am not set up for remote access
to my PC by either myself or anyone else, if that has
anything to do with it. I am set up, however, for
Automatic Updates, but have been receiving them even
though I have been blocking these attempts. Can't think of
anything else it might be associated with.

TIA for any clues at all. It's driving me nuts!

 

[Chris P.]

Svchost.exe is a generic host process name for services
that run from dynamic-link libraries, known as DLLs.
This is used for alot of programs and if you look in your
task manager and see the processes you will notive a few
svchost.exe running. You should allow this although it
could be a virus using it to connect to your computer,
but as long as you have anit-virus software i wouldn'yt
worry.

Hope this helps,
Chris P.

 

[Lisa]

Chris,

Thanks for the quick reply! I run Norton Anti-Virus 2002,
and I have the updates set at the default, which if I
remember correctly is several time a day, so I am pretty
confident in my anti-virus protection (as far as I know
nothing has ever gotten through it). If you think I need
to do anything else to protect myself, I'll watch for any
further posts. Otherwise, I'll consider the issue resolved
and say thank you very much for your help, and for saving
me $35 bucks!!

Lisa.