Strange Outgoing Connection From Windows Explorer When Actively Connected To The Internet

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stephen Michael
  • Start date Start date
S

Stephen Michael

I have seen a strange behavior on Windows XP. I have a popular
software firewall installed and it can detect outgoing connections.
Windows XP firewall (SP#2) does not detect or signal to the end-user
outgoing connections. If you are connected to the internet and you
decide to do a local search for a file using Windows explorer--an
instant outgoing connection goes out. Has anybody seen this behavior?
This is suspicious behavior because there is no need to contact a
remote computer when all information needed to find a file on your
local hard drive is in fact local. Why an outgoing connection? Please
contact me if you have seen this behavior and know what is causing it?
Post to this newsgroup or contact me privately at

(e-mail address removed). With best wishes, Stephen Michael - Windows XP user
Service Pack #2 installed.

Another strange behavior I have seen in certain saved *.eml files.
Simply highlighting them or selecting them with the mouse cursor in
Windows explorer will initiate an outgoing connection detected by the
firewall. I am not saying opening or reading the file in Outlook or
Outlook Express. I am simply saying selecting the file with the mouse
cursor in Windows explorer will send out an outgoing connection to the
internet. Has anybody seen this strange behavior?
 
HTML mail will many times do that. It loads images from the internet in your
preview window or cache in anticipation of needing them.
Outlook.exe or msimn.exe doesn't even have to be active.
 
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