Zone Alarm Pro/Generic Host Process for Win 32

[Maye]

Hello!

I am currently using zone alarm pro and sometimes I get Generic Host Process for Win 32 pop up 2 or even 3 times as being active. At times it will say that Generic Host Process for Win 32 is listening to TCP ports (Forgot port #'s) ... I end up shuting off zone alarm and restarting the program and Generic Host Process for Win 32 will pop up just once.... Is this something I should be concerned about??

Any help would be appreciative : )

Thx!

[shawshank62]

i think this is pretty standard, i get it too...i just let it go out...but i would like to find out what it is.

[Maye]

Thx! I guess I'll just have to deal with it!

[shawshank62]

and btw....i think that if you block it, you cannot access the internet...but try blcoking it, if the net still works jsut leave it blcoked, if not then just unblock.

[Maye]

your right, when i block it i can't access the internet..i'll just keep it unblocked ...thx

[nukes]

Its the generic process for all the windows services that run under the hood, be it the workstation or DNS clients, as well as a pile of other stuff like messanger. They rolled it all into one program (not strictly, sort of like inetd in Linux/unix) but the downside is you don't get to see exactly what its doing, much like everything else in windows.

[Maye]

I know that generic host process has legitimate purposes, but could it also be vulnerable to illegitimate uses as well?

Sorry if this question sounds stupid... Im kinda new with this whole computer thing : )

[m3talsmith]

I have a client that's having the same problem. Only she doesn't use Zone Alarm so I know it's not related to that. anyone have a clue yet as to what it is?

[Toddly]

Here you go. Read about some of the Generic Host Processes. Nukes had it right. Blackviper is a nice info site.Link

[Pexster]

I have a thoroughly irrational way of dealing with it -- it depends on my mood! Sometimes when ZA asks about it, I say "No - screw you, MS!"; if I'm in a good mood, I say, "OK, go ahead." I've never had it cause any problems when I deny it, though. And my wife NEVER let's it have access. If I remember right, there are about 32 different things it could be.