ctfmon

In Tools>Advanced>System Startup, I see checked: HK_CU: C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
(It is also present in msconfig>startup).

The info panel on the right side indicates this is "not required- virus, malware or other resource hog...CoolWebSearch related".

Clearly this is not true! I am aware that ctfmon.exe, when found outside the system32 folder, can indicate the presence of malware, but such is not the case on my system. It is a legit file of MS Office, which cannot be uninstalled.. Nowhere does that panel acknowledge that possibility.

That info panel is misleading, and should be updated. Or am I missing something here?

Hello. :)

This topic may shed some light on the question.

http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=324

Hello Tashi, and thanks for responding.

Actually, I had read that thread you linked to before posting my question. With all due respect, I don't think it addresses the point of my post.

This all began because of shutdown problems I was having, and because a potential source identified in my investigation was ctfmon.exe. The info in that right-sided panel led me on a merry chase, but I eventually sorted things out, and managed to remove ctfmon from my startup, which solved my shutdown problem.

Best regards~

Joe