Generic Host Process

One of the reasons I have avoided Windows 2000 and Windows XP until
now is the fact that I don't like my computer making connections to
the internet that Idon't initiate, and for unknown purposes. Both of
those operating systems will not function on the internet unless you
allow them to do what they want making unknown connections. If you
block those connections the system will not allow you to do anything
on the internet at all.

In Zonealarm the offending program is identified as Generic Host
Process. It wants to act as a server. It connects to various IPs and
listens at various ports. If I block Generic Host Process then my
email program, my antivirus updater, my newsreader, etc are all
blocked.

I don't understand why most people are not bothered by this. Does
everyone trust Microsoft? I don't. From my experience with Windows
95, Windows 98, and Linux I know that there is no legitimate reason
for the operating system to be accessing the internet for mysterious
purposes.

Comments?

Frank5

On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 23:27:55 GMT, Leythos <> wrote:

>In article <>,
>says...
>> One of the reasons I have avoided Windows 2000 and Windows XP until
>> now is the fact that I don't like my computer making connections to
>> the internet that Idon't initiate, and for unknown purposes. Both of
>> those operating systems will not function on the internet unless you
>> allow them to do what they want making unknown connections. If you
>> block those connections the system will not allow you to do anything
>> on the internet at all.
>>
>> In Zonealarm the offending program is identified as Generic Host
>> Process. It wants to act as a server. It connects to various IPs and
>> listens at various ports. If I block Generic Host Process then my
>> email program, my antivirus updater, my newsreader, etc are all
>> blocked.
>>
>> I don't understand why most people are not bothered by this. Does
>> everyone trust Microsoft? I don't. From my experience with Windows
>> 95, Windows 98, and Linux I know that there is no legitimate reason
>> for the operating system to be accessing the internet for mysterious
>> purposes.
>>
>> Comments?
>
>I can assure you that you can block all of that in a firewall (the OS
>level type outbound) and Internet Explorer will still function. If you
>have a router, and you don't want outbound, block the OS ports in the
>Filters section and you don't have it leaving the internal network.

With XP, if I allow Generic Host Process (GHP) to access DNS (by
listing the DNS servers as trusted and giving GHP explicit permission
to access them) and block GHP from any other internet access, then
nothing works on the internet. I have a router. I will have to see
if I can filter the associated ports and then allow everything in
Zonealarm and see if that works.
>
>When I watch my firewall (a real firewall) and I access web/news/email,
>I only see the ports necessary for the services going out.
>
>--