Ctfmon.exe bad or good

[organicbmx 0]

Spybot says that ctfmon.exe or ctfmon32.exe im not sure which, is part of a coolwebsearch parasite. i google ctfmon.exe and microsoft says it fine. All spyware searches on the computer comp up with nothing but on the spybot startup settings ctfmon.exe keeps allowing itself to startup.whats going on? thanks

[WeaponX 0]

We have to get it clear here. Which one is it - ctfmon.exe or ctfmon32.exe? There's a big difference between the two. The latter one is a trojan. The ctfmon.exe file is legit in most cases, but if it's not in the correct directory, it may also be a possible trojan.

OK, I will need you to do the following listed in the site below:

http://www.greyknight17.com/spyware.htm

When you are up to the HijackThis log, post the log here. I wasn't sure if it was allowed here (to post the HijackThis log). But after doing some searching around here, I saw other users posting it without any problems. So hopefully it's the same with you.

Do all the steps outlined in the site I mentioned above. When ready, post your HijackThis log here for review. PM me if you wish and I will return to this topic to help you out. Otherwise, I might lose track of things and forget about this post.

[tansqrx 0]

You proubly already know this but according to the WinTasks Process Library (http://www.liutilities.com/windows-process/ctfmon-exe/) ctfmon is

ctfmon.exe is a part of the Microsoft Office suite. It activates the Alternative User Input Text Input Processor (TIP) and the Microsoft Office XP Language Bar. This program is a non-essential system process, but should not be terminated unless suspected to be causing problems

Besides that I have had my own bad problems with ctfmon. After installing Unreal 2004, the annoying language bar kept poping up in the start bar. Also on a regular basis ctfmon went to 100% CPU useage and stayed there untill I terminated it. I had to eventually uninstall Unreal becaue I couldn't find another way to get rid of it. Microsoft might say its harmless but I would ax it if you find a way.

[madcrow 0]

Well if you want to type in Japanese or Chinese or something, you'll want it running... It has caused problems for me, though. Trust Microsoft to write a buggy CPU hogging program that does something somewhat useful and then claim it as a big advance.The similar program in Linux (scim/skim) never causes any problems...

[Sparkleofmadness 0]

I think that ctfmon32.exe is harmfull, not ctfmon.exe.I just reinstalled Windows XP and under processes stands ctfmon.exe sorry for my bad englisch, it's not my first language