What’s dllhst3g.exe (COM Surrogate)? Is it safe or a virus?

DLLHost3G.exe is a process by Microsoft Windows with the app description "COM Surrogate." This process is responsible for hosting and executing COM objects within a DLL host process. COM objects are components used in software development to enable interprocess communication and are commonly used in Windows applications. The COM Surrogate process helps to mitigate issues related to compatibility and stability by providing a separate and isolated environment for running these components.

Below are 4 simple steps you can take to see if the dllhst3g.exe process is safe or malware.

Researched by Laura @ SpyShelter Labs

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More about dllhst3g.exe on WINDOWS

Who makes dllhst3g.exe (COM Surrogate)?

We’ve found Microsoft Windows should be the publisher of dllhst3g.exe.

How do we know? Our SpyShelter cybersecurity labs focuses on monitoring different types of Windows PC executables and their behaviors for our popular SpyShelter Antispyware software. Learn more about us, and how our cybersecurity team studies Windows PC executables/processes.

What does it mean if someone is the publisher of a PC .exe (executable or process)?

The publisher of an executable is the entity responsible for its distribution and authenticity. Most processes/executables on your PC should be signed. The signature on the executable should have been verified through a third party whose job it is to make sure the entity is who it says it is. Find an unsigned executable? You should consider scanning any completely unsigned .exe on your PC.

Last updated: June 5, 2024

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Why should you trust us?

Our team at SpyShelter has been studying Windows PC executables for over 15 years, to help fight against spyware, malware, and other threats. SpyShelter has been featured in publications like The Register, PC Magazine, and many others. Now we’re working to share free, actionable, and easy to understand information about Windows executables (processes) with the world, to help as many people as possible keep their devices safe. Learn more about us on our "About SpyShelter” page.

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