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Our ultimate directory of Windows PC executables.OposHost.exe is a process in Microsoft Windows that serves as a host for OPOS (OLE for Retail POS) service objects. OPOS is a standard that allows retail point of sale (POS) software to interact with POS devices such as barcode scanners, receipt printers, and cash drawers.
It was designed to provide a consistent way for Windows-based POS applications to communicate with and control these various retail hardware devices, abstracting away the low-level device specifics.
OPOS acts as a middleware layer between the POS application software and the device drivers/services for the specific hardware peripherals. This allows POS software developers to write device-agnostic code that can work across different vendor's implementations as long as they provide OPOS drivers.
While initially focused on the Windows operating system, OPOS specifications have also been implemented on other platforms like Linux through open source projects like OPOSNet.
So in relation to Windows, OPOS formed an important component of Microsoft's overall retail/POS software ecosystem, providing standardized access to the specialized hardware required in retail environments running Windows at the time.
Below are 4 simple steps you can take to see if the OposHost.exe process is safe or malware.
Researched by Carl @ SpyShelter Labs
A Trojan is a harmful software that pretends to be a legitimate program or file to deceive users into downloading it. It can steal personal information, damage files, or give hackers control over the infected device.
Download SpyShelter to see detailed safety information about every .exe on your PC.
Check your PC for threatsWe’ve found Microsoft Windows should be the publisher of OposHost.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.
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.
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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