Unknown Windows Startup Entry Called FSM?

Comodo Internet Security - CIS AV False Positive/Negative Detection Reporting
#1

Hello,

I noticed that something in my Windows 7 32-Bit Startup that had no information about it in properties and no file seems to be associated with it, called FSM and I guess it is a registry entry, I am wondering is it malware or some obsolete registry entry?

I have noticed it before and thought it had something to do with the FileHippo Updater, but now I am not sure.

Should I just delete this entry through Windows or HiJackFree or CSC (if that is possible)?

I use CCleaner and Comodo System Cleaner (Deep/Aggressive Cleaning Setting For Each Category) for system cleaning.

I have CIS, Windows Defender, Windows Firewall, Threatfire, Peer Block, Open DNS Updater, and Secunia PSI for real-time protection and Malwarebytes, Hitman Pro, Norton Power Eraser, and CCE for on-demand protection.

I have attached a Killswitch and HijackFree log to this post.

Here is a sample of my Autorun Entries From Registry as listed by HiJackFree, I put FSM in bold and in the color red, that is the entry I am wondering about:

Autorun entries from Registry:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

PeerBlock = C:\Program Files\PeerBlock\peerblock.exe

fsm =

FileHippo.com = “C:\Program Files\FileHippo.com\UpdateChecker.exe” /background

OpenDNS Updater = “C:\Program Files\OpenDNS Updater\OpenDNSUpdater.exe” /autostart

I am not sure if this is the correct forum to post this, if not, then I would like to apologize in advance. ;D

Thank you,
-John Jr :slight_smile:

[attachment deleted by admin]

#2

its an entry related to Secunia PSI. :wink:

#3

Really?! Silly me. ;D

Thank you very much. :wink:

#4

Not to doubt you are anything, :a0 , but are you sure?

Why does it not have a description?

Why is no file or files associated with it?

What does it do?

What is it for?

;D :wink:

#5

If you have CIS (with Firewall, Defense+ and AV enabled) there is no need to have enabled the Windows Firewall and Defender or Threatfire. They can conflict with each other.

Regards

#6
#7

I am experimenting and so far there does not seem to be any conflicts yet, but I do know they could possibly happen, I am just testing it out myself.

Threatfire is a behavior blocker, not HIPS like Defense+, as far as I know.

Windows Firewall rarely has alerts and never has conflicted with anything that I have used in testing yet, but that could change one of these years. :wink:

Windows Defender comes enabled on Windows 7, hardly ever has any alerts, has never conflicted with anything I have tested it with so far, and is an anti-spyware/type application and not full anti-malware when I last checked; but I could be wrong. :wink:

I experiment with different software on and off sometimes to see if they conflict, test their effectiveness, etc.

Thank you for the common sense/commonly mentioned advice though. ;D

#8

Thank you, I will try that, if this FSM entry is still there afterward; I will let yall know and then delete it, but even then I still would want to know what it is for and where it came from. ;D

Maybe I will soon find out, I will be back once I try the experiment. (:NRD)

#9

I uninstalled Secunia PSI and the FSM entry was still in my startup, so I deleted the entry with HiJackFree, and then I installed the newest Secunia PSI again; and no FSM entry was created, so I still have no idea what that FSM entry was.

Well it is gone for now, still a mystery to me though, but we will see; you could be right Boss, maybe the FSM entry will pop up again after a restart now that I have installed Secunia PSI again, who knows.

Thank you,
-John Jr :slight_smile:

#10

After re-installing Secunia PSI and using it for several days, the FSM registry entry did not return after deleting it so it does not seem that it was associated with Secunia PSI; so I still do not know what made it, but it is gone now at least. :smiley: ???

#11

This may be of interest http://www.runscanner.net/lib/fsm.exe.html :slight_smile:

#12

Hey, thank you for sharing that. :slight_smile:

I do not recall ever using anything called Firebox, but who knows? Maybe it was integrated into some freeware product I was testing long ago or something. :smiley:

I still find it odd that it was still in the start up and completely void of any information about it or where it came from. :smiley:

But you may have solved the case. :wink:

I will be keeping my eyes open to see if it ever comes back. :wink:

#13

I have the same noname automatic process. And I certainly have never had Firebox, nor Secunia – so it must belong to something else. I find this “mysteriousness” suspicious, so I’ll get rid of it