What is the Windows alg.exe file and process?

What is alg.exe?

A Microsoft Windows file stored in the c:\windows\system32 or c:\winnt\system32 directory with a file description: Application Layer Gateway Service. This file provides support for 3rd party protocol plug-ins for Internet Connection Sharing and the Windows Firewall.

Is this file a spyware, trojan, or virus?

The alg.exe file included with Microsoft Windows is not spyware, a trojan, or a virus. However, like any file on your computer, it can become corrupted by a virus, worm, or trojan. Antivirus programs can detect and clean this file if it's infected. Because this file is part of Microsoft Windows, users should never delete or remove this file. If they think it is infected, let the antivirus program handle it.

Is it safe to remove alg.exe from the Task Manager processes?

Not recommended. If you click the End Process button for this task, you are likely to encounter issues with your Internet connection. If you have ended this task already, rebooting the computer restarts alg.exe and allows everything to work again.