New Dell Support Center triggering Online Armor

Hi BradKramer, and welcome to the forum.

Those files can be part of a legitmate hardware diagnostics program called PC-Doctor.
http://www.online-armor.com/oasis2/file/pc_doctor__inc_/pc_doctor_for_windows/pcdrsysinfoperipheral_p5x/3072138

If you have PC-Doctor installed, and downloaded it from the vendor:
http://www.pc-doctor.com/ then you are likely OK (assuming your PC is otherwise working well). The files should be found in a folder called PC-Doctor.

If you don't have this program installed, or these files are in a different folder, then I would be concerned. Malware can install files and name them anything they want. I would have OA block those files from accessing the internet, if this is the case.

Have you run any anti-virus or anti-malware scans?

Why do you think these files are related to Dell Support Center? Did you just install this program, or did it come pre-installed from Dell?

Edit:

I see in this thread from 2008 that Dell Support Center does indeed use elements of PC-Doctor software:
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/virus-spyware/f/3522/p/19034564/19157550.aspx#19157550

See also: http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/f/3524/p/19362805/19813701.aspx#19813701

If this is the first time your OA firewall has seen this program run, then it is normal to see these alerts.

Thank you so much for your reply, Joe. I don't mean to sound paranoid, but it seems kind of creepy that a program that I didn't even realize was installed on my laptop may be trying to track keystrokes and monitor use of the webcam. Doesn't that seem problematic?

--BK

Brad, this is just my personal opinion based on my experience with the Dell Support Center a few years back, and numerous posts about problems with it at that time.

But frankly, the collective wisdom hereabouts at that time was that this program was more problem than it was worth. I know I tried it myself, and uninstalled it, as did many others. I'm not familiar with the latest version, but back then it was clear that it did nothing one could not do manually (download the latest drivers from Dell, basically).

Frankly, I'm surprised to hear that Dell still continues to pre-install it. Should you decide to uninstall it (rather than just disable it), I doubt that you will miss it. I know I did not. A quick search on "Dell Support Center"  will confirm that many shared this opinion.

http://www.ehow.com/how_7328405_uninstall-dell-support.html

Several days late and probably a dollar short, but....

The newest version of Dell Support Center  that came out in December 2010 is specifically branded as  "Powered by PC Doctor", but unlike previous versions appears to use "Scheduled Tasks" to run its regular checks, instead of running continuously as a startup program.   In XP I had 2 tasks, one for maintenance, the other for updates, scheduled to run at least daily.     Should you choose to keep the Support Center that task schedule can be easily modified via Control Panel.  However, even when I uninstalled the program those tasks were still there (though they didn't do anything, since nothing's left to run).  So I just removed them from the Task Manager list.

I agree with Joe - as a rule, you really don't need it..   Dell installs it as basically "automated troubleshooting", to make it easier to deal with support issues - easier to run one program to deal with a warranty phone call than to troubleshoot line by line (or click by click).     For the user,  it's a convenience, but definitely not a necessity.

Just an FYI / rant - Dell's TERRIBLE about version numbers.  There have been Dell Support 1's, 2's, and 3's, but NOT in that order.  In my 3+ years here I've seen Dell Support Center versions 3.2, 3.4, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, and now 3.0 AGAIN - but this newest 3.0 has nothing to do with the 3.2 that came with my PC in 2007, and 2.0 succeeded 3.4.   Only way I can tell them apart is by the icons they use.  How's that for confusion?

Thank you so much, Joe, Bugbatter and Alexandra, for taking the time to share your insights - greatly appreciated.  Still not sure if I will block these processes via Online Armor, uninstall Dell Support Ctr., or just click "allow" and move on, but at least I'm getting the sense that no one is trying to use my webcam to spy on me, or a keystroke tracker to keep tabs on everything I do!

--BK