What is Pnkbstra.exe File

[Kelsey]

Hello , i Have install the Bf2 game , after installation when i load the game it got minimize after that my antivirus popup Stating that it has detected a Virus , it point to Some Pnkbstra.exe file, can you tell me What is Pnkbstra.exe file , is this a Virus or something else ,please tell me What to do then , thanks in advance

[kattman]

The process pnkbstra.exe is a utility that is installed with games from EA games like Battlefield, Quake III Arena, Quake 4, Doom3, Call of Duty 2, America's Army, Medal Of Honor: Pacific Assault and Crysis, etc.. this software do not allow you to cheat online with any of these games

[Macarenas]

Many antivirus and antispyware program detected this program as malicious , and which captures user information to determine if it is cheating, but will be affected if you delete the games that need it. Therefore this program or not depends on what you believe.

[JonathanD]

Well if you play often in online games on servers with punkbuster then it does an update of PunkBuster to check the cheat .make sure that your pc is not behind a firewall of any kind be it a software or hardware . This includes routers with Builtin router or other equipment, as well as programs like Zone Alarm, Black Ice, and the integrated Windows firewall in XP. Activision does not support the use of our games from behind a firewall.

[Glenny]

Some other software programs such as virus scanners, firewalls and Internet security software packages are suspicious of any new services and kernel drivers are when they first released. Some of these will block our new components thereby causing the "Losing Key Packets" kicking. Until these various packages are updated to correctly identify PnkBstrA.exe, PnkBstrB.exe, and PnkBstrK.sys as components of the PunkBuster Anti-Cheat System, players who experience PunkBuster kicks due to these conflicts need to either manually adjust the settings of the other software running on their system or disable the other software while playing on PunkBuster enabled servers. The new PunkBuster components make use of network resources and also frequently update files in the Windows system folders. This activity triggers warnings or blocks by some other security programs, some of which consider all unknown programs as threats or malware. Our new components are simply extensions of the existing PunkBuster system using new services and kernel software drivers, and are each signed with Verisign / Authenticode digital signatures for verifiable authenticity purposes. Most major security packages do not block our new components; users with other software that causes these conflicts should contact the vendor of their security package and request an update to correct this conflict.