Odd file: popcapgame3.exe

NIS 2011

Vista Home premium Vista SP 2

IE8

Cable internet with router

 

 

Ok I noticed that in my recent history that an entry read:

You created firewall rules to manage how popcapgame3 access your network resources

 

There were 2 such entries, one for outbound TCP and the other for out bound UDP

popcap game we have is Zuma which was installed from a disk, not an internet download.

 

So I deceided to delete these rules frpm the NIS Program Control rules list. But when I go to program control rules I do not see anything for popcapgame3.exe.

When  I go to C:/ProgramFiles/PopCapGames/Zuma Delux,  I do not see any exe popcapgame3.exe. Even when I click show hidden files. There is a popcapgame1.exe and a popcapgame2.exe, but not a popcapgame3.exe

So I decided to leave the file location open and initiate the Zuma game. After doing that, the popcapgame3.exe file appeared.

 

Does this sound malicious? When the Zuma game was running, I did check Norton File Insight on the popcapgame3.exe file and it said it was legit. I even scanned it and it came up clean.

Just wondering why the file only appears when the game is running?

The file properties seem to show that it is created at the  time that the game is run, like if I iniate the game now at 5:46am, the properties will show that it was created at 5:46 am

The size is 1.23mb the same size as the popcapgame1.exe and 2.exe

 

 

Now I googled this file as I learned  t be the fisrt step with any issue, and of course got loads of bizzare stuff, some about it maybe being a virus (But I can google my dog's name and there are some sites that will say it might be a virus)

 

Wondering if anyone can help me understand :

1. is this a legit file?

 

2. why does it access the internet?(or is it not access the INTERNET?)

 

3. why does it not show in the program control rules?

 

4. why does it only get created when the game is initiated?