What will happen if I disable all traffic for ekrn.exe?

I noticed it's pinging various University's around the world.

Will this disrupt every day functions?

 

Hi, ekrn is the software kernel. If you disable it, the software will not be able to update. It’s not ekrn.exe itself that's pinging the university addresses--it’s most likely another application whose traffic is being routed through the proxy that’s built into the ESET software.

I would do this in your situation:

1. Open up the ESET Antivirus window and press F5.
2. From the Advanced Setup tree, click 'Antivirus and antispyware' -> 'Protocol Filtering'.
3. Select the 'Ports and applications marked as Internet browsers or e-mail clients'.
4. From the Advanced Setup tree, click 'Antivirus and antispyware' -> Web access protection' -> 'HTTP' -> 'Web browsers' and make sure that only the applications you want scanned with the Internet filter are selected.

 

I'd merely add that disabling the traffic for ekrn.exe would disable the traffic for all applications whose communication is routed through it.