Firewall and Microsoft.photos.exe

For the last three days I get repeated requests from Avast firewall to allow or deny Microsoft.photos.exe to make an https connection to 13.107.5.88. Whois reports this to be a Microsoft server. After I deny the request (with “remember” selected) it happens again in a couple of hours using a new port number each time. Very annoying! Microsoft.photos.exe exists in the Windows APPS folder. It is a system file that won’t be renamed or deleted. Interestingly, it is an executable ZIP archive. How can I tell the firewall to deny access to this program once and for all time? I have never used the Windows 10 Photos app and don’t plan to. Running Windows 10 Home edition, Avast Internet Security 17.3.2291. I ran System File Checker, no problems found.

https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB25

Thanks for the link. There is already a “block all” application rule for this program, but I am still getting the pop-up. I added a new packet rule blocking that address, have to wait and see if it works.

If you don’t want any of the Windows 10 apps then you can easily remove them via CCleaners uninstall function.