3.exe executable file belongs to a malicious application that can correctly be identified as a coin miner virus. That malware type utilizes your hardware to mine cryptocurrencies, basically – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your computer pretty much unusable due to high CPU utilization.
What is 3.exe process?
3.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
As I have actually pointed out in the previous paragraph, 3.exe is a coin miner trojan virus. The names of the .exe file can be diverse, however, the consequences are usually the same. Since coin miners aim at cryptocurrency mining, they use all available hardware capacity of your personal computer to conduct this operation. This malware does not take note of the fact that you probably want to use your desktop for other activities – it will constantly use over 80% of your CPU power.
3.exe – Very high CPU as well as GPU usage
Besides CPU usage, some of the coin miners additionally make use of GPU power for their tasks. In that situation, you will probably struggle even to see the mouse cursor moving – GPU is usually utilized on 100%. It is not as essential as CPU for system work, so 3.exe coin miner viruses don’t waste time on trifles and use all of it. It sometimes can lead to sad results.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
Cryptocurrency mining term means the activity of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a integral part of any project based on the blockchain technology. Since this operation takes a lot of calculations, a strong computer is needed. Exactly, the graphic card is better for this purpose, because they have more cores available. Cryptomining farms usually consist of tens and hundreds of GPUs to complete their task efficiently. Such computer systems are not usable for “general” purposes, like gaming or browsing the Web. Crooks who gain money via this coin miner use someones’ PCs instead, even if they are used for the regular activity.2
List of the typical coin miner symptoms
How dangerous is the 3.exe miner?
Coin miners does not deal damage to your files. However, they make a lot of unpleasant things with the whole system
Firstly, 3.exe malware makes your computer overloaded. It is not able to run your applications anymore, since all processor power is used by a virus. That malware does not care for your needs, all it focuses on is making money on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until browser is open, you will likely struggle with exceptionally slow performance. Pages can open up for years, any kind of logins will likely take about a minute – just a headache for a person that works online.
3.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | 3.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Nottepad.exe, Deadcloud1_build.exe, Omegaengine.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic 3.exe removal. |
“Visible” damage is not a single unpleasant activity coin miners do to your personal computer. 3.exe coin miner also deals damage to your OS. To execute all malicious operations effectively, it wrecks the protection mechanisms of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware halts it to avoid detection. If you check the HOSTS file, you will likely see a ton of new notes – they are added by this trojan miner to connect your PC to a malicious mining network. All these adjustments shall be thrown back to the initial state in the process of system recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides decreasing your PC’s performance, performing at peak level for a long period of time can cause damage to your machine and raise electricity bills. Hardware elements are designed to easily deal with high load, but they can do so only in case when they are in a good shape.
Small and well-protected processor fan is hard to crack. Meanwhile, graphic cards have large and easy-to-access fans, which can be easily cracked if affected while working, for instance, by the user much before the malware injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the unusually high load caused by 3.exe miner can easily lead to GPU failure3. GPUs are also prone to have very fast wearing when utilized for cryptocurrency mining. It is likely a bad case when the performance of your GPU plunges 20-30% just after 1-2 weeks of being exploited in such a way.
How did I get 3.exe coin miner virus?
Coin miners are spread through different ways, but their main sources are malicious banners and programs from dubious sources
Coin miners are one of the most widespread malevolent programs through “major” viruses. Adware sometimes works as a carrier for 3.exe malware injection: it shows you the banners, which have a link to malware downloading. Yes, this abstract “malware” may belong to any type – an additional adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. But the statistics show that around 30% of all malware spread with the malevolent banners are coin miners – and 3.exe is just with them.4
The example of malicious banners you can see in the Internet
An additional way you could get this thing on your PC is by downloading it from the dubious web page as a part of a program. Users who spread hacked variants of favored programs (which do not need the license key) have small chances to make money. For this reason, there is a very big lure to include malware to the final package of the hacked app and receive a coin for every setup. Prior to blaming these people for hacking and also malware distribution, ask yourself – is it OK to avoid purchasing the program in this manner? It is more affordable to pay $20-$30 at once than to pay a much greater figure for antivirus software as well as new parts for your desktop.
How to remove the 3.exe miner from my PC?
The best way to get rid of this coin miner virus is to use anti-malware software
Removing such a virus needs using special app. Effective anti-malware program should have high efficiency at scanning and also be lightweight – in order to make no problems with usage even on weak computers. Furthermore, it is recommended to have on-run protection in your protection tool – to prevent the virus even before it starts. Microsoft Defender lacks these features for different factors. That’s why I’d advise you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that reason. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is a superb choice that fits each of the discussed qualities.5
Before the malware removal, it is important to reboot your operating system into Safe Mode with Networking. Since 3.exe miner takes a lot of CPU capacity, it is required to halt it before launching the security program. Otherwise, your scan will last for years, even though the GridinSoft program is pretty lightweight.
Booting the PC into Safe Mode with Networking
Press the Start button, then choose Power, and click on Reboot while holding the Shift key on the keyboard.
Windows will reboot into recovery mode. In that mode, choose Troubleshoot→ Startup Settings→ Safe Mode with Networking. Press the corresponding button on your keyboard to choose that option.
When your system is in Safe Mode, all third-party programs, just like the majority of non-critical system components, are not launched with the system start. That gives you the ability to clean the computer without dealing with high CPU usage of the coin miner.
Remove 3.exe coin miner virus with GridinSoft Anti-Malware
Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware. You can use this anti-malware program for free during its 6-day trial period. In that term, all functions are available, and it takes no payments to remove malware from your system.
After activating your free trial, start Full scan. It may last up to 10 minutes. You may use the PC as usual.
When the scan is finished, press the Clean Now button to remove all detected elements from your system. This procedure takes less than a minute.
Now, you are good to go. Reboot your PC into a normal Windows mode and use just as there was nothing malicious.
Remove 3.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner
Name: 3.exe
Description: The 3.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This 3.exe will create your CPU to go for very warm temperatures for prolonged periods of time, which could reduce the life of the CPU.
Operating System: Windows
Application Category: Trojan
User Review
( votes)References
- Read about why Monero and DarkCoin are so popular amongst cybercriminals.
- Detailed explanation of how does cryptomining work.
- About unwanted effects for GPUs in the process of cryptomining.
- Read more about various malware type on Cybersecurity Glossary.
- Our review on GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
