aaHMSvc.exe is a Virus or Safe?

Written by Robert Bailey
ASUS HM Com Service (aaHMSvc.exe) is a service related to the ASUS Help Me Choose application. ASUS Help Me Choose is a utility provided by ASUS that assists users in selecting the appropriate components and settings for their ASUS products. The aaHMSvc.exe process is responsible for managing the communication and functionality of the ASUS Help Me Choose service.

It’s important to note that aaHMSvc.exe is a legitimate process related to ASUS software and is not inherently harmful or malicious. However, as with any executable file, it’s recommended to ensure that you obtain it from official and trusted sources to avoid potential risks. If you have concerns about the file or notice any unusual behavior related to it, it’s advisable to run a scan using reputable antivirus software or contact ASUS support for further assistance.

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What is aaHMSvc.exe process?

aaHMSvc.exe is a service related to the ASUS Help Me Choose

If you observe that aaHMSvc.exe is not signed, consuming excessive CPU resources, and located in the temp folder, it raises suspicion regarding its legitimacy and potential for being a coin miner malware. While the legitimate aaHMSvc.exe is not known to be a coin miner, the presence of these behaviors could indicate that the file has been compromised or replaced with a malicious version.

aaHMSvc.exe Windows Process

Aahmsvc.exe – Very high CPU and GPU use

To address this concern, it is highly recommended to take the following steps:

  1. Run a thorough scan of your system using reputable antivirus software to detect and remove any potential threats.
  2. Verify the authenticity of the aaHMSvc.exe file by comparing it to a trusted source or reinstalling it from the official ASUS website.
  3. Monitor your system for any other unusual activities or processes that may indicate the presence of malware.
  4. Keep your operating system and security software up to date to prevent vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malware.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining

Crypto mining term means the action of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a integral element of anything based on the blockchain technology. Since this operation takes a lot of calculations, a high-end machine is required. Exactly, the video card is better for this purpose, because they have more cores available. Cryptocurrency mining farms are usually constructed of dozens of video cards to conduct their activity effectively. Such computer systems are not usable for “usual” purposes, like gaming or web browsing. Fraudsters who make profit via this coin miner use someones’ PCs instead, even if they are used for the regular activity.1

List of the typical coin miner symptoms

  • Extremely bad performance
  • CPU/GPU cooler fan creates a lot of noise
  • High temperature of the device (for laptops)
  • 80-90% consumption of CPU/GPU resources by an unknown process
  • Microsoft Defender is not working
  • How dangerous is the Aahmsvc.exe miner?

    Coin miners does not deal damage to your files. However, they make a lot of unpleasant things with the whole system

    First of all, Aahmsvc.exe virus makes your computer overloaded. It is not able to run your applications anymore, as all processor power is consumed by a virus. That malware does not care for your necessities, all it focuses on is generating profits on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until browser is open, you will likely experience incredibly sluggish efficiency. Pages will open for years, any sort of logins will take about a minute – just a nightmare for a person that works online.

    Aahmsvc.exe Technical Summary.

    File NameAahmsvc.exe
    TypeTrojan Coin Miner
    Detection NameTrojan:Win32/CoinMiner
    Distribution MethodSoftware bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc.
    Similar behaviorMbamtray.exe, Zeroconfigservice.exe, Evteng.exe
    RemovalDownload and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Aahmsvc.exe removal.

    “Visible” damage is not a solitary unpleasant activity coin miners perform to your PC. Aahmsvc.exe coin miner also deals damage to your OS. To execute all malevolent operations successfully, it ruins the security components of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware halts it to avoid detection. If you open the HOSTS file, you will likely see a number of new notes – they are brought in by this coin miner to connect your system to a malicious cryptomining network. All these adjustments shall be thrown back to the initial state in the process of computer recovery.

    Hardware effects of coin miner activity

    Besides decreasing your computer’s performance, performing at peak level for a long period of time may cause damage to your device and increase electricity expenses. PC components are designed to easily get along with high load, but they can do so only when they are in a good shape.

    Tiny and covered processor fan is quite hard to damage. Meanwhile, GPUs have large and easy-to-access fans, which can be easily cracked if affected while spinning, for example, by the user much before the virus injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the very high load caused by Aahmsvc.exe miner can easily lead to graphic card failure2. GPUs are also tend to have very fast wearing when utilized for cryptocurrency mining. It is surely an undesirable situation when your GPU’s performance plunges 20-30% only after 1-2 weeks of being used in such a way.

    How did I get Aahmsvc.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 malicious programs through “serious” viruses. Adware often functions as a carrier for Aahmsvc.exe malware injection: it shows you the banners, which have a link to malware downloading. Sure, this abstract “malware” can belong to any kind – an additional adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. But the statistics say that around 30% of all viruses spread through the malevolent banners are coin miners – and Aahmsvc.exe is right among them.

    Unwanted banners adware

    The example of malicious banners you can see in the Internet

    One more way you could get this item on your computer is by downloading it from the suspicious website as a part of a program. People who spread hacked variants of well-known programs (which do not need the license key) have small chances to make money. Hence, there is a huge temptation to add in malware to the final package of the hacked app and get a coin for each setup. Before blaming these individuals for hacking and also malware distribution, ask yourself – is it okay to avoid purchasing the program in this manner? It is more affordable to pay $20-$30 one time than to pay a much bigger figure for antivirus program and new parts for your computer.

    How to remove the Aahmsvc.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 involves the use of special software. Effective security tool must have high capability at scanning and be lightweight – in order to make no problems with usage even on weak systems. Furthermore, it is better to have on-run protection in your security tool – to stop the virus even before it launches. Microsoft Defender lacks these functions for various factors. That’s why I’d recommend you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that goal. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is an ideal choice that fits each of the discussed features.3

    Before the malware removal, it is important to reboot your Windows into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Aahmsvc.exe miner takes a lot of processor power, it is needed to stop 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.

    Boot into Windows Safe Mode

    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.

    windows safe mode boot option with command prompt

    When your PC is in Safe Mode, all third-party programs, along with the majority of non-crucial system components, are not started with the system start. That gives you the ability to clean the PC without dealing with high processor usage of the coin miner.

    Remove Aahmsvc.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.

    GridinSoft Anti-Malware free trial

    After activating your free trial, start Full scan. It may last up to 10 minutes. You may use the PC as usual.

    Scanning for aaHMSvc.exe

    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.

    aaHMSvc.exe after the scan process

    Now, you are good to go. Reboot your PC into a normal Windows mode and use just as there was nothing malicious.

    What is aaHMSvc.exe?

    Name: Aahmsvc.exe

    Description: aaHMSvc.exe is a process associated with the ASUS Health Management Service. It is a component of ASUS software that helps monitor the health and performance of certain ASUS hardware components on your computer. The aaHMSvc.exe process runs in the background and provides necessary functionality for the ASUS Health Management Service to work properly. The ASUS Health Management Service is designed to provide users with information about their hardware's status, including temperature, fan speeds, and other performance metrics. It is meant to assist users in keeping their ASUS devices in optimal condition and identifying any potential issues.

    Operating System: Windows

    Application Category: Tool

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    References

    1. Detailed explanation of how does cryptomining work.
    2. About unwanted effects for GPUs in the process of cryptomining.
    3. Our review on GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

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    About the author

    Robert Bailey

    I'm Robert Bailey, a passionate Security Engineer with a deep fascination for all things related to malware, reverse engineering, and white hat ethical hacking.

    As a white hat hacker, I firmly believe in the power of ethical hacking to bolster security measures. By identifying vulnerabilities and providing solutions, I contribute to the proactive defense of digital infrastructures.

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