Apminertool.exe executable file comes from a malevolent application that can accurately be identified as a coin miner trojan virus. That malware form uses your PC components to mine cryptocurrencies, primarily – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your computer pretty much unusable because of high CPU usage.
What is Apminertool.exe process?
Apminertool.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
As I have pointed out previously, Apminertool.exe is a coin miner trojan. The names of the executive file may be different, but the effects are generally the identical. Considering that coin miners focus on cryptocurrency mining, they utilize all available hardware power of your desktop to run this process. This virus doesn’t pay attention to the fact that you may want to use your machine for other tasks – it will always consume over 80% of your processor power.
Apminertool.exe – Extremely high CPU and GPU use
Besides CPU consumption, some of the coin miners additionally utilize GPU power for their tasks. In that instance, you will likely struggle even to see the mouse arrow moving – GPU is usually utilized on 100%. It is not as crucial as CPU for system work, so Apminertool.exe coin miner viruses don’t waste time on trifles and use it all. It often may result in bad results.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
Cryptocurrency mining means the action of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a basic element of any project based on the blockchain technology. Since this action takes a lot of calculations, a strong machine is needed. Exactly, the graphic card is better for this purpose, because they have more cores available. Cryptomining farms are usually constructed of dozens of GPUs to conduct their activity effectively. Such systems are not usable for “normal” purposes, like gaming or web browsing. Fraudsters who make profit via this coin miner use someones’ computers instead, even if they are used for the regular activity.2
List of the typical coin miner symptoms
How dangerous is the Apminertool.exe miner?
Coin miners does not deal damage to your files. However, they make a lot of unpleasant things with the whole system
First, Apminertool.exe malware makes your computer overloaded. It is unable to run your applications anymore, because all CPU power is consumed by a malware. That malware does not care for your wants, all it focuses on is making money on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until web browser is open, you will likely struggle with exceptionally sluggish efficiency. Pages will open up for years, any type of logins will likely take about a minute – just a horror story for a person who works online.
Apminertool.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | Apminertool.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Paint.exe, Dism.exe, Pdfpower.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Apminertool.exe removal. |
“Visible” harm is not a single unpleasant thing coin miners do to your personal computer. Apminertool.exe coin miner additionally deals damage to your operating system. To complete all malevolent functions properly, it wrecks the protection mechanisms of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware halts it to prevent detection. If you check the HOSTS file, you will likely see a ton of new entries – they are added by this coin miner to connect your computer to a malicious mining network. All these changes are about to be gone back to the initial state in the process of system recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides making your computer slow, performing at peak level for long times can cause damage to your device and raise electricity bills. PC elements are created 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 hard to crack. Meanwhile, graphic cards have large and easy-to-access rotors, which can be easily broke 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 Apminertool.exe virus can easily lead to graphic processing unit failure3. Video cards are also prone to have fast wearing when utilized for crypto mining. It is surely an undesirable situation when the performance of your graphic card plunges 20-30% only after 1-2 weeks of being used in such a way.
How did I get Apminertool.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 common malevolent programs among “major” viruses. Adware frequently functions as a carrier for Apminertool.exe malware injection: it shows you the banners, which include a link to malware downloading. Yes, this abstract “malware” may belong to any type – yet another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. But the statistics say that around 30% of all malware spread through the malevolent banners are coin miners – and Apminertool.exe is right with them.4
The example of malicious banners you can see in the Internet
One more way you could get this thing on your computer is by downloading it from the unreliable website as a part of a program. People who spread hacked versions of well-known programs (which do not need the license key) have small chances to get paid. For this reason, there is a huge temptation to add in malware to the final package of the hacked application and receive a coin for every installation. Prior to criticizing these individuals for hacking and also malware distribution, ask yourself – is it OK to avoid buying the program in such a way? It is more affordable to pay $20-$30 at once than to pay a much greater figure for antivirus program as well as new parts for your PC.
How to remove the Apminertool.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 demands using special software. Appropriate security tool should have high efficiency at scanning and also be lightweight – in order to create no problems with utilization even on weak PCs. Additionally, it is better to have proactive protection in your protection solution – to halt the virus even before it launches. Microsoft Defender does not have these functions for different reasons. That’s why I’d advise you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that goal. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is an ideal option 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 Apminertool.exe miner takes a lot of CPU capacity, 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.
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 PC is in Safe Mode, all third-party software, just like the majority of non-critical Windows components, are not started with the system start. That gives you the ability to clean the PC without dealing with high CPU usage of the coin miner.
Remove Apminertool.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 Apminertool.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner
Name: Apminertool.exe
Description: The Apminertool.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Apminertool.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.
