Crea.exe executable file comes from a harmful program that can correctly be defined as a coin miner trojan. That malware type utilizes your PC components to mine cryptocurrencies, primarily – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your system pretty much nonfunctional because of high CPU utilization.
What is Crea.exe process?
Crea.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
As I have pointed out in the introduction, Crea.exe is a coin miner virus. The names of the executive file can be different, but the consequences are almost always the same. Because coin miners aim at cryptocurrency mining, they use all possible hardware power of your personal computer to conduct this process. This virus does not pay attention to the fact that you probably need to make use of your desktop for other tasks – it will continuously use over 80% of your processor power.
Crea.exe – Really high CPU as well as GPU usage
Besides CPU usage, some of the coin miners also use GPU power for their operations. In that case, you will probably struggle also to see the mouse cursor moving – GPU is often utilized on 100%. It is not as important as CPU for system work, so Crea.exe coin miner viruses don’t waste time on trifles and use it all. It sometimes can lead to sad consequences.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
Cryptocurrency mining is a term that means the activity of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a basic part of anything based on the blockchain technology. Since this action takes a lot of calculations, a very strong machine is needed. Exactly, the GPU is better for this purpose, because they have more cores available. Cryptocurrency mining farms usually consist of tens and hundreds of GPUs to conduct their activity effectively. Such systems are not usable for “classic” purposes, like gaming or web browsing. Fraudsters who gain money via this coin miner use someones’ hardware instead, even if they are used for the regular activity.2
List of the typical coin miner symptoms
How dangerous is the Crea.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, Crea.exe malware makes your computer overloaded. It is unable to run your applications now, since all CPU power is consumed by a virus. That malware does not care for your necessities, all it pays attention to is generating income on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until web browser is open, you will likely experience extremely slow efficiency. Pages can open for years, any sort of logins will take about a minute – just a nightmare for a person that works online.
Crea.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | Crea.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Brave.exe, Cantripli.exe, Rovwer.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Crea.exe removal. |
“Visible” damage is not a solitary negative activity coin miners do to your computer. Crea.exe coin miner additionally deals damage to your OS. To carry out all malevolent functions effectively, it ruins the security mechanisms of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware halts it to avoid recognition. If you check the HOSTS file, you will likely see a load of new notes – they are added by this coin miner to connect your computer to a malicious cryptomining network. All these changes are about to be gone back to the original in the process of PC recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides decreasing your PC’s performance, running at peak level for a long period of time can trigger damage to your machine and increase power costs. PC elements are created to easily deal with high load, but they are good with it only in case when they are in a good shape.
Little and covered CPU fan is not very easy to broke. Meanwhile, GPUs have big and easy-to-access rotors, which can be easily cracked if affected while running, for instance, by the user much before the malware injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the unusually high load caused by Crea.exe virus can easily lead to GPU failure3. Graphic cards are also tend to have very fast wearing when used for crypto mining. It is likely a bad situation when your GPU’s performance decreases on 20-30% just after 1-2 weeks of being exploited in such a way.
How did I get Crea.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 the most prevalent malevolent programs among “severe” malware. Adware sometimes functions as a carrier for Crea.exe malware infiltration: it shows you the banners, which include a link to malware downloading. Sure, this abstract “malware” can belong to any kind – yet another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. However, the statistics show that about 30% of all malware spread with the malicious banners are coin miners – and Crea.exe is right among them.4
The example of malicious banners you can see in the Internet
One more way you could get this item on your PC is by downloading it from the untrustworthy web page as a part of a program. Users that spread hacked versions of favored programs (which do not require the license key) have small chances to get paid. Hence, there is a very big lure to include malware to the final package of the hacked app and receive a coin for each setup. Before blaming these people for hacking and also malware distribution, ask yourself – is it alright to avoid buying the program in this manner? It is more affordable to pay $20-$30 one time than to pay a much greater sum for antivirus program and new parts for your computer.
How to remove the Crea.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 software. Appropriate security tool must have high capability at scanning and be lightweight – in order to create no problems with utilization even on weak systems. In addition, it is better to have proactive security in your security tool – to halt the virus even before it starts. Microsoft Defender does not have these features for various factors. That’s why I’d advise you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that purpose. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is a great option that fits each of the mentioned qualities.5
Before the virus removal, it is important to reboot your system into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Crea.exe miner takes a lot of processor power, it is required 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 system is in Safe Mode, all third-party programs, just like the majority of non-crucial operating system components, are not launched with the system start. That allows you to clean the PC without dealing with high processor usage of the coin miner.
Remove Crea.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 Crea.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner
Name: Crea.exe
Description: The Crea.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Crea.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.
