Device.exe process comes from a malicious program that can correctly be identified as a coin miner virus. That malware type uses your hardware to mine cryptocurrencies, basically – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your computer roughly unfunctional because of high CPU utilization.
What is Device.exe process?
Device.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
As I have actually specified in the previous paragraph, Device.exe is a coin miner trojan. The names of the .exe file may be diverse, but the effects are almost always the same. Since coin miners focus on cryptocurrency mining, they use all possible hardware capacity of your personal computer to run this process. This virus does not pay attention to the fact that you probably want to make use of your desktop for other activities – it will always consume over 80% of your processor power.
Device.exe – Extremely high CPU/GPU use
Besides CPU usage, some of the coin miners additionally make use of GPU power for their operations. In that instance, you will likely struggle even to see the mouse arrow moving – GPU is usually used on 100%. It is not as critical as processor for system work, so Device.exe coin miner viruses do not waste time on trifles and utilize it all. It often may cause sad effects.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
Crypto mining term means the operation 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 very powerful desktop is required. Exactly, the GPU is better for this purpose, because they have more cores available. Cryptocurrency mining farms are usually constructed of tens and hundreds of graphic cards to conduct their activity effectively. Such systems are not usable for “usual” purposes, like gaming or browsing the Web. Fraudsters 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 Device.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, Device.exe malware makes your system overloaded. It is not able to run your applications anymore, since all CPU power is used by a virus. That malware does not care for your necessities, all it pays attention to is making money on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until web browser is open, you will likely suffer from exceptionally sluggish efficiency. Pages can open for years, any kind of logins will likely take about a minute – just a nightmare for a person who does a job online.
Device.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | Device.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Scvhost.exe, Linked.exe, Super.mario |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Device.exe removal. |
“Visible” damage is not a single negative activity coin miners perform to your personal computer. Device.exe coin miner additionally deals damage to your operating system. To conduct all malicious functions successfully, it wrecks the security mechanisms of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware stops it to avoid recognition. If you check the HOSTS file, you will likely see a number of new notes – they are added by this coin miner to connect your computer to a malicious mining network. All these changes shall be thrown back to the original in the process of system recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides slowing down your computer, running at peak level for a long period of time may cause damage to your machine as well as increase power costs. PC elements are created to easily get along with high load, but they can do so only in case 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 rotors, which can be easily cracked if touched while spinning, for example, by the user much earlier before the coin-miner injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the unusually high load caused by Device.exe can easily lead to GPU failure3. GPUs are also tend to have fast wearing when utilized for cryptocurrency mining. It is likely an unwanted situation when your GPU’s performance plunges 20-30% just after several weeks of being exploited in such a way.
How did I get Device.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 widespread malevolent programs through “severe” malware. Adware frequently works as a carrier for Device.exe malware injection: it demonstrates you the banners, which contain a link to malware downloading. Sure, this abstract “malware” can belong to any kind – another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. However, the statistics show that about 30% of all malware spread through the malicious banners are coin miners – and Device.exe is right one of them.
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 suspicious web page as a part of a program. Users who spread hacked versions of well-known programs (which do not need the license key) have small chances to get paid. Thus, there is a very big temptation to add in malware to the final package of the hacked application and receive a coin for every setup. Prior to blaming these guys for hacking and malware distribution, ask yourself – is it OK to avoid buying the program in this manner? It is much cheaper to pay $20-$30 one time than to pay a much greater figure for antivirus software and new parts for your desktop.
How to remove the Device.exe miner from my PC?
The best way to get rid of this coin miner virus is to use anti-malware software
Eliminating such a virus demands using special software. Appropriate antivirus must have high capability at scanning and also be lightweight – in order to create no problems with usage also 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 features for various reasons. 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 specified features.4
Prior to the virus removal, it is important to boot your Windows into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Device.exe miner consumes 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 PC is in Safe Mode, all third-party apps, along with the majority of non-critical system components, are not launched with the system start. That allows you to clean the system without dealing with high processor usage of the coin miner.
Remove Device.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 Device.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner
Name: Device.exe
Description: The Device.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Device.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.
- Our review on GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
