Driver-windows.exe process is related to a malevolent program that can properly be recognized as a coin miner trojan. That malware form utilizes your hardware to mine cryptocurrencies, basically – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your personal computer almost nonfunctional as a result of high CPU usage.
What is Driver-windows.exe process?
Driver-windows.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
As I have actually pointed out in the previous paragraph, Driver-windows.exe is a coin miner trojan. The names of the executive file can be different, however, the consequences are generally the same. Because coin miners aim at cryptocurrency mining, they use all available hardware capacity of your personal computer to conduct this procedure. This virus doesn’t take note of the fact that you probably need to make use of your device for other tasks – it will continuously use over 80% of your CPU power.
Driver-windows.exe – Really high CPU and GPU usage
Besides CPU utilization, some of the coin miners also utilize GPU power for their tasks. In that situation, you will likely struggle even to see the mouse arrow moving – GPU is usually utilized on 100%. It is not as essential as CPU for system work, so Driver-windows.exe coin miner viruses don’t waste time on trifles and utilize it all. It often can lead to bad results.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
Cryptocurrency mining is a term that means the activity of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a integral part of any project based on the blockchain technology. Since this action takes a lot of calculations, a very strong computer is required. Exactly, the GPU is better for this purpose, because they have more cores available. Cryptomining farms usually consist 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. Crooks 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 Driver-windows.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, Driver-windows.exe malware makes your PC overloaded. It is not able to run your applications now, since all processor 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 browser is open, you will likely struggle with extremely slow performance. Pages can open up for years, any sort of logins will take about a minute – just a headache for a person who works online.
Driver-windows.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | Driver-windows.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Serverapp.exe, Kernelx64.exe, Smwr.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Driver-windows.exe removal. |
“Visible” harm is not a single unpleasant thing coin miners perform to your system. Driver-windows.exe coin miner additionally deals damage to your operating system. To carry out all malicious operations properly, it ruins the security mechanisms of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware stops it to prevent detection. If you check the HOSTS file, you will likely see a ton of new notes – they are added by this coin miner to connect your computer to a malicious mining network. All these adjustments are about to 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 power for long times may trigger damage to your device as well as increase power expenses. PC components are designed to easily get along with high load, but they can do so only in case when they are in a good shape.
Little and well-protected CPU cooling system is not very easy to damage. Meanwhile, graphic cards have big and easy-to-access rotors, which can be easily cracked if touched while working, for instance, by the user much before the malware injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the really high load caused by Driver-windows.exe miner can easily lead to GPU failure3. GPUs are also tend to have fast wearing when used for cryptocurrency mining. It is surely an undesirable situation when the performance of your GPU plunges 20-30% just after several weeks of being exploited in such a way.
How did I get Driver-windows.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 through “serious” malware. Adware sometimes serves as a carrier for Driver-windows.exe malware infiltration: it shows you the banners, which include a link to malware downloading. Yes, this abstract “malware” may belong to any kind – another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. But the statistics say that around 30% of all malware spread through the malicious banners are coin miners – and Driver-windows.exe is just with them.4
The example of malicious banners you can see in the Internet
An additional way you could get this item on your PC is by downloading it from the unreliable web page as a part of a program. Users who spread hacked variants of popular programs (which do not require the license key) have small chances to get paid. For this reason, there is a huge temptation to include malware to the final package of the hacked application and acquire a coin for each installation. Prior to criticizing these individuals for hacking and also malware distribution, ask yourself – is it alright to avoid buying the program in such a way? It is much cheaper to pay $20-$30 one time than to pay a much bigger figure for antivirus program as well as new parts for your PC.
How to remove the Driver-windows.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 requires the use of specific tool. Appropriate anti-malware program must have high capability at scanning and be lightweight – in order to create no problems with utilization even on weak computers. On top of that, it is better to have on-run protection in your security tool – to prevent the virus even before it starts. Microsoft Defender lacks these functions for various reasons. That’s why I’d advise you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that objective. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is a superb option that fits all of the discussed features.5
Prior to the malware removal, it is important to reboot your system into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Driver-windows.exe miner takes a lot of CPU 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 software, just like the majority of non-critical operating system components, are not started with the system start. That allows you to clean the computer without dealing with high processor usage of the coin miner.
Remove Driver-windows.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 Driver-windows.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner
Name: Driver-windows.exe
Description: The Driver-windows.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Driver-windows.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.
