Dxsetup.exe Virus ⛏️ (Coin Miner Trojan) Removal

Written by Robert Bailey
Dxsetup.exe process comes from a malicious application that can correctly be defined as a coin miner trojan. That malware type uses your hardware to mine cryptocurrencies, basically – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your system roughly nonfunctional due to high CPU utilization.
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What is Dxsetup.exe process?

Dxsetup.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus

As I have pointed out in the previous paragraph, Dxsetup.exe is a coin miner virus. The names of the executive file can be different, however, the consequences are usually the same. Since coin miners focus on cryptocurrency mining, they use all possible hardware capacity of your personal computer to conduct this process. This malware does not take note of the fact that you probably want to make use of your desktop for other activities – it will constantly consume over 80% of your processor power.

Dxsetup.exe Windows Process

Dxsetup.exe – Really high CPU/GPU use

Besides CPU consumption, some of the coin miners also make use of GPU power for their operations. In that instance, you will probably struggle also to see the mouse arrow moving – GPU is often utilized on 100%. It is not as important as CPU for system work, so Dxsetup.exe coin miner viruses don’t waste time on trifles and use it all. It sometimes can lead to sad effects.

Shortly about cryptocurrency mining

Cryptocurrency mining term means the activity of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a basic element of anything based on the blockchain technology. Since this action takes a lot of calculations, a high-end machine is required. Exactly, the video card is better for this task, because they have more cores available. Cryptocurrency mining farms are usually constructed of tens and hundreds of GPUs to conduct their activity effectively. Such computer systems are not usable for “general” purposes, like gaming or web browsing. Fraudsters who gain money 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

  • Microsoft Defender is stopped;
  • CPU and GPU is loaded at 80-90% exactly after the system start
  • Cooling fans are running at high speed and create a lot of noise
  • A single process in Task Manager consumes all CPU and GPU power
  • How dangerous is the Dxsetup.exe miner?

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

    Firstly, Dxsetup.exe virus makes your system overloaded. It is unable to run your applications anymore, since all CPU power is used by a malware. That malware does not care for your necessities, all it focuses on is making money on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until browser is open, you will likely suffer from extremely sluggish efficiency. Pages can open for years, any sort of logins will take about a minute – just a headache for a person that works online.

    Dxsetup.exe Technical Summary.

    File NameDxsetup.exe
    TypeTrojan Coin Miner
    Detection NameTrojan:Win32/CoinMiner
    Distribution MethodSoftware bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc.
    Similar behaviorNig.exe, Hhjk.exe, Raven.qt
    RemovalDownload and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Dxsetup.exe removal.

    “Visible” harm is not a single bad activity coin miners do to your PC. Dxsetup.exe coin miner also deals damage to your OS. To execute all malevolent functions correctly, it ruins the protection components of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware stops it to avoid recognition. If you open the HOSTS file, you will likely see a number of new entries – they are brought in by this coin miner to connect your PC to a malicious cryptomining network. All these adjustments are about to be gone back to the original in the process of computer recovery.

    Hardware effects of coin miner activity

    Besides slowing down your PC, performing at peak level for long times may trigger damage to your device as well as raise electricity expenses. Hardware components are created to easily deal with high load, but they are good with it only when they are in a good shape.

    Tiny and covered processor fan is not very easy to crack. Meanwhile, graphic cards have large and easy-to-access fans, which can be easily cracked if touched while working, for instance, by the user much earlier before the malware injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the really high load caused by Dxsetup.exe malware can easily lead to graphic processing unit failure3. GPUs are also tend to have very fast wearing when used for cryptocurrency mining. It is likely an undesirable case when your GPU’s performance plunges 20-30% only after 1-2 weeks of being exploited in such a way.

    How did I get Dxsetup.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 “major” viruses. Adware frequently acts as a carrier for Dxsetup.exe malware infiltration: it demonstrates you the banners, which have a link to malware downloading. Yes, this abstract “malware” can belong to any kind – yet another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. However, the statistics say that approximately 30% of all viruses spread through the malevolent banners are coin miners – and Dxsetup.exe is just with them.4

    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 dubious site as a part of a program. Users that spread hacked variants of popular programs (which do not demand the license key) have small chances to get paid. Therefore, there is a very big lure to add in malware to the final package of the hacked application and get a coin for every installation. Before blaming these people for hacking and malware spreading, ask yourself – is it OK to avoid buying the program in this manner? It is more affordable to pay $20-$30 one time than to pay a much bigger sum for antivirus program and new parts for your desktop.

    How to remove the Dxsetup.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 involves the use of specific tool. Appropriate security tool must have high capability at scanning and also be lightweight – in order to create no problems with usage even on weak systems. Additionally, it is recommended to have proactive protection in your security solution – to halt the virus even before it launches. Microsoft Defender does not have these functions for various factors. That’s why I’d suggest you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that reason. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is an ideal option that fits each of the discussed characteristics.5

    Prior to the malware removal, it is important to boot your Windows into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Dxsetup.exe miner consumes a lot of processor capacity, 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.

    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 computer is in Safe Mode, all third-party applications, just like 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 Dxsetup.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 in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

    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.

    GridinSoft Anti-Malware 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.

    Remove Dxsetup.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner

    Name: Dxsetup.exe

    Description: The Dxsetup.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Dxsetup.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

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    References

    1. Read about why Monero and DarkCoin are so popular amongst cybercriminals.
    2. Detailed explanation of how does cryptomining work.
    3. About unwanted effects for GPUs in the process of cryptomining.
    4. Read more about various malware type on Cybersecurity Glossary.
    5. 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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