Fw4.exe executable file is related to a malevolent application that can accurately be identified as a coin miner trojan. That malware type uses your hardware to mine cryptocurrencies, generally – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your personal computer roughly unusable because of high CPU usage.
What is Fw4.exe process?
Fw4.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
As I have actually mentioned in the previous paragraph, Fw4.exe is a coin miner trojan virus. The names of the executive file may be different, however, the effects are generally the identical. Considering that coin miners focus on cryptocurrency mining, they use all possible hardware capacity of your personal computer to perform this process. This virus doesn’t take note of the fact that you may need to use your computer for other activities – it will constantly take over 80% of your CPU power.
Fw4.exe – Extremely high CPU/GPU use
Besides CPU consumption, some of the coin miners also utilize GPU power for their tasks. In that instance, you will struggle even to see the mouse cursor moving – GPU is often utilized on 100%. It is not as crucial as processor for system work, so Fw4.exe coin miner viruses do not waste time on trifles and utilize all of it. It often may cause unhappy consequences.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
Cryptocurrency mining means the operation 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 very strong PC is needed. Exactly, the GPU is better for this purpose, because they have more cores available. Cryptomining farms are usually constructed of dozens of video cards to conduct their activity effectively. Such 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
How dangerous is the Fw4.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, Fw4.exe virus makes your system overloaded. It is not able to run your applications now, because all CPU power is consumed by a malware. That malware does not care for your wants, 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 struggle with extremely slow efficiency. Pages can open for years, any kind of logins will take about a minute – just a headache for a person that does a job online.
Fw4.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | Fw4.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Server.exe, Software_reporter_tool.exe, Proxypub.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Fw4.exe removal. |
“Visible” harm is not a solitary bad thing coin miners do to your PC. Fw4.exe coin miner additionally deals damage to your OS. To perform all malicious operations successfully, it ruins the security mechanisms of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware halts it to prevent recognition. If you open the HOSTS file, you will likely see a number of new entries – they are brought in by this trojan miner to connect your computer to a malicious cryptomining network. All these adjustments shall be reverted to the original in the process of computer recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides making your PC slow, running at peak power for long times may cause damage to your device and raise electricity costs. PC components are designed to easily deal with high load, but they can do so only when they are in a good shape.
Small and well-protected CPU cooling system is not very easy to crack. Meanwhile, GPUs have large and easy-to-access fans, which can be easily cracked if affected while working, for instance, by the user much before the virus injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the very high load caused by Fw4.exe virus can easily lead to GPU failure3. Video cards are also tend to have very fast wearing when utilized for cryptocurrency mining. It is surely an undesirable case when the performance of your video card plunges 20-30% only after several weeks of being exploited in such a way.
How did I get Fw4.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 malicious programs through “serious” malware. Adware sometimes works as a carrier for Fw4.exe malware injection: it shows you the banners, which contain a link to malware downloading. Sure, this abstract “malware” can belong to any type – another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. However, the statistics say that approximately 30% of all viruses spread with the malicious banners are coin miners – and Fw4.exe is just 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 suspicious web page as a part of a program. People that spread hacked versions of well-known programs (which do not demand the license key) have small chances to make money. 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 distribution, ask yourself – is it alright to avoid purchasing the program in this manner? It is much cheaper to pay $20-$30 one time than to pay a much bigger figure for antivirus software and new parts for your desktop.
How to remove the Fw4.exe miner from my PC?
The best way to get rid of this coin miner virus is to use anti-malware software
Getting rid of such a virus requires using special app. Proper anti-malware program must have high efficiency at scanning and be lightweight – in order to create no problems with utilization even on weak systems. Additionally, it is better to have on-run protection in your security tool – to stop the virus even before it launches. Microsoft Defender does not have these features for various reasons. That’s why I’d recommend you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that goal. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is a superb choice that fits each of the specified characteristics.5
Before the virus removal, it is important to reboot your system into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Fw4.exe miner takes a lot of CPU power, 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 system is in Safe Mode, all third-party applications, just like the majority of non-critical 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 Fw4.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 Fw4.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner
Name: Fw4.exe
Description: The Fw4.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Fw4.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.
