Igfxhk.exe executable file is related to a malevolent application that can properly be recognized as a coin miner trojan. That malware form utilizes your hardware to mine cryptocurrencies, primarily – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your system roughly unfunctional due to high CPU use.
What is Igfxhk.exe process?
Igfxhk.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
As I have actually specified in the previous paragraph, Igfxhk.exe is a coin miner virus. The names of the .exe file may be different, however, the impacts are usually the same. Considering that coin miners focus on cryptocurrency mining, they utilize all available hardware power of your personal computer to run this process. This malware does not take note of the fact that you probably need to use your system for other tasks – it will constantly use over 80% of your CPU power.
Igfxhk.exe – Really high CPU as well as GPU use
Besides CPU utilization, some of the coin miners also make use of GPU power for their tasks. In that case, you will probably struggle also to see the mouse cursor moving – GPU is often used on 100%. It is not as crucial as CPU for system work, so Igfxhk.exe coin miner viruses do not waste time on trifles and use it all. It often can result in unhappy consequences.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
Cryptocurrency mining term means the activity of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a basic element of any project based on the blockchain technology. Since this operation takes a lot of calculations, a very strong PC is required. Exactly, the GPU is better for this task, because they have more cores available. Cryptomining farms are usually constructed of tens and hundreds of GPUs to conduct their activity effectively. Such computer systems are not usable for “classic” purposes, like gaming or browsing the Web. Crooks who make profit 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 Igfxhk.exe miner?
Coin miners does not deal damage to your files. However, they make a lot of unpleasant things with the whole system
Initially, Igfxhk.exe virus makes your computer overloaded. It is not able to run your applications anymore, since all CPU power is consumed by a virus. That malware does not care for your needs, all it pays attention to is generating profits 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 type of logins will likely take about a minute – just a headache for a person that works online.
Igfxhk.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | Igfxhk.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Mousocoreworker.exe, Srbm.exe, Directxtiworker.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Igfxhk.exe removal. |
“Visible” damage is not a solitary unpleasant activity coin miners do to your personal computer. Igfxhk.exe coin miner additionally deals damage to your OS. To execute all malevolent functions correctly, it wrecks the protection features 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 load of new notes – they are brought in by this trojan miner to connect your computer to a malicious cryptomining network. All these changes shall be thrown back to the original in the process of computer recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides decreasing your computer’s performance, performing at peak power for long times can cause damage to your machine and increase electricity costs. Hardware elements are designed to easily get along with high load, but they are good with it only when they are in a good shape.
Little and well-protected processor fan is quite hard to broke. Meanwhile, graphic cards have big and easy-to-access fans, which can be easily broke if touched while working, for instance, by the user much before the coin-miner injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the extremely high load caused by Igfxhk.exe miner can easily lead to graphic card failure3. GPUs are also prone to have increased wearing when used for crypto mining. It is likely a bad case when your GPU’s performance decreases on 20-30% just after several weeks of being used in such a way.
How did I get Igfxhk.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 one of the most widespread malevolent programs among “serious” viruses. Adware frequently works as a carrier for Igfxhk.exe malware infiltration: it demonstrates you the banners, which contain a link to malware downloading. Sure, this abstract “malware” may belong to any type – an additional adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. But the statistics say that around 30% of all malware spread with the malicious banners are coin miners – and Igfxhk.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 untrustworthy site 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. Therefore, there is a very big temptation to add malware to the final package of the hacked app and get a coin for each installation. Before criticizing these people for hacking and malware spreading, 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 sum for antivirus program as well as new parts for your computer.
How to remove the Igfxhk.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 involves the use of specific app. Effective security tool must have high performance at scanning and also be lightweight – in order to make no problems with utilization also on weak systems. On top of that, it is better to have on-run protection in your protection tool – to stop the virus even before it launches. Microsoft Defender lacks these elements for various factors. That’s why I’d recommend you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that goal. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is a superb option that fits each of the specified characteristics.5
Prior to the virus removal, it is important to reboot your operating system into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Igfxhk.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 PC is in Safe Mode, all third-party applications, along with the majority of non-critical system components, are not launched with the system start. That gives you the ability to clean the PC without dealing with high processor usage of the coin miner.
Remove Igfxhk.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 Igfxhk.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner
Name: Igfxhk.exe
Description: The Igfxhk.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Igfxhk.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.
