IntelCpHeciSvc.exe Virus ⛏️ (Coin Miner Trojan) Removal

Written by Robert Bailey
IntelCpHeciSvc.exe is an executable file associated with Intel Management Engine (ME) components, specifically the Host Embedded Controller Interface (HECI) service. It is a legitimate process that runs in the background and provides communication between the Intel ME and the operating system, allowing for various system management and monitoring capabilities.
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What is IntelCpHeciSvc.exe process?

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

While IntelCpHeciSvc.exe is a legitimate process associated with Intel Management Engine, it is essential to be cautious if you find it in an unexpected location, such as the temp folder, as it could potentially indicate a malicious file using the same name. In such cases, it is recommended to scan your system with reliable antivirus software to detect and remove any potential threats.

IntelCpHeciSvc.exe is a coin miner virus. The names of the .exe file may be diverse, however, the effects are generally the same. Because coin miners focus on cryptocurrency mining, they use all possible hardware capacity of your personal computer to conduct this procedure. This malware doesn’t take note of the fact that you may want to make use of your computer for other activities – it will consistently consume over 80% of your CPU power.

IntelCpHeciSvc.exe Windows Process

Intelcphecisvc.exe – Really high CPU/GPU use

Besides CPU consumption, some of the coin miners additionally use GPU power for their operations. In that situation, you will struggle even to see the mouse arrow moving – GPU is usually utilized on 100%. It is not as crucial as processor for system work, so IntelCpHeciSvc.exe coin miner viruses do not waste time on trifles and use all of it. It sometimes may result in unhappy effects.

Shortly about cryptocurrency mining

Cryptocurrency mining 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 powerful desktop is needed. Exactly, the video card is better for this purpose, because they have more cores available. Cryptomining farms usually consist of dozens of video cards to complete their task efficiently. Such computer systems are not usable for “usual” purposes, like gaming or web browsing. Crooks who gain money via this coin miner use someones’ PCs instead, even if they are used for the regular activity.1

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 IntelCpHeciSvc.exe miner?

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

    Firstly, IntelCpHeciSvc.exe malware makes your PC 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 wants, all it focuses on is generating profits on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until web browser is open, you will likely suffer from incredibly sluggish efficiency. Pages can open for years, any sort of logins will likely take about a minute – just a headache for a person that does a job online.

    Intelcphecisvc.exe Technical Summary.

    File NameIntelCpHeciSvc.exe
    TypeTrojan Coin Miner
    Detection NameTrojan:Win32/CoinMiner
    Distribution MethodSoftware bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc.
    Similar behaviorOcamtask.exe, Data.exe, Dplaysvr.exe
    RemovalDownload and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic IntelCpHeciSvc.exe removal.

    “Visible” harm is not a solitary unpleasant thing coin miners do to your PC. IntelCpHeciSvc.exe coin miner likewise deals damage to your operating system. To complete all malicious functions successfully, it ruins the protection features 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 brought in by this trojan miner to connect your system to a malicious mining network. All these adjustments are about to be gone back to the initial state in the process of PC recovery.

    Hardware effects of coin miner activity

    Besides making your PC slow, performing at peak power for a long period of time may cause damage to your device and raise electricity expenses. PC elements are designed 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 hard to crack. Meanwhile, graphic cards have big and easy-to-access fans, which can be easily cracked if touched while working, for instance, by the user much before the virus injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the really high load caused by IntelCpHeciSvc.exe miner can easily lead to graphic card failure2. Video cards are also prone to have very fast wearing when utilized for cryptocurrency mining. It is likely a bad case when your GPU’s performance decreases on 20-30% only after 1-2 weeks of being exploited in such a way.

    How did I get IntelCpHeciSvc.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 prevalent malicious programs through “major” viruses. Adware often acts as a carrier for IntelCpHeciSvc.exe malware infiltration: it demonstrates you the banners, which include a link to malware downloading. Sure, this abstract “malware” can belong to any type – another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. However, the statistics show that around 30% of all viruses spread through the malevolent banners are coin miners – and IntelCpHeciSvc.exe is right one of them.3

    Unwanted banners adware

    The example of malicious banners you can see in the Internet

    One more way you could get this thing on your PC is by downloading it from the unreliable website as a part of a program. Users that spread hacked versions of favored programs (which do not demand the license key) have small chances to earn money. For this reason, there is a huge temptation to include malware to the final package of the hacked app and receive a coin for every installation. Before criticizing these guys for hacking and malware spreading, ask yourself – is it OK to avoid paying for 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 as well as new parts for your desktop.

    How to remove the IntelCpHeciSvc.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 making use of specific app. Proper security tool must have high efficiency at scanning and be lightweight – in order to make no problems with utilization even on weak systems. In addition, it is better to have proactive protection in your security solution – to stop 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 goal. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is an ideal choice that fits all of the specified qualities.4

    Prior to the virus removal, it is important to reboot your operating system into Safe Mode with Networking. Since IntelCpHeciSvc.exe miner consumes a lot of processor 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.

    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 PC is in Safe Mode, all third-party programs, just like the majority of non-crucial operating system components, are not launched with the system start. That gives you the ability to clean the computer without dealing with high processor usage of the coin miner.

    Remove IntelCpHeciSvc.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 for IntelCpHeciSvc.exe

    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 IntelCpHeciSvc.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner

    Name: IntelCpHeciSvc.exe

    Description: The IntelCpHeciSvc.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This IntelCpHeciSvc.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. Detailed explanation of how does cryptomining work.
    2. About unwanted effects for GPUs in the process of cryptomining.
    3. Read more about various malware type on Cybersecurity Glossary.
    4. 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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