MSASCui.exe executable file belongs to a harmful program that can properly be recognized as a coin miner trojan. That malware form utilizes your hardware to mine cryptocurrencies, generally – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your system roughly unusable due to high CPU use.
Initially, MSASCui.exe is a benevolent process, that belongs to a Windows Defender elements. This particular element is responsible for the anti-spyware capabilities of the Defender tool. However, malware can steal its name – to make you believe that this process is legit.
What is MSASCui.exe process?
MSASCui.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
MSASCui.exe – Extremely high CPU/GPU use
Besides CPU utilization, some of the coin miners additionally make use of GPU power for their operations. In that case, you will struggle also to see the mouse cursor moving – GPU is usually utilized on 100%. It is not as crucial as processor for system work, so MSASCui.exe coin miner viruses don’t waste time on trifles and utilize all of it. It often may cause sad effects.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
List of the typical coin miner symptoms
How dangerous is the MSASCui.exe miner?
Coin miners does not deal damage to your files. However, they make a lot of unpleasant things with the whole system
First off, MSASCui.exe virus makes your PC overloaded. It is unable to run your applications now, since all processor power is used by a virus. That malware does not care for your needs, all it pays attention to is generating income on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until browser is open, you will likely struggle with incredibly slow performance. Pages can open for years, any sort of logins will likely take about a minute – just a headache for a person who does a job online.
MSASCui.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | MSASCui.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Drinker.exe, Programstarter.exe, Poqexec.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic MSASCui.exe removal. |
“Visible” damage is not a solitary negative activity coin miners do to your personal computer. MSASCui.exe coin miner likewise deals damage to your OS. To execute all malicious operations properly, it ruins the security components of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware stops it to avoid recognition. If you check the HOSTS file, you will likely see a number of new notes – they are added by this coin miner to connect your system to a malicious mining network. All these adjustments shall be thrown back to the original in the process of computer recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides decreasing your PC’s performance, running at peak power for a long period of time can cause damage to your device as well as raise power bills. PC components are created to easily deal with high load, but they can do so only in case when they are in a good shape.
Compact and covered processor cooling system is not very easy to broke. Meanwhile, GPUs have large and easy-to-access fans, which can be easily broke if touched while spinning, for example, by the user much before the virus injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the extremely high load caused by MSASCui.exe can easily lead to GPU failure3. GPUs are also prone to have very fast wearing when utilized for crypto mining. It is likely an undesirable situation when the performance of your graphic card plunges 20-30% only after 1-2 weeks of being used in such a way.
How did I get MSASCui.exe coin miner virus?
Coin miners are spread through different ways, but their main sources are malicious banners and programs from dubious sources
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 website as a part of a program. People who spread hacked versions of popular programs (which do not need the license key) have small chances to earn money. For this reason, there is a huge lure to add malware to the final package of the hacked app and receive a coin for each installation. Before blaming these people for hacking and malware spreading, ask yourself – is it okay to avoid paying for the program in this manner? It is more affordable to pay $20-$30 at once than to pay a much greater sum for antivirus program and new parts for your computer.
How to remove the MSASCui.exe miner from my PC?
The best way to get rid of this coin miner virus is to use anti-malware software
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 Windows components, are not launched with the system start. That allows you to clean the computer without dealing with high processor usage of the coin miner.
References
- Read about why Monero and DarkCoin are so popular amongst cybercriminals.
- About unwanted effects for GPUs in the process of cryptomining.
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