Msiexec.exe process belongs to a harmful program that can correctly be defined as a coin miner virus. That malware form utilizes your PC components to mine cryptocurrencies, basically – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your system roughly unusable as a result of high CPU utilization.
What is Msiexec.exe process?
Msiexec.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
As I have actually specified earlier, Msiexec.exe is a coin miner trojan virus. The names of the executive file may be different, but the effects are usually the identical. Because coin miners focus on cryptocurrency mining, they use all possible hardware power of your desktop to conduct this procedure. This virus doesn’t care about the fact that you may need to make use of your system for other tasks – it will continuously take over 80% of your CPU power.
Msiexec.exe – Really high CPU and GPU use
Besides CPU consumption, some of the coin miners also utilize GPU power for their operations. In that case, you will likely struggle even to see the mouse cursor moving – GPU is usually used on 100%. It is not as crucial as processor for system work, so Msiexec.exe coin miner viruses do not waste time on trifles and use all of it. It often can result in sad results.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
Crypto mining is a term that means the action of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a basic part of any project based on the blockchain technology. Since this operation takes a lot of calculations, a high-end PC is required. Exactly, the GPU is better for this task, 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.2
List of the typical coin miner symptoms
How dangerous is the Msiexec.exe miner?
Coin miners does not deal damage to your files. However, they make a lot of unpleasant things with the whole system
Initially, Msiexec.exe virus makes your system overloaded. It is not able to run your applications now, because all CPU power is consumed 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 experience exceptionally sluggish efficiency. Pages can open up for years, any kind of logins will take about a minute – just a nightmare for a person who works online.
Msiexec.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | Msiexec.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Lghub_updater.exe, Gamingservices.exe, Wmiregistrationservice.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Msiexec.exe removal. |
“Visible” damage is not a single unpleasant thing coin miners perform to your personal computer. Msiexec.exe coin miner also deals damage to your operating system. To complete all malevolent functions correctly, it ruins the security features of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware halts it to avoid recognition. If you open the HOSTS file, you will likely see a lot 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 initial state in the process of PC recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides decreasing your computer’s performance, running at peak power for long times can trigger damage to your machine and increase electricity expenses. Hardware 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 well-protected processor cooling system is not very easy to damage. Meanwhile, graphic cards have big and easy-to-access fans, which can be easily broke if touched while spinning, for instance, by the user much earlier before the coin-miner injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the extremely high load caused by Msiexec.exe virus can easily lead to GPU failure3. Graphic cards are also tend to have fast wearing when used for crypto mining. It is surely an unwanted situation when the performance of your video card decreases on 20-30% only after several weeks of being exploited in such a way.
How did I get Msiexec.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 common malevolent programs through “major” viruses. Adware sometimes acts as a carrier for Msiexec.exe malware injection: it demonstrates you the banners, which have a link to malware downloading. Yes, this abstract “malware” may belong to any type – another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. But the statistics show that about 30% of all malware spread with the malevolent banners are coin miners – and Msiexec.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 computer is by downloading it from the untrustworthy website as a part of a program. People that spread hacked variants of well-known programs (which do not need the license key) have small chances to earn money. Hence, there is a huge lure to include malware to the final package of the hacked app and receive a coin for each installation. Prior to criticizing these guys for hacking and also malware distribution, ask yourself – is it okay 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 figure for antivirus program as well as new parts for your PC.
How to remove the Msiexec.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 using specific tool. Appropriate security tool must have high performance at scanning and be lightweight – in order to create no problems with usage even on weak PCs. Furthermore, it is recommended to have on-run protection in your protection tool – to prevent the virus even before it launches. Microsoft Defender lacks these functions for different factors. That’s why I’d recommend you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that objective. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is an ideal option that fits each of the specified features.5
Before the malware removal, it is important to boot your Windows into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Msiexec.exe miner consumes a lot of processor capacity, it is required to halt 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 software, along with the majority of non-crucial system components, are not started with the system start. That allows you to clean the system without dealing with high processor usage of the coin miner.
Remove Msiexec.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 Msiexec.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner
Name: Msiexec.exe
Description: The Msiexec.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Msiexec.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.
