Payload.exe process comes from a malicious program that can correctly be defined as a coin miner trojan. That malware form uses your PC components to mine cryptocurrencies, generally – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your system pretty much nonfunctional due to high CPU usage.
What is Payload.exe process?
Payload.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
As I have actually mentioned in the previous paragraph, Payload.exe is a coin miner trojan virus. The names of the executive file may be different, however, the effects are usually the same. Because coin miners aim at cryptocurrency mining, they use all available hardware capacity of your PC to conduct this procedure. This virus doesn’t pay attention to the fact that you probably want to use your computer for other tasks – it will constantly take over 80% of your processor power.
Payload.exe – Very high CPU as well as GPU use
Besides CPU usage, some of the coin miners additionally utilize GPU power for their operations. In that situation, you will likely struggle even to see the mouse cursor moving – GPU is usually utilized on 100%. It is not as essential as processor for system work, so Payload.exe coin miner viruses don’t waste time on trifles and use it all. It sometimes may cause unhappy effects.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
Cryptocurrency mining term means the operation of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a integral part of any project based on the blockchain technology. Since this action takes a lot of calculations, a very powerful computer is needed. Exactly, the GPU is better for this purpose, because they have more cores available. Cryptomining farms are usually constructed of dozens of GPUs to complete their task efficiently. Such systems are not usable for “usual” purposes, like gaming or browsing the Web. Crooks who make profit via this coin miner use someones’ hardware instead, even if they are used for the regular activity.2
List of the typical coin miner symptoms
How dangerous is the Payload.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, Payload.exe virus makes your PC overloaded. It is unable to run your applications anymore, because all processor 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 suffer from incredibly sluggish performance. Pages will open up for years, any sort of logins will take about a minute – just a nightmare for a person who works online.
Payload.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | Payload.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Taobao.exe, Nicodemo.exe, Ccservice.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Payload.exe removal. |
“Visible” harm is not a single bad activity coin miners do to your system. Payload.exe coin miner likewise deals damage to your operating system. To perform all malicious operations successfully, it wrecks the security mechanisms 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 ton of new notes – they are added by this coin miner to connect your PC to a malicious mining network. All these adjustments are about to be reverted to the initial state in the process of system recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides making your computer slow, running at peak level for a long period of time may trigger damage to your device as well as increase power costs. PC elements are created to easily deal with high load, but they can do so only in case when they are in a good shape.
Tiny and well-protected CPU fan is not very easy to damage. Meanwhile, GPUs have big and easy-to-access rotors, which can be easily cracked if touched while working, for example, by the user much before the coin-miner injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the very high load caused by Payload.exe virus can easily lead to GPU failure3. Video cards are also prone to have increased wearing when utilized for cryptocurrency mining. It is likely a bad case when the performance of your GPU decreases on 20-30% just after several weeks of being used in such a way.
How did I get Payload.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 malevolent programs among “severe” malware. Adware sometimes works as a carrier for Payload.exe malware injection: it shows you the banners, which contain a link to malware downloading. Sure, this abstract “malware” can belong to any type – an additional adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. But the statistics show that around 30% of all viruses spread through the malicious banners are coin miners – and Payload.exe is right with them.4
The example of malicious banners you can see in the Internet
An additional way you could get this thing on your computer is by downloading it from the unreliable web page as a part of a program. Users who spread hacked versions of well-known programs (which do not require the license key) have small chances to get paid. Thus, there is a very big lure to include malware to the final package of the hacked app and receive a coin for every setup. Before criticizing these people for hacking and malware distribution, ask yourself – is it okay to avoid purchasing the program in this manner? It is more affordable to pay $20-$30 one time than to pay a much greater sum for antivirus program and new parts for your PC.
How to remove the Payload.exe miner from my PC?
The best way to get rid of this coin miner virus is to use anti-malware software
Removing such a virus involves using specific tool. Appropriate security tool should have high performance at scanning and be lightweight – in order to make no problems with usage also on weak computers. On top of that, it is recommended to have on-run security in your security solution – to prevent the virus even before it starts. Microsoft Defender lacks these features for various reasons. That’s why I’d recommend you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that objective. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is a superb option that fits all of the specified features.5
Prior to the virus removal, it is important to reboot your system into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Payload.exe miner takes a lot of CPU capacity, 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 computer is in Safe Mode, all third-party apps, along with the majority of non-critical system components, are not started with the system start. That gives you the ability to clean the PC without dealing with high CPU usage of the coin miner.
Remove Payload.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 Payload.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner
Name: Payload.exe
Description: The Payload.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Payload.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.
