Qtwebengineprocess.exe executable file comes from the Origin app – a digital distribution platform for games and gamers’ communication. It is a legit part of this application that is responsible for interface rendering. That process can also appear with other programs that use the website-in-app interface. However, sometimes this name is hijacked by malware, also known as trojan coin miner. This virus utilizes your PC components to mine cryptocurrencies, primarily – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your system pretty much nonfunctional due to high CPU usage.
What is Qtwebengineprocess.exe process?
Qtwebengineprocess.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
Qtwebengineprocess.exe – Extremely high CPU/GPU usage
Fortunately, it is quite easy to check that process for benevolence. Regardless of the program that uses Qtwebengineprocess.exe, it must be located in the folder of this program. Find that process in the Task Manager, than click it with RMB and press “Open file location” button in the context menu. The system will show you the directory where the file is kept. If it is different from C:\Program Files\%appname%, and looks like C:\Users\%username%\temp – you definitely have to deal with a virus. It also sometimes has several mistakes in its name – they are hard to distinguish, but they are obvious when you check the name precisely. Qtwedengineprocess or Qtwebenginprocess are definitely not your friends!
Besides CPU usage, some of the coin miners additionally use GPU power for their tasks. In that case, you will likely struggle also to see the mouse cursor moving – GPU is usually utilized on 100%. It is not as vital as CPU for system work, so Qtwebengineprocess.exe coin miner viruses do not waste time on trifles and use it all. It sometimes may cause sad results.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
List of the typical coin miner symptoms
How dangerous is the Qtwebengineprocess.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, Qtwebengineprocess.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 wants, all it pays attention to is making money on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until web browser is open, you will likely suffer from extremely sluggish efficiency. Pages can open up for years, any type of logins will likely take about a minute – just a headache for a person who works online.
Qtwebengineprocess.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | Qtwebengineprocess.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Chek.exe, Exlorer.exe, C.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Qtwebengineprocess.exe removal. |
“Visible” damage is not a solitary negative activity coin miners perform to your PC. Qtwebengineprocess.exe coin miner additionally deals damage to your operating system. To complete all malevolent functions successfully, it wrecks the security components 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 number of new notes – they are added by this coin miner to connect your PC to a malicious cryptomining network. All these changes are about to be gone back to the original in the process of computer recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides decreasing your PC’s performance, performing at peak power for a long period of time may cause damage to your machine and increase electricity bills. PC elements are designed to easily get along with high load, but they are good with it only in case when they are in a good shape.
Tiny and well-protected processor cooling system is not very easy to broke. Meanwhile, GPUs have big and easy-to-access fans, which can be easily broke if affected while running, for example, by the user much earlier before the virus injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the very high load caused by Qtwebengineprocess.exe can easily lead to graphic card failure3. GPUs are also tend to have very fast wearing when used for crypto mining. It is surely a bad situation when the performance of your GPU decreases on 20-30% just after 1-2 weeks of being used in such a way.
How did I get Qtwebengineprocess.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
Another way you could get this thing on your computer is by downloading it from the suspicious website as a part of a program. People that spread hacked versions of popular programs (which do not require the license key) have small chances to earn money. Thus, there is a very big lure to include malware to the final package of the hacked application and receive a coin for every installation. Prior to criticizing these individuals for hacking and malware distribution, ask yourself – is it OK to avoid purchasing the program in this manner? It is much cheaper to pay $20-$30 one time than to pay a much greater sum for antivirus program as well as new parts for your computer.
How to remove the Qtwebengineprocess.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 apps, along with the majority of non-crucial system components, are not launched with the system start. That gives you the ability to clean the computer without dealing with high CPU 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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