Resources.exe Virus ⛏️ (Coin Miner Trojan) Removal

Written by Robert Bailey
Resources.exe executable file belongs to a malicious application that can correctly be identified as a coin miner trojan. That malware form uses your hardware to mine cryptocurrencies, basically – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your personal computer roughly nonfunctional because of high CPU use.
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What is Resources.exe process?

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

As I have pointed out in the introduction, Resources.exe is a coin miner virus. The names of the executive file may be diverse, but the consequences are generally the same. Considering that coin miners aim at cryptocurrency mining, they utilize all possible hardware power of your desktop to conduct this procedure. This malware doesn’t pay attention to the fact that you may want to use your device for other tasks – it will consistently consume over 80% of your CPU power.

Resources.exe Windows Process

Resources.exe – Really high CPU/GPU usage

Besides CPU utilization, some of the coin miners additionally use GPU power for their operations. In that instance, you will probably struggle even to see the mouse cursor moving – GPU is often used on 100%. It is not as crucial as CPU for system work, so Resources.exe coin miner viruses do not waste time on trifles and use all of it. It sometimes may result in bad consequences.

Shortly about cryptocurrency mining

Cryptocurrency mining is a term that means the action of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a basic element of any project based on the blockchain technology. Since this action takes a lot of calculations, a very strong computer is needed. Exactly, the video card is better for this task, because they have more cores available. Cryptomining farms are usually constructed of tens and hundreds of graphic cards to complete their task efficiently. Such systems are not usable for “classic” purposes, like gaming or web browsing. Crooks who make profit 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

  • 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 Resources.exe miner?

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

    Initially, Resources.exe malware makes your PC overloaded. It is not able to run your applications anymore, as all CPU power is used by a malware. That malware does not care for your wants, all it focuses on is making money on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until browser is open, you will likely struggle with incredibly sluggish efficiency. Pages can open for years, any kind of logins will likely take about a minute – just a nightmare for a person who does a job online.

    Resources.exe Technical Summary.

    File NameResources.exe
    TypeTrojan Coin Miner
    Detection NameTrojan:Win32/CoinMiner
    Distribution MethodSoftware bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc.
    Similar behaviorOsdmnuu.exe, Npe.exe, Wndows.driver
    RemovalDownload and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Resources.exe removal.

    “Visible” damage is not a single negative activity coin miners do to your computer. Resources.exe coin miner additionally deals damage to your OS. To perform all malevolent functions correctly, it ruins the security mechanisms of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware halts it to avoid detection. If you open the HOSTS file, you will likely see a ton of new entries – they are brought in by this coin miner to connect your system to a malicious mining network. All these changes shall be gone back to the original in the process of PC recovery.

    Hardware effects of coin miner activity

    Besides decreasing your system’s performance, running at peak level for long times can cause damage to your machine as well as increase power bills. PC components are created 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 CPU cooling system is hard to crack. Meanwhile, GPUs have big and easy-to-access fans, which can be easily cracked if touched while running, for instance, by the user much earlier before the virus injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the unusually high load caused by Resources.exe can easily lead to GPU failure3. Video cards are also prone to have fast wearing when utilized for cryptocurrency mining. It is likely an unwanted situation when your GPU’s performance plunges 20-30% only after 1-2 weeks of being used in such a way.

    How did I get Resources.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 widespread malevolent programs through “severe” malware. Adware frequently functions as a carrier for Resources.exe malware infiltration: it demonstrates you the banners, which include a link to malware downloading. Sure, this abstract “malware” may belong to any kind – yet another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. But the statistics say that approximately 30% of all malware spread with the malevolent banners are coin miners – and Resources.exe is just with them.4

    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 untrustworthy site as a part of a program. People who spread hacked versions of popular programs (which do not require the license key) have small chances to earn money. Therefore, there is a very big temptation to include malware to the final package of the hacked application and receive a coin for every installation. Before 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 more affordable to pay $20-$30 at once than to pay a much greater sum for antivirus software as well as new parts for your PC.

    How to remove the Resources.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 the use of specific program. Proper anti-malware program should have high capability at scanning and be lightweight – in order to make no problems with usage also on weak PCs. In addition, it is better to have proactive protection in your protection solution – to halt the virus even before it launches. Microsoft Defender lacks these features for various reasons. That’s why I’d advise you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that reason. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is a perfect option that fits all of the discussed qualities.5

    Prior to the malware removal, it is important to reboot your system into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Resources.exe miner takes a lot of processor power, 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.

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

    Remove Resources.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 in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

    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 Resources.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner

    Name: Resources.exe

    Description: The Resources.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Resources.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. Read about why Monero and DarkCoin are so popular amongst cybercriminals.
    2. Detailed explanation of how does cryptomining work.
    3. About unwanted effects for GPUs in the process of cryptomining.
    4. Read more about various malware type on Cybersecurity Glossary.
    5. 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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