Sdd.exe Virus ⛏️ (Coin Miner Trojan) Removal

Written by Robert Bailey
Sdd.exe process comes from a malevolent application that can properly be identified as a coin miner trojan virus. That malware type uses your hardware to mine cryptocurrencies, primarily – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your computer pretty much unusable due to high CPU use.
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What is Sdd.exe process?

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

As I have actually pointed out earlier, Sdd.exe is a coin miner trojan. The names of the executive file may be different, but the effects are generally the same. Since coin miners aim at cryptocurrency mining, they use all available hardware capacity of your PC to perform this operation. This virus does not pay attention to the fact that you probably want to use your system for other tasks – it will always consume over 80% of your CPU power.

Sdd.exe Windows Process

Sdd.exe – Extremely high CPU and GPU usage

Besides CPU usage, some of the coin miners additionally use GPU power for their tasks. In that situation, you will probably struggle even to see the mouse arrow moving – GPU is usually utilized on 100%. It is not as vital as CPU for system work, so Sdd.exe coin miner viruses don’t waste time on trifles and utilize it all. It often may lead to sad results.

Shortly about cryptocurrency mining

Crypto mining is a term that means the action of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a integral element of any project based on the blockchain technology. Since this action takes a lot of calculations, a high-end desktop is required. Exactly, the video card is better for this task, because they have more cores available. Cryptocurrency mining farms are usually constructed of dozens of graphic cards to complete their task efficiently. Such computer systems are not usable for “classic” purposes, like gaming or browsing the Web. Fraudsters who gain money via this coin miner use someones’ computers 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 Sdd.exe miner?

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

    First, Sdd.exe malware makes your system overloaded. It is unable to run your applications now, because all processor power is consumed by a malware. That malware does not care for your needs, all it focuses on is making money on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until browser is open, you will likely experience exceptionally sluggish performance. Pages can open for years, any type of logins will take about a minute – just a headache for a person that does a job online.

    Sdd.exe Technical Summary.

    File NameSdd.exe
    TypeTrojan Coin Miner
    Detection NameTrojan:Win32/CoinMiner
    Distribution MethodSoftware bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc.
    Similar behaviorOther.exe, Psiphon3.exe, Lschax.exe
    RemovalDownload and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Sdd.exe removal.

    “Visible” damage is not a single bad activity coin miners perform to your system. Sdd.exe coin miner likewise deals damage to your operating system. To complete all malevolent functions properly, it ruins the protection mechanisms of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware halts it to avoid recognition. If you check the HOSTS file, you will likely see a load of new entries – they are brought in by this trojan miner to connect your PC to a malicious mining network. All these adjustments shall be gone back to the original in the process of system recovery.

    Hardware effects of coin miner activity

    Besides decreasing your system’s performance, performing at peak power for long times can cause damage to your device as well as increase power expenses. PC 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.

    Little and covered CPU fan is quite hard to damage. Meanwhile, GPUs have large and easy-to-access fans, which can be easily broke if touched while running, for example, by the user much earlier before the virus injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the really high load caused by Sdd.exe can easily lead to GPU failure3. GPUs are also tend to have increased wearing when utilized for crypto mining. It is surely a bad case when your GPU’s performance plunges 20-30% just after 1-2 weeks of being exploited in such a way.

    How did I get Sdd.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 common malevolent programs through “major” viruses. Adware frequently functions as a carrier for Sdd.exe malware infiltration: it demonstrates you the banners, which contain a link to malware downloading. Yes, this abstract “malware” can belong to any kind – yet another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. However, the statistics say that approximately 30% of all viruses spread with the malevolent banners are coin miners – and Sdd.exe is right one of them.4

    Unwanted banners adware

    The example of malicious banners you can see in the Internet

    An additional way you could get this item on your computer is by downloading it from the unreliable website as a part of a program. Users that spread hacked versions of favored programs (which do not demand the license key) have small chances to earn money. Hence, there is a huge temptation to add malware to the final package of the hacked app and get a coin for every installation. Before criticizing these guys for hacking and also malware distribution, ask yourself – is it alright to avoid buying the program in such a way? It is more affordable to pay $20-$30 at once than to pay a much bigger figure for antivirus software as well as new parts for your PC.

    How to remove the Sdd.exe miner from my PC?

    The best way to get rid of this coin miner virus is to use anti-malware software

    Eliminating such a virus involves using specific app. Proper antivirus should have high capability at scanning and be lightweight – in order to create no problems with usage even on weak systems. On top of that, it is recommended to have proactive protection in your security solution – to prevent the virus even before it starts. Microsoft Defender lacks these elements for different reasons. That’s why I’d recommend you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that goal. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is a superb option that fits all of the mentioned characteristics.5

    Prior to the virus removal, it is important to boot your Windows into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Sdd.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.

    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 applications, along with the majority of non-crucial system components, are not started with the system start. That allows you to clean the PC without dealing with high processor usage of the coin miner.

    Remove Sdd.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 Sdd.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner

    Name: Sdd.exe

    Description: The Sdd.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Sdd.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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