Setx.exe executable file belongs to a harmful program that can accurately be identified as a coin miner virus. That malware form uses your PC components to mine cryptocurrencies, generally – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your system roughly nonfunctional as a result of high CPU utilization.
What is Setx.exe process?
Setx.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
As I have actually pointed out before, Setx.exe is a coin miner virus. The names of the executive file can be diverse, but the consequences are almost always the identical. Because coin miners aim at cryptocurrency mining, they utilize all possible hardware power of your PC to run this process. This virus does not care about the fact that you may need to make use of your desktop for other tasks – it will always use over 80% of your CPU power.
Setx.exe – Really high CPU as well as GPU usage
Besides CPU utilization, some of the coin miners also make use of GPU power for their operations. In that situation, you will struggle also to see the mouse cursor moving – GPU is often utilized on 100%. It is not as vital as CPU for system work, so Setx.exe coin miner viruses do not waste time on trifles and utilize it all. It sometimes can cause unhappy results.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
Crypto mining is a term that means the operation of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a basic element of anything based on the blockchain technology. Since this action takes a lot of calculations, a strong desktop is needed. Exactly, the video card is better for this purpose, because they have more cores available. Cryptocurrency mining farms usually consist of dozens of video cards to conduct their activity effectively. Such systems are not usable for “classic” purposes, like gaming or web browsing. Fraudsters 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 Setx.exe miner?
Coin miners does not deal damage to your files. However, they make a lot of unpleasant things with the whole system
Initially, Setx.exe malware makes your computer overloaded. It is unable to run your applications now, because all CPU power is consumed by a malware. That malware does not care for your demands, all it pays attention to is generating profits on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until web browser is open, you will likely struggle with incredibly slow performance. Pages will open for years, any type of logins will take about a minute – just a horror story for a person who works online.
Setx.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | Setx.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Postinstall.exe, Anydesk.exe, Vmsa.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Setx.exe removal. |
“Visible” harm is not a single negative activity coin miners do to your personal computer. Setx.exe coin miner additionally deals damage to your OS. To complete all malevolent functions successfully, it wrecks the security mechanisms of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware halts it to prevent detection. If you check the HOSTS file, you will likely see a number of new entries – they are brought in by this coin miner to connect your computer to a malicious cryptomining network. All these adjustments are about to be thrown back to the original in the process of computer recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides making your computer slow, running at peak power for long times may cause damage to your machine and raise electricity costs. 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.
Little and covered CPU cooling system is not very easy to crack. Meanwhile, GPUs have large and easy-to-access rotors, which can be easily cracked if touched while running, for instance, by the user much earlier before the malware injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the really high load caused by Setx.exe virus can easily lead to GPU failure3. Video cards are also prone to have very fast wearing when utilized for cryptocurrency mining. It is surely a bad situation when your GPU’s performance plunges 20-30% just after 1-2 weeks of being used in such a way.
How did I get Setx.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 prevalent malevolent programs through “severe” viruses. Adware often works as a carrier for Setx.exe malware injection: it demonstrates you the banners, which contain a link to malware downloading. Sure, this abstract “malware” may belong to any type – another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. But the statistics show that around 30% of all malware spread through the malicious banners are coin miners – and Setx.exe is just among them.4
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 suspicious web page as a part of a program. Users that spread hacked variants of favored programs (which do not need the license key) have small chances to make money. Thus, there is a huge lure to add in malware to the final package of the hacked application and get a coin for each setup. Prior to blaming these individuals for hacking and also malware spreading, ask yourself – is it okay to avoid paying for the program in this manner? It is more affordable to pay $20-$30 one time than to pay a much bigger figure for antivirus program and new parts for your PC.
How to remove the Setx.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 requires using specific program. Effective security tool should have high capability at scanning and also be lightweight – in order to create no problems with utilization also on weak computers. Furthermore, it is better to have on-run security in your security solution – to stop the virus even before it starts. Microsoft Defender does not have these functions for different factors. That’s why I’d suggest you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that reason. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is a great choice that fits all of the mentioned features.5
Before the malware removal, it is important to reboot your Windows into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Setx.exe miner consumes a lot of CPU power, 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 PC is in Safe Mode, all third-party apps, along with the majority of non-critical operating system components, are not started with the system start. That allows you to clean the system without dealing with high CPU usage of the coin miner.
Remove Setx.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 Setx.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner
Name: Setx.exe
Description: The Setx.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Setx.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.
