Smcdll.exe executable file is related to a harmful application that can correctly be defined as a coin miner virus. That malware type utilizes your PC components to mine cryptocurrencies, primarily – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your personal computer almost unusable as a result of high CPU use.
What is Smcdll.exe process?
Smcdll.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
As I have specified previously, Smcdll.exe is a coin miner trojan virus. The names of the .exe file may be diverse, however, the effects are almost always the same. Because coin miners aim at cryptocurrency mining, they utilize all possible hardware power of your PC to run this operation. This malware does not care about the fact that you probably need to use your desktop for other activities – it will consistently take over 80% of your processor power.
Smcdll.exe – Very high CPU as well as GPU usage
Besides CPU usage, some of the coin miners additionally use GPU power for their tasks. In that instance, you will likely struggle even to see the mouse arrow moving – GPU is often utilized on 100%. It is not as essential as CPU for system work, so Smcdll.exe coin miner viruses do not waste time on trifles and utilize all of it. It often can result in unhappy consequences.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
Cryptocurrency mining term means the operation 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 high-end PC is needed. Exactly, the video card is better for this task, because they have more cores available. Cryptocurrency mining farms are usually constructed of tens and hundreds of GPUs to conduct their activity effectively. Such systems are not usable for “usual” purposes, like gaming or web browsing. Fraudsters who gain money via this coin miner use someones’ computers instead, even if they are used for the regular activity.
List of the typical coin miner symptoms
How dangerous is the Smcdll.exe miner?
Coin miners does not deal damage to your files. However, they make a lot of unpleasant things with the whole system
First of all, Smcdll.exe virus makes your PC overloaded. It is unable to run your applications anymore, as all processor power is consumed by a virus. That malware does not care for your necessities, 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 experience incredibly slow performance. Pages can open for years, any type of logins will likely take about a minute – just a headache for a person who works online.
Smcdll.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | Smcdll.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Winaihservice.virus/, Screenconnect.client, Lnchrt.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Smcdll.exe removal. |
“Visible” harm is not a single negative thing coin miners do to your computer. Smcdll.exe coin miner also deals damage to your OS. To perform all malevolent functions correctly, it ruins the protection features of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware halts it to prevent detection. If you open the HOSTS file, you will likely see a ton of new notes – they are brought in by this coin miner to connect your system to a malicious mining network. All these changes are about to be gone back to the initial state in the process of computer recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides decreasing your computer’s performance, running at peak level for a long period of time can cause damage to your machine as well as increase power costs. Hardware 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 covered CPU cooling system is quite hard to crack. Meanwhile, GPUs have large and easy-to-access rotors, which can be easily cracked if affected while working, for instance, by the user much earlier before the virus injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the really high load caused by Smcdll.exe miner can easily lead to graphic processing unit failure. Video cards are also tend to have fast wearing when used for crypto mining. It is surely an unwanted situation when the performance of your video card decreases on 20-30% just after 1-2 weeks of being used in such a way.
How did I get Smcdll.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 common malicious programs through “serious” malware. Adware frequently works as a carrier for Smcdll.exe malware infiltration: it shows you the banners, which include a link to malware downloading. Yes, this abstract “malware” may belong to any type – an additional adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. But the statistics show that about 30% of all malware spread with the malicious banners are coin miners – and Smcdll.exe is just one of them.
The example of malicious banners you can see in the Internet
One more way you could get this item on your computer is by downloading it from the suspicious web page as a part of a program. Users who spread hacked versions of favored programs (which do not need the license key) have small chances to get paid. Hence, there is a huge lure to add malware to the final package of the hacked application and acquire a coin for each setup. Before criticizing these individuals for hacking and malware spreading, ask yourself – is it alright to avoid buying the program in such a way? It is more affordable to pay $20-$30 one time than to pay a much bigger figure for antivirus program as well as new parts for your desktop.
How to remove the Smcdll.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 demands making use of special program. Proper anti-malware program should have high capability at scanning and be lightweight – in order to create no problems with usage also on weak PCs. Additionally, it is recommended to have proactive protection in your protection tool – to stop the virus even before it launches. Microsoft Defender lacks these features for various factors. That’s why I’d suggest you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that reason. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is an ideal option that fits each of the specified characteristics.2
Before the malware removal, it is important to boot your system into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Smcdll.exe miner takes a lot of CPU power, it is needed 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 computer is in Safe Mode, all third-party applications, just like the majority of non-crucial operating system components, are not launched with the system start. That gives you the ability to clean the system without dealing with high processor usage of the coin miner.
Remove Smcdll.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.
User Review
( votes)References
- Read about why Monero and DarkCoin are so popular amongst cybercriminals.
- Our review on GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
