Sysinfocap.exe is a Virus or Safe?

Written by Robert Bailey
SysInfoCap.exe appears to be a utility for monitoring and analyzing system resources and performance. It allows users to gather information about their computer’s health, processes, network connections, and storage devices. It is associated with HP, although it may not be present on every computer.

While Windows already provides built-in utilities for similar purposes, SysInfoCap.exe may offer additional features or a more user-friendly interface for accessing and analyzing system information.

It’s important to note that the legitimacy of SysInfoCap.exe can vary depending on its source and location. If SysInfoCap.exe is found in a legitimate directory associated with HP or a trusted source, it is likely safe to use. However, if it is located in an unexpected or suspicious location, it could indicate the presence of malicious code or a potentially unwanted program.

Hewlett-Packard includes several software solutions in their pre-built PCs and laptops running Windows. HP Network HSA Service, which initiates the Sysinfocap.exe process, is one of them. By default, this process should not impose significant strain on any system components. If you observe Sysinfocap.exe causing high CPU load, it is highly likely that you are dealing with a malicious program.

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If you suspect that SysInfoCap.exe is part of a malicious installation or causing any issues on your computer, it is recommended to run a scan with reputable antivirus software and consider removing or quarantining the file if it is identified as a threat.

What is Sysinfocap.exe process?

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

As mentioned earlier, Sysinfocap.exe has the potential to be a coin miner trojan. The most noticeable indication of its malicious nature is the excessive CPU load, typically exceeding 80%. A legitimate version of this process does not require such a significant amount of CPU power, even on weaker PC builds.

Sysinfocap.exe Windows Process

Sysinfocap.exe – Very high CPU and GPU usage

In addition to CPU usage, you can also verify the legitimacy of the process by examining its .exe file location. The genuine Sysinfocap.exe file is located in C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository. To confirm the file location of the process, right-click on it in the Task Manager and select the “Open file location” button in the dialog box. If the file exists in any other directory than the one mentioned, it indicates that the file has malicious origins.

Shortly about cryptocurrency mining

Cryptocurrency mining means the action of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a integral part of any project based on the blockchain technology. Since this operation takes a lot of calculations, a strong desktop is needed. Exactly, the video card is better for this task, because they have more cores available. Cryptomining farms usually consist of tens and hundreds of video cards to conduct their activity effectively. Such computer systems are not usable for “classic” purposes, like gaming or browsing the Web. Crooks who make profit via this coin miner use someones’ computers instead, even if they are used for the regular activity.1

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 Sysinfocap.exe miner?

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

    Firstly, Sysinfocap.exe malware makes your computer overloaded. It is not able 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 generating income on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until web browser is open, you will likely suffer from extremely sluggish performance. Pages can open for years, any sort of logins will take about a minute – just a horror story for a person who does a job online.

    Sysinfocap.exe Technical Summary.

    File NameSysinfocap.exe
    TypeTrojan Coin Miner
    Detection NameTrojan:Win32/CoinMiner
    Distribution MethodSoftware bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc.
    Similar behaviorNw.exe, Streaming.exe, Bgaupsell.exe
    RemovalDownload and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Sysinfocap.exe removal.

    “Visible” damage is not a single negative activity coin miners do to your system. Sysinfocap.exe coin miner additionally deals damage to your OS. To conduct all malevolent functions effectively, it wrecks the security features 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 lot of new notes – they are added by this coin miner to connect your PC to a malicious cryptomining network. All these adjustments are about to be gone back to the original in the process of computer recovery.

    Hardware effects of coin miner activity

    Besides slowing down your PC, running at peak power for a long period of time can trigger damage to your machine as well as raise power bills. Hardware components are designed to easily deal with high load, but they are good with it only when they are in a good shape.

    Tiny and covered CPU fan is quite hard to broke. Meanwhile, graphic cards have large and easy-to-access fans, 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 unusually high load caused by Sysinfocap.exe virus can easily lead to graphic processing unit failure2. Video cards are also prone to have fast wearing when utilized for crypto mining. It is surely an unwanted situation when your GPU’s performance plunges 20-30% just after several weeks of being used in such a way.

    How did I get Sysinfocap.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 widespread malicious programs among “major” viruses. Adware often works as a carrier for Sysinfocap.exe malware injection: it shows you the banners, which have a link to malware downloading. Yes, this abstract “malware” may belong to any type – another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. But the statistics say that about 30% of all viruses spread with the malevolent banners are coin miners – and Sysinfocap.exe is right with them.

    Unwanted banners adware

    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 unreliable website as a part of a program. People who spread hacked versions of favored programs (which do not require the license key) have small chances to make money. For this reason, there is a very big lure to add malware to the final package of the hacked app and get a coin for each setup. Before criticizing these guys 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 bigger figure for antivirus software as well as new parts for your computer.

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

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

    Getting rid of such a virus requires the use of specific tool. Proper antivirus should have high efficiency at scanning and be lightweight – in order to create no problems with utilization even on weak systems. Additionally, it is recommended to have on-run protection in your protection tool – to prevent the virus even before it launches. Microsoft Defender does not have these elements for various reasons. That’s why I’d advise you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that goal. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is a superb choice that fits all of the discussed characteristics.3

    Prior to the virus removal, it is important to reboot your operating system into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Sysinfocap.exe miner consumes a lot of CPU capacity, 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 programs, along with the majority of non-critical Windows components, are not launched with the system start. That allows you to clean the PC without dealing with high processor usage of the coin miner.

    Remove Sysinfocap.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.

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    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.

    What is Sysinfocap.exe?

    Name: Sysinfocap.exe

    Description: SysInfoCap.exe appears to be a utility for monitoring and analyzing system resources and performance. It allows users to gather information about their computer's health, processes, network connections, and storage devices. It is associated with HP, although it may not be present on every computer.

    Operating System: Windows

    Application Category: Trojan

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    References

    1. Detailed explanation of how does cryptomining work.
    2. About unwanted effects for GPUs in the process of cryptomining.
    3. 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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