Top.exe executable file comes from a malicious application that can correctly be defined as a coin miner trojan virus. That malware type uses your PC components to mine cryptocurrencies, generally – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your personal computer almost unfunctional because of high CPU utilization.
What is Top.exe process?
Top.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus
As I have specified earlier, Top.exe is a coin miner trojan virus. The names of the executive file may be different, however, the impacts are generally the identical. Considering that coin miners aim at cryptocurrency mining, they utilize all available hardware power of your PC to conduct this operation. This malware doesn’t pay attention to the fact that you may want to make use of your device for other activities – it will consistently take over 80% of your CPU power.
Top.exe – Extremely high CPU as well as GPU use
Besides CPU usage, some of the coin miners additionally utilize GPU power for their tasks. In that case, you will likely struggle also to see the mouse arrow moving – GPU is often used on 100%. It is not as vital as CPU for system work, so Top.exe coin miner viruses do not waste time on trifles and utilize all of it. It often may lead to sad effects.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
Cryptocurrency mining term means the operation of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a basic part of any project based on the blockchain technology. Since this operation takes a lot of calculations, a high-end PC is required. Exactly, the graphic card is better for this task, because they have more cores available. Cryptomining farms usually consist of dozens of graphic cards to conduct their activity effectively. Such computer systems are not usable for “general” purposes, like gaming or browsing the Web. Crooks who make profit via this coin miner use someones’ hardware instead, even if they are used for the regular activity.2
List of the typical coin miner symptoms
How dangerous is the Top.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, Top.exe malware makes your computer overloaded. It is unable to run your applications anymore, since all processor power is consumed by a malware. That malware does not care for your wants, all it focuses on is generating profits on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until web browser is open, you will likely suffer from incredibly sluggish performance. Pages can open up for years, any type of logins will take about a minute – just a nightmare for a person that does a job online.
Top.exe Technical Summary.
| File Name | Top.exe |
| Type | Trojan Coin Miner |
| Detection Name | Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Coinhelper/., Js.miner, Regsvr32.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Top.exe removal. |
“Visible” harm is not a single unpleasant thing coin miners do to your system. Top.exe coin miner likewise deals damage to your OS. To perform all malevolent operations properly, it ruins the protection components of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware stops it to prevent recognition. If you check the HOSTS file, you will likely see a number of new notes – they are brought in by this trojan miner to connect your system to a malicious mining network. All these adjustments shall be reverted to the initial state in the process of computer recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides making your computer slow, performing at peak power for long times can trigger damage to your machine and increase electricity bills. Hardware components are created to easily get along with high load, but they are good with it only when they are in a good shape.
Little and well-protected CPU cooling system is hard to crack. Meanwhile, GPUs have large and easy-to-access rotors, which can be easily broke if affected while working, for example, by the user much before the coin-miner injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the very high load caused by Top.exe can easily lead to GPU failure3. Video cards are also prone to have increased wearing when utilized for cryptocurrency mining. It is surely a bad case when the performance of your video card plunges 20-30% just after 1-2 weeks of being exploited in such a way.
How did I get Top.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 prevalent malicious programs through “major” malware. Adware frequently serves as a carrier for Top.exe malware injection: it shows you the banners, which have a link to malware downloading. Sure, this abstract “malware” can belong to any type – yet another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. However, the statistics show that about 30% of all viruses spread with the malicious banners are coin miners – and Top.exe is right with them.4
The example of malicious banners you can see in the Internet
Another way you could get this item on your computer is by downloading it from the untrustworthy website as a part of a program. Users who spread hacked variants of well-known programs (which do not require the license key) have small chances to get paid. Thus, there is a huge temptation to include malware to the final package of the hacked app and acquire a coin for every setup. Prior to criticizing these people for hacking and also malware spreading, ask yourself – is it alright to avoid paying for the program in such a way? It is much cheaper to pay $20-$30 at once than to pay a much bigger sum for antivirus software and new parts for your desktop.
How to remove the Top.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 making use of special app. Appropriate anti-malware program must have high efficiency at scanning and be lightweight – in order to create no problems with usage also on weak computers. Furthermore, it is better to have on-run protection in your security tool – to halt the virus even before it launches. Microsoft Defender does not have these elements for various reasons. That’s why I’d recommend you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that reason. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is a superb choice that fits all of the mentioned qualities.5
Before the virus removal, it is important to boot your operating system into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Top.exe miner consumes a lot of processor capacity, it is needed 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.
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 programs, along with the majority of non-critical Windows components, are not launched with the system start. That allows you to clean the system without dealing with high processor usage of the coin miner.
Remove Top.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 Top.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner
Name: Top.exe
Description: The Top.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Top.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.
