Winring0x64.sys is the name of a system process, specifically a Windows real mode driver. Typically, it remains hidden from the user’s view. However, if you encounter Winring0x64 in the Task Manager and notice it consuming substantial CPU resources, it could be an indication of a coin miner infection. In this post, I explain should you delete Winring0x64 or not, and how to understand whether it is malicious.
Being a real-mode driver, WinRing0x64.sys may be used by certain programs for direct hardware communication. For instance, I’ve found reports saying this driver is present in the IOBit Game Booster and EVGA Precision Overclocking graphics card software. In both cases, the process should not be a reason of any problems. If you never used these apps, but still see the Winring0x64 process, it could be a sign of malware activity.
Winring0x64.sys Overview
As I’ve just said, Winring0x64.sys is a Windows real-mode driver, which is present in the system for helping apps to communicate with hardware. Back in the early days of personal computers, it was a very demanded option. Most programs were oriented at performing direct hardware operations and calls – and Winring0x64 were on hand. At some point, this driver was recommended to abandon since it is vulnerable to ACE exploitation. Nowadays, it may still be needed for some specific applications – like ones that control LED lights on your PC or advanced water cooling schemes. But in normal circumstances, it will not appear in the Task Manager for long enough for you to see it.
Users complain on an unknown instance of Winring0x64 on Reddit
A more popular case of malicious misuse for Winring0x64.sys is its use in coin miner malware. Circumventing any software-based abstraction layers is quite convenient for that task, as it speeds up the procedure. For that reason, certain coin miners use this driver to send commands directly to the hardware. Since the mining process is continuous, you will likely spectate Winring0x64.sys in the Task Manager for quite some time. In particular, XMRig miner and its offsprings are known to use that driver extensively.
Shortly about cryptocurrency mining
Cryptocurrency mining is a term that means the activity 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 very strong desktop is required. Exactly, the GPU is better for this task, because they have more cores available. Cryptomining farms usually consist of dozens of graphic cards to complete their task efficiently. Such systems are not usable for “usual” purposes, like gaming or web browsing. Crooks who gain money via this coin miner use someones’ PCs instead, even if they are used for the regular activity.
Ways to check if Winring0x64.sys is a virus
Since it is not always included in a standard Windows installation, programs that bear on Winring0x64.sys commonly carry it in their files. For that reason, your system may sometimes contain several instances of the driver, hidden in these program’s folders. But there is one particular way to find the malicious instance: check out the %AppData%/Local/Temp folder. Programs are not likely to place this file in this directory, hence one present in it is most likely brought by malware.
Malicious Winring0x64.sys instance
There is also another row of symptoms that may point at malware presence:
How dangerous is the Winring0x64.sys miner?
Coin miners does not deal damage to your files. However, they make a lot of unpleasant things with the whole system
If you really have malicious miner, backed with Winring0x64.sys, you will likely feel it. First of all, coin miner malware makes your PC 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 making money on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until web browser is open, you will likely struggle with incredibly sluggish performance. Pages will open up for years, any type of logins will likely take about a minute – just a headache for a person who does a job online.
Winring0x64.sys Technical Summary.
| File Name | Winring0x64.sys |
| Type | File Exploited by Coin Miner |
| Threat Type | Coin Miner Malware |
| Distribution Method | Software bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc. |
| Similar behavior | Novpopen.exe, Dnscache.exe, Ghozi_dark.exe |
| Removal | Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Winring0x64.sys removal. |
“Visible” harm is not a solitary unpleasant activity coin miners do to your personal computer. Coin miner additionally deals damage to your operating system. To perform all malicious functions effectively, it wrecks the security mechanisms 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 ton 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 reverted to the original in the process of computer recovery.
Hardware effects of coin miner activity
Besides making your computer slow, running at peak level for a long period of time can trigger damage to your device and increase electricity costs. PC components are created to easily get along with high load, but they can do so only when they are in a good shape.
Small and covered processor fan is hard to crack. Meanwhile, GPUs have large and easy-to-access rotors, which can be easily broke if touched while working, for example, by the user much before the coin-miner injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the really high load caused by Winring0x64.sys malware can easily lead to graphic card failure1. Video cards are also prone to have very fast wearing when utilized for crypto mining. It is surely an unwanted case when the performance of your video card plunges 20-30% only after several weeks of being exploited in such a way.
How did I get the 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 malevolent programs through “serious” malware. Adware frequently works as a carrier for Winring0x64.sys malware injection: it demonstrates you the banners, which contain a link to malware downloading. Sure, this abstract “malware” can belong to any type – an additional adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. However, the statistics say that around 30% of all viruses spread with the malicious banners are coin miners – and Winring0x64.sys is just with them.2
The example of malicious banners you can see in the Internet
Another way you could get this item on your PC is by downloading it from the untrustworthy site as a part of a program. Users that spread hacked versions of well-known programs (which do not require the license key) have small chances to get paid. Thus, there is a huge lure to include malware to the final package of the hacked application and receive a coin for each installation. Prior to criticizing these people for hacking and malware distribution, ask yourself – is it OK to avoid purchasing the program in such a way? It is much cheaper to pay $20-$30 one time than to pay a much greater sum for antivirus software and new parts for your computer.
How to remove the Winring0x64.sys 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 demands the use of special tool. Effective anti-malware program must have high efficiency at scanning and also be lightweight – in order to make no problems with utilization even on weak computers. On top of that, it is recommended to have proactive security in your security tool – to halt the virus even before it launches. Microsoft Defender lacks these functions for various factors. That’s why I’d advise you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that reason. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is a superb option that fits all of the specified characteristics.3
Prior to the virus removal, it is important to reboot your operating system into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Winring0x64.sys miner consumes a lot of CPU power, 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 apps, along with the majority of non-critical operating system components, are not launched with the system start. That gives you the ability to clean the computer without dealing with high CPU usage of the coin miner.
Remove Winring0x64.sys with Gridinsoft Anti-Malware
We have also been using this software on our systems ever since, and it has always been successful in detecting viruses. It has blocked the most common coin miners as shown from our tests with the software, and we assure you that it can remove Winring0x64.sys as well as other malware hiding on your computer.
To use Gridinsoft for remove malicious threats, follow the steps below:
1. Begin by downloading Gridinsoft Anti-Malware, accessible via the blue button below or directly from the official website gridinsoft.com.
2.Once the Gridinsoft setup file (setup-gridinsoft-fix.exe) is downloaded, execute it by clicking on the file.
3.Follow the installation setup wizard's instructions diligently.
4. Access the "Scan Tab" on the application's start screen and launch a comprehensive "Full Scan" to examine your entire computer. This inclusive scan encompasses the memory, startup items, the registry, services, drivers, and all files, ensuring that it detects malware hidden in all possible locations.
Be patient, as the scan duration depends on the number of files and your computer's hardware capabilities. Use this time to relax or attend to other tasks.
5. Upon completion, Anti-Malware will present a detailed report containing all the detected malicious items and threats on your PC.
6. Select all the identified items from the report and confidently click the "Clean Now" button. This action will safely remove the malicious files from your computer, transferring them to the secure quarantine zone of the anti-malware program to prevent any further harmful actions.
8. If prompted, restart your computer to finalize the full system scan procedure. This step is crucial to ensure thorough removal of any remaining threats. After the restart, Gridinsoft Anti-Malware will open and display a message confirming the completion of the scan.
Remember Gridinsoft offers a 6-day free trial. This means you can take advantage of the trial period at no cost to experience the full benefits of the software and prevent any future malware infections on your system. Embrace this opportunity to fortify your computer's security without any financial commitment.
Trojan Killer for “Winring0x64.sys” removal on locked PC
In situations where it becomes impossible to download antivirus applications directly onto the infected computer due to malware blocking access to websites, an alternative solution is to utilize the Trojan Killer application.
There is a really little number of security tools that are able to be set up on the USB drives, and antiviruses that can do so in most cases require to obtain quite an expensive license. For this instance, I can recommend you to use another solution of GridinSoft - Trojan Killer Portable. It has a 14-days cost-free trial mode that offers the entire features of the paid version. This term will definitely be 100% enough to wipe malware out.
Trojan Killer is a valuable tool in your cybersecurity arsenal, helping you to effectively remove malware from infected computers. Now, we will walk you through the process of using Trojan Killer from a USB flash drive to scan and remove malware on an infected PC. Remember, always obtain permission to scan and remove malware from a computer that you do not own.
Step 1: Download & Install Trojan Killer on a Clean Computer:
1. Go to the official GridinSoft website (gridinsoft.com) and download Trojan Killer to a computer that is not infected.
2. Insert a USB flash drive into this computer.
3. Install Trojan Killer to the "removable drive" following the on-screen instructions.
4. Once the installation is complete, launch Trojan Killer.
Step 2: Update Signature Databases:
5. After launching Trojan Killer, ensure that your computer is connected to the Internet.
6. Click "Update" icon to download the latest signature databases, which will ensure the tool can detect the most recent threats.
Step 3: Scan the Infected PC:
7. Safely eject the USB flash drive from the clean computer.
8. Boot the infected computer to the Safe Mode.
9. Insert the USB flash drive.
10. Run tk.exe
11. Once the program is open, click on "Full Scan" to begin the malware scanning process.
Step 4: Remove Found Threats:
12. After the scan is complete, Trojan Killer will display a list of detected threats.
13. Click on "Cure PC!" to remove the identified malware from the infected PC.
14. Follow any additional on-screen prompts to complete the removal process.
Step 5: Restart Your Computer:
15. Once the threats are removed, click on "Restart PC" to reboot your computer.
16. Remove the USB flash drive from the infected computer.
Congratulations on effectively removing Winring0x64.sys and the concealed threats from your computer! You can now have peace of mind, knowing that they won't resurface again. Thanks to Gridinsoft's capabilities and commitment to cybersecurity, your system is now protected.
Remove Winring0x64.sys Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner
Name: Winring0x64.sys
Description: Winring0x64.sys is a Windows real mode driver, that may be needed for performing direct calls to hardware. However, malware, particularly coin miners, may use it as well - in order to speed up their operations.
Operating System: Windows
Application Category: Trojan
User Review
( votes)References
- About unwanted effects for GPUs in the process of cryptomining.
- Read more about various malware type on GridinSoft Threat Encyclopedia.
- Our review on GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
