Protect Your PC: A Practical Guide to Identify if Your Mining Resources Are Being Used

Cryptocurrency mining has become normalized, but along with it, invisible threats have also emerged. Many users are unaware of how to tell if their PC is being mined without their consent. Mining viruses operate silently, consuming your processing power while cybercriminals profit. If your computer has been slow lately or you notice strange changes, it’s time to investigate.

Understanding the threat: what is a mining virus really

A mining virus is malware that installs without permission and uses your CPU or GPU capacity to solve mathematical problems that generate profits for third parties. Unlike legitimate mining that you consciously control, this runs in the background as a parasite.

The technical term is “cryptojacking.” The attacker earns the mining profits while you pay the costs: electricity, damaged hardware, and a device running at minimal capacity.

The infection cycle

It first infiltrates through questionable downloads, suspicious links, or system vulnerabilities. Then it camouflages among legitimate OS processes. Finally, it begins to consume resources constantly.

Symptoms indicating the presence of a miner on your device

Before knowing if your PC is being mined, recognize the most common warning signs:

Degraded performance: Your device performs simple tasks with abnormal slowness. Opening browsers, documents, or apps takes twice as long. The system frequently freezes.

Disproportionate resource usage: Even at rest, the CPU or GPU runs between 70-100%. This is especially suspicious if you’re not running heavy programs.

Excessive heat: Fans run at maximum speed constantly. The laptop is too hot to work comfortably.

High electricity bills: Without changes in your usage habits, energy consumption has increased noticeably.

Unknown active programs: Task Manager shows processes with generic or random names (like “sysupdate64.exe” or “servicehost.bin”).

Unusual browser behavior: Extensions you didn’t install load automatically. Tabs open by themselves. The browser consumes resources even when “idle.”

Detection process: step by step

Inspect processes in real-time

On Windows:

• Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
• Go to the “Processes” tab
• Sort by “CPU” descending
• Look for unknown processes consuming 30-100% of resources

On Mac:

• Open “Activity Monitor”
• Click on the “CPU” tab
• Identify processes with suspicious names

Note any unusual process names. If you don’t recognize the program, investigate it.

Use professional antivirus tools

Reliable software to detect cryptojacking:

Kaspersky: Specializes in mining threats. Performs real-time scans.

Malwarebytes: Detects hidden malware including miners. Offers free and premium versions.

Bitdefender: Lightweight antivirus that doesn’t slow down the system. Proactive protection against new variants.

Procedure:

1. Download and install the antivirus
2. Run a full system scan (which may take hours)
3. Review quarantine logs
4. If it finds “Trojan.CoinMiner” or similar, quarantine and restart

Check startup programs

Miners often configure to run at PC startup:

Windows:

• Press Win + R and type “msconfig”
• Open the “Startup” tab
• Disable suspicious or unknown programs
• Restart the device

Mac:

• Go to System Preferences → Users & Groups
• Select your user
• Open “Login Items”
• Remove applications you don’t recognize

Analyze browser extensions

Browser-based mining is very common. Regularly review:

Chrome: Settings → Extensions. Remove any unknown or suspicious extensions.

Firefox: Add-ons and Themes. Disable untrusted plugins.

Additional cleanup:

• Clear cache and cookies (this removes mining scripts)
• Install specialized blockers like MinerBlock or AdBlock Plus
• Disable JavaScript on dubious sites

Monitor network traffic

Miners constantly send data to remote servers:

• Open Command Prompt (Win + R → “cmd”)
• Type “netstat -ano” to view active connections
• Look for unknown IP addresses or suspicious ports
• Match the PID with processes in Task Manager

Advanced tools like Wireshark enable deeper traffic analysis.

Monitor abnormal temperatures

Use HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner to track CPU/GPU temperatures. If they are abnormally high during inactivity, it indicates hidden mining.

Common infection routes: how the virus enters

Understanding how these viruses spread helps prevent them:

Pirated software and cracks: Files downloaded from unofficial sources often contain miners. Modified games, “free” programs, and illegal patches are common vectors.

Phishing emails: Malicious links disguised as legitimate messages that automatically download the virus.

Compromised websites: Visiting infected pages can trigger stealth downloads or inject mining scripts.

Outdated software: Unpatched vulnerabilities allow attackers to install malware.

P2P networks and torrents: Unregulated download platforms are infection hotspots.

Removing the mining virus: definitive steps

If you’ve confirmed the presence of a miner:

Stop the process immediately: Open Task Manager, right-click the suspicious process, and select “End Task.”

Locate and delete files: Right-click the process → “Open file location.” Manually delete or use antivirus to quarantine.

Clean residuals: Use CCleaner to remove registry entries and temporary files associated.

Consider reinstalling the OS: If the miner is deeply embedded, a clean OS installation is the final solution.

Boot into Safe Mode: Before any removal, restart in Safe Mode with Command Prompt to access system files.

Preventive defense: it’s never too early

Prevention is infinitely easier than remediation:

Keep antivirus updated: Run regular scans (at least monthly). Update virus definitions daily.

Be selective with downloads: Only download from official sites. Verify security certificates (green padlock in the address bar).

Use VPN on public networks: Public WiFi networks are easy targets for malware distributors.

Update your OS and programs: Patches fix vulnerabilities exploited by attackers.

Control extension permissions: Don’t install extensions from unknown developers. Review requested permissions.

Disable JavaScript on questionable sites: Many miners operate via JavaScript scripts.

Use a password manager: Reduces the risk of credentials being compromised.

Conclusion: constant vigilance

Knowing if your PC is being mined requires regular attention to symptoms and device behavior. A mining virus may not cause visible catastrophic damage but systematically degrades your equipment and electricity bill.

Early detection through process monitoring, trusted antivirus scans, and behavior analysis can prevent months of silent exploitation. Regularly implement these practices: review processes, run scans, update software, and keep defenses active.

Your computer is a valuable resource. Protect it from those trying to steal it.