Is your computer running slower than usual? Here's how to quickly check it for a hidden miner.

If your PC has been running sluggishly lately and the fan is humming like a helicopter even when you’re not doing anything — it’s a warning sign. There’s a high probability that a coin miner virus has taken residence on your device, mining cryptocurrency in the background using your computing power. Let’s figure out how to check your computer for miners and avoid unpleasant consequences.

What happened to your PC: the danger of cryptojacking

A coin miner virus is not just malware; it’s theft of your resources in real time. The program infiltrates the system unnoticed, disguising itself as regular processes, and uses the CPU or GPU to solve complex mathematical problems. All the “rewards” are sent to cybercriminals’ accounts.

The difference between a hidden miner and legitimate software is that you did not consent to this. This is called cryptojacking — a form of digital parasitism that can last for months until you notice the problem.

Urgent symptoms: when to act immediately

How to tell if you need an urgent check? Pay attention to these signs:

Lagging system: Even launching a browser or text editor takes forever. The system “freezes” on simple tasks.

Constant CPU or GPU overload: In idle mode, CPU load stays at 70-100%, even though no applications are actively running.

Device heats up like a frying pan: The PC or laptop case becomes hot to the touch, fans run at full speed around the clock.

Electricity bills suddenly spike: If you pay by meter, watch for unusual consumption jumps.

Unknown processes appear in Task Manager: Unfamiliar programs with names like “update.exe”, “system64”, “reader” actively “consume” memory and CPU.

Browser goes out of control: New tabs open on their own, unknown extensions appear, pages load very slowly.

If you notice at least three points from the list — it’s time to urgently check your computer for miners.

How to check your computer for miners: practical algorithm

First step: diagnostics via Task Manager

Open Task Manager (Windows: Ctrl + Shift + Esc, Mac: open “Activity Monitor”). Go to the “Processes” tab and carefully analyze the list of running programs.

What to look for:

• Processes consuming 30-100% of CPU or GPU resources
• Programs with suspicious or generic names
• Processes you definitely did not launch
• Applications that “eat up” resources even when the system is idle

If you find something strange, remember the name and proceed to the second step.

Second step: activate powerful antivirus software

The best way to check your computer for miners is to use specialized antivirus software. Miner viruses are often hidden deep within the system, and manual search may not yield results.

Recommended programs:

• Kaspersky: one of the leaders in detecting cryptojacking, has special signatures
• Malwarebytes: focused on malware and hidden threats, often finds what others miss
• Bitdefender: lightweight, fast, and doesn’t overload the system during scans

Action plan:

1. Install antivirus and update the virus signature database
2. Run a full system scan (this may take 1-3 hours)
3. Review results in the “Quarantine” section — threats will be listed there
4. If something like “Trojan.CoinMiner” or “PUP.Miner” is found — delete without hesitation
5. Restart your computer

Third step: check startup items

Miners often “embed” themselves into startup to activate every time the computer is turned on.

For Windows:

1. Press Win + R, type “msconfig”
2. Open the “Startup” tab
3. Carefully review the list of programs
4. Disable (untick) all unknown or suspicious items
5. Click “Apply” and reboot

For Mac:

1. Open “System Preferences”
2. Go to “Users & Groups”
3. Select “Login Items”
4. Remove programs you did not install

Fourth step: clean your browser

Browser mining is one of the most common infection forms. Hackers embed scripts on websites, and they start “working” when you’re there.

What to do:

1. Open the extensions list in your browser (Chrome: Settings → Extensions; Firefox: Add-ons and Themes)
2. Remove all plugins you did not install or do not remember
3. Clear cache and cookies (this will delete stored scripts)
4. Install blockers like AdBlock or MinerBlock

If your browser even on blank pages loads heavily — you probably haven’t eliminated all malware yet.

Fifth step: advanced analysis for experienced users

If basic methods didn’t help, use specialized tools:

Process Explorer (Windows):

1. Download from the official Microsoft site
2. Launch and sort processes by resource consumption
3. Right-click on suspicious process → “Check online”
4. This will send info to VirusTotal for verification

Resource Monitor:

1. Win + R → “resmon”
2. Check which processes load CPU, disk, network, and memory
3. Look for unknown processes with high activity

Wireshark (for advanced):

1. Launch and monitor network traffic
2. Miners constantly send data to their servers
3. Look for suspicious connections to strange IP addresses

Additional method: analyze network activity

Open Command Prompt (Win + R → cmd) and type “netstat -ano”. The system will show all active connections of your PC. Look for strange IP addresses and applications actively exchanging data in the background. Match process IDs (PID) with what you see in Task Manager.

How to remove the detected virus

If you found a miner:

1. End the process in Task Manager: Find it in the list and click “End Task”
2. Locate and delete the executable file: Right-click the process → “Properties” → “Open file location”. Delete the file, then empty the Recycle Bin
3. Run a full antivirus scan: Ensures no other copies remain
4. Use CCleaner: Removes residual files, registry entries, and junk
5. Reinstall OS if necessary: If the miner deeply infiltrated the system and other methods don’t help

How to protect yourself in the future

Prevention is always better than cure:

• Use modern antivirus and keep it updated regularly
• Do not download files, programs, or cracks from unknown sources
• Use a VPN when visiting suspicious sites
• Regularly update your OS and installed software (they patch vulnerabilities)
• Disable JavaScript in your browser on risky sites
• Be cautious with emails and links in messengers

Conclusion: vigilance is the main remedy

Now you know how to check your computer for miners and prevent cybercriminals from stealing your computing resources. Don’t wait until the system completely crashes — run diagnostics at the first signs of slowdown. Use Task Manager, modern antivirus, and specialized tools to detect threats in time.

If you notice symptoms of a hidden miner — act immediately. By following this guide, you’ll not only find and remove the malware but also prevent its reappearance. Protect your computer — it’s your digital security.