PUP.Coinminer.QGA
The detection of PUP.Coinminer.QGA on your system indicates the presence of a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that may be leveraging your computer's resources for cryptocurrency mining without your consent. This type of software is designed to operate in the background, often without the user's knowledge or explicit permission, and can lead to significant system slowdowns, increased electricity bills, and reduced overall system performance.
Table of Contents
What Is PUP.Coinminer.QGA?
PUP.Coinminer.QGA is classified as a potentially unwanted program, specifically designed to engage in cryptocurrency mining. Unlike viruses or trojans that aim to steal or destroy data, PUPs like PUP.Coinminer.QGA are more focused on using the system's resources for monetary gain through mining cryptocurrencies. However, their operation can still cause significant disruptions and degrade the system's performance and security.
How PUP.Coinminer.QGA Operates
PUP.Coinminer.QGA operates by utilizing the system's CPU and GPU to solve complex mathematical problems, which are essential for validating transactions and creating new units of cryptocurrency. This process, known as mining, requires significant computational power and, as a result, can lead to increased power consumption, heat generation, and a noticeable decrease in system performance. The program may communicate with its command and control servers to receive updates, send mined cryptocurrency, or report on its operational status.
Symptoms of Infection
Systems infected with PUP.Coinminer.QGA may exhibit several symptoms, including but not limited to, an unexplained increase in CPU and GPU usage, significant slowdowns in system performance, increased power consumption leading to higher electricity bills, and overheating of system components due to prolonged high usage. Additionally, users might notice that their system fans are running more frequently or at higher speeds than usual, even when the system is not engaged in resource-intensive activities.
- Unexplained increase in CPU and GPU usage
- Significant slowdowns in system performance
- Increased power consumption
- Overheating of system components
- Increased fan activity
How to Remove PUP.Coinminer.QGA
- Boot your system into Safe Mode with Networking to prevent PUP.Coinminer.QGA from loading and to give you a cleaner environment to perform the removal.
- Use a reputable anti-malware tool, such as SpyHunter, to perform a full scan of your system. This will help identify and remove all components related to PUP.Coinminer.QGA.
- Uninstall any suspicious programs that were installed around the time the symptoms started. Be cautious and only remove programs you are certain are not needed.
- Reset your web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc.) to their default settings to remove any malicious extensions or settings that PUP.Coinminer.QGA might have altered.
- Reboot your system and perform another full scan with your anti-malware tool to ensure that all traces of PUP.Coinminer.QGA have been removed.
Conclusion
The removal of PUP.Coinminer.QGA requires careful steps to ensure that all components of the potentially unwanted program are eliminated from the system. By following the outlined removal process and maintaining good computing practices, such as regularly updating software, using strong antivirus protection, and being cautious with downloads and email attachments, you can protect your system from similar threats in the future. Remember, prevention is key, and staying informed about the latest threats and best security practices is crucial in today's digital landscape.
Analysis Report
General information
| Family Name: | PUP.Coinminer.QGA |
|---|---|
| Signature status: | No Signature |
Known Samples
Known Samples
This section lists other file samples believed to be associated with this family.|
MD5:
17eb5691f68774a061f7d2dc897b309b
SHA1:
ac2c7adba730d0360e8bbf72bc78ac966216ee3e
SHA256:
FE83358CEDAA5429EED1BD236DCED8E1AF045BEB42627E1E625C2CEEC6EA8FD9
File Size:
380.93 KB, 380928 bytes
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Windows Portable Executable Attributes
- File doesn't have "Rich" header
- File doesn't have exports table
- File doesn't have security information
- File is 64-bit executable
- File is either console or GUI application
- File is GUI application (IMAGE_SUBSYSTEM_WINDOWS_GUI)
- File is Native application (NOT .NET application)
- File is not packed
- IMAGE_FILE_DLL is not set inside PE header (Executable)
- IMAGE_FILE_EXECUTABLE_IMAGE is set inside PE header (Executable Image)
File Icons
File Icons
This section displays icon resources found within family samples. Malware often replicates icons commonly associated with legitimate software to mislead users into believing the malware is safe.
Windows PE Version Information
Windows PE Version Information
This section displays values and attributes that have been set in the Windows file version information data structure for samples within this family. To mislead users, malware actors often add fake version information mimicking legitimate software.| Name | Value |
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| Company Name |
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| File Description |
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| File Version |
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| Internal Name |
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| Legal Copyright |
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| Original Filename |
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| Product Name |
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File Traits
- CAB SFX
- HighEntropy
- Wextract
- x64
Windows API Usage
Windows API Usage
This section lists Windows API calls that are used by the samples in this family. Windows API usage analysis is a valuable tool that can help identify malicious activity, such as keylogging, security privilege escalation, data encryption, data exfiltration, interference with antivirus software, and network request manipulation.| Category | API |
|---|---|
| Syscall Use |
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