The Driver-windows.exe is considered to be a miner virus. The process likely belongs to a Trojan or malware infection that may have compromised your computer. This miner virus is most likely trying to infect your machine while flying under the radar to remain hidden.
Miners such as Driver-windows.exe are typically designed to perform mining activities that slow down your computer and overheat its components. Read this article to fully understand how Driver-windows.exe works, and how you can rid your system of the virus files.
Threat Summary
| Name | Driver-windows.exe |
| Type | Cryptocurrency Miner Virus |
| Short Description | A cryptocurrency miner using the resources of your computer for its mining operations. |
| Symptoms | Your computer can become extremely slow, and can even freeze at times. |
| Distribution Method | Torrent Websites, Freeware Websites, Unsafe Browsing |
| Detection Tool |
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Driver-windows.exe Virus Miner – How Did I Get It and What Does It Do?
The Driver-windows.exe miner most likely sneaked into your computer via a malicious file that you may have activated without knowing. These types of virus files often utilize exploits in Windows to infect your PC. Such files may be sent to you via e-mail in the form of fake documents, invoices, receipts. These files could also be uploaded on sites for free download, such as fake cracks, patches, portable programs, etc. It is important to mentioned that these methods are widely deployed for the quiet distribution of Trojans across computers.
Once the malicous file has been installed on your computer, the Trojan that is causing the miner process could drop files in the following Windows system directories:
- %AppData%
- %Local%
- %LocalLow%
- %Roaming%
- %Temp%
The Driver-windows.exe process is a Bitcoin mining virus. The process may run as administrator, as the virus behind it could take over the admin rights of your computer. Then, the Driver-windows.exe process could execute the cryptocurrency miner, which will exploit your CPU and GPU (Central Processor and Video Card) in order to mine for cryptocurrencies, resulting in the overheating of your computer and its worsened performance.
In most cases, cybercriminals who are running mining operations such as the Driver-windows.exe virus miner, are aiming at Monero and Bitcoin but other cryptocurrencies may be targeted as well. The mining process includes connecting your computer to a so-called crypto miner (cryptocurrency mining) pool. These pools are a virtual network of computers that all combine their mining power to obtain cryptocurrencies for their operators. Their sole purpose is to infect as many computers as possible for larger profits.
In addition, miners such as Driver-windows.exe could have built-in Trojan components with spyware characteristics, such as:
- Stealing files.
- Taking screenshots.
- Downloading copies of itself.
- Copying your files.
- Downloading other viruses.
- Obtaining saved passwords.
- Controlling your mouse.
- Controlling your microphone or web camera.
Remove Driver-windows.exe Virus Miner from Your Computer
In order to get rid of Driver-windows.exe, we strongly recommend that you follow the removal guide below. It has been made to help you delete the malicious process step by step. If you want a fast and effective solution, however, we strongly suggest that you run a scan of your computer, using a specific anti-malware program. Anti-malware programs are designed to detect and remove all components of malicious software.
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Preparation before removing Driver-windows.exe.
Before starting the actual removal process, we recommend that you do the following preparation steps.
- Make sure you have these instructions always open and in front of your eyes.
- Do a backup of all of your files, even if they could be damaged. You should back up your data with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats.
- Be patient as this could take a while.
- Scan for Malware
- Fix Registries
- Remove Virus Files
Step 1: Scan for Driver-windows.exe with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Clean any registries, created by Driver-windows.exe on your computer.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by Driver-windows.exe there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.Step 3: Find virus files created by Driver-windows.exe on your PC.
1.For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.
For Newer Windows Operating Systems
1: On your keyboard press + R and write explorer.exe in the Run text box and then click on the Ok button.
2: Click on your PC from the quick access bar. This is usually an icon with a monitor and its name is either “My Computer”, “My PC” or “This PC” or whatever you have named it.
3: Navigate to the search box in the top-right of your PC's screen and type “fileextension:” and after which type the file extension. If you are looking for malicious executables, an example may be "fileextension:exe". After doing that, leave a space and type the file name you believe the malware has created. Here is how it may appear if your file has been found:
N.B. We recommend to wait for the green loading bar in the navigation box to fill up in case the PC is looking for the file and hasn't found it yet.
2.For Windows XP, Vista, and 7.
For Older Windows Operating Systems
In older Windows OS's the conventional approach should be the effective one:
1: Click on the Start Menu icon (usually on your bottom-left) and then choose the Search preference.
2: After the search window appears, choose More Advanced Options from the search assistant box. Another way is by clicking on All Files and Folders.
3: After that type the name of the file you are looking for and click on the Search button. This might take some time after which results will appear. If you have found the malicious file, you may copy or open its location by right-clicking on it.
Now you should be able to discover any file on Windows as long as it is on your hard drive and is not concealed via special software.
Driver-windows.exe FAQ
What Does Driver-windows.exe Trojan Do?
The Driver-windows.exe Trojan is a malicious computer program designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system. It can be used to steal sensitive data, gain control over a system, or launch other malicious activities.
Can Trojans Steal Passwords?
Yes, Trojans, like Driver-windows.exe, can steal passwords. These malicious programs are designed to gain access to a user's computer, spy on victims and steal sensitive information such as banking details and passwords.
Can Driver-windows.exe Trojan Hide Itself?
Yes, it can. A Trojan can use various techniques to mask itself, including rootkits, encryption, and obfuscation, to hide from security scanners and evade detection.
Can a Trojan be Removed by Factory Reset?
Yes, a Trojan can be removed by factory resetting your device. This is because it will restore the device to its original state, eliminating any malicious software that may have been installed. Bear in mind that there are more sophisticated Trojans that leave backdoors and reinfect even after a factory reset.
Can Driver-windows.exe Trojan Infect WiFi?
Yes, it is possible for a Trojan to infect WiFi networks. When a user connects to the infected network, the Trojan can spread to other connected devices and can access sensitive information on the network.
Can Trojans Be Deleted?
Yes, Trojans can be deleted. This is typically done by running a powerful anti-virus or anti-malware program that is designed to detect and remove malicious files. In some cases, manual deletion of the Trojan may also be necessary.
Can Trojans Steal Files?
Yes, Trojans can steal files if they are installed on a computer. This is done by allowing the malware author or user to gain access to the computer and then steal the files stored on it.
Which Anti-Malware Can Remove Trojans?
Anti-malware programs such as SpyHunter are capable of scanning for and removing Trojans from your computer. It is important to keep your anti-malware up to date and regularly scan your system for any malicious software.
Can Trojans Infect USB?
Yes, Trojans can infect USB devices. USB Trojans typically spread through malicious files downloaded from the internet or shared via email, allowing the hacker to gain access to a user's confidential data.
About the Driver-windows.exe Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Driver-windows.exe how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific trojan problem.
How did we conduct the research on Driver-windows.exe?
Please note that our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware definitions, including the various types of trojans (backdoor, downloader, infostealer, ransom, etc.)
Furthermore, the research behind the Driver-windows.exe threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by trojans, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.