This article aims to explain the infection process behind MediaGet torrent Coin Miner Trojan and how to remove this malware completely from your computer.
A new outbreak of malware, using a backdoor in a Russian torrent client has been reported to infect over 400 thousand users for not more than 12 hours time. The outbreak takes advantage of the torrent program MediaGet, which according to Microsoft would try to download a Monero mining virus, known as Dofoil. If you have the MediaGet torrent engine, a BitTorrent client and your CPU is working on a 100% plus your PC is slow, it is strongly advisable to read the following article and learn how to remove the wuauclt.exe coin miner virus and mediaget.exe Trojan from your computer completely and how to restore your PC back to normal working state.
Threat Summary
| Name | Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner |
| Type | Monero Miner Malware |
| Short Description | Has the purpose to use a backdoor in the torrent program, called MediaGet in order to run a Monero mining script on the infected computer. |
| Symptoms | Your computer may stutter and struggle to open simple tasks. The CPU and GPU may become hotter than normal and the fans may run at high speeds to cool them down. The overall PC performance may be slower.. |
| Distribution Method | Bundled downloads. Web pages which may advertise it. |
| Detection Tool |
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner. |
MediaGet Monero Miner Virus – How Does It Infect
The attack, using a miner malware running via the process wuauclt.exe, named Dofoil, according to Microsoft reports has been conducted by forcing an update which features the Dofoil coin miner virus. This happens by a process, called poisoning, which attacks multiple computers, that have the MediaGet torrent program installed and running. This poisoning process was not detected by Microsoft researchers to come from torrents downloaded. It rather targets a process, called mediaget.exe. While the Dofoil miner was traditionally distributed via spammed e-mail messages, in this outbreak, started at March 6, 2018, news broke out that the virus targets the mediaget.exe process, which belongs to the MediaGet torrent program, often referred to by many as a PUA (Potentially Unwanted Application). At this point, no connection between MediaGet and Smoke Loader (Dofoil Coin Miner) is know, but the primary version for infection, on which the experts are working is that the crooks may have compromised the application in order to push their mining malware via the malicious executable.
Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner (Dofoil Coin Miner and Trojan) – Analysis
The wuauclt.exe miner virus is the type of malware that aims to use the resources of your computer system in order to mine for the cryptocurrency Monero at your PC’s expense. This procedure is initiated by the virus running the following malicious files in a forced update attack which makes them run as if they are miners. The files, which are malicious and related to the Dofoil miner are reported to have the following locations:
→ %TEMP%/my.dat
%AppData%\Local\MediaGet2\mediaget.exe
With SHA-1: 3e0ccd9fa0a5c40c2abb40ed6730556e3d36af3c)
The main infection has been reported by Microsoft researcchers to be caused by the following chain of activities being commenced:
2. The distribution of the malware (actual infection with miner being ran) started on the already infected computers, several days later on the 1st of March, 2018.
3. This resulted in a mass outbreak of over 400, 000 computers being detected by Microsoft 5 days after the first infection, which started in 1st of March.
Te actual infection file, runs an update by a malicious Update Server, using the process mediaget.exe. This update drops and runs the update.exe malicious file with the following signature:
→ 513a1624b47a4bca15f2f32457153482bedda640
The update.exe file in it’s turn poisons the infected computer by extracting and executing the malicious script to the mediaget.exe process. The result is the mediaget.exe running in the background of your computer system and performing a so-called hashing operation that mines for the cryptocurrency Monero, by over-utilizing your Central Processor (CPU) and Video Card (GPU).
The mining process is conducted by dropping the following malicious executables, using the Trojanized mediaget.exe process:
- My.dat – malicious executable.
- Wuauclt.exe – the coin miner virus.
What the actual coin miner does is connect your computer to a cryptocurrency mining pool for the token Monero. This pool begins hashing operations by using your CPU and GPU’s power in order to generate Monero tokens. This process is connected to the virtual crypto wallet of the cyber-criminals and this is how they generate Monero at the expense of hundreds of thousands of users being infected so far who have the MediaGet torrent client installed on their computers. The bad news here is that if not removed in time, this cryptocurrency miner may even break down components from your computer by over-using them, so if you see any of the symptoms mentioned in this analysis, it is strongly reccomended that you immediately remove this miner from your computer.
How toRemove Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner from Your PC
If you see the following processes running without any specific authorization on your computer it is advisable to immediately end them as active tasks:
- mediaget.exe
- update.exe
- my.dat
- wuauclt.exe
After you end those processes, we advise you to follow the removal instructuons underneath this article. They are specifically designed in order to help you to remove MediaGet Monero Miner from your computer either manually or automatically. If you are unsure that you will be able to delete this malware manually, experts strongly advise that you scan your computer, using an advanced anti-malware software, which will effectively make sure that the wuauclt.exe miner is automatically removed from your computer and your PC is restored back to a normal working state.
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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Preparation before removing Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner.
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 Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Clean any registries, created by Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner 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 Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner 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 Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner 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.
Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner FAQ
What Does Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner Trojan Do?
The Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner 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 Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner, 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 Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner 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 Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner 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 Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner 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 Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner?
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 Wuauclt.exe Monero Miner threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by trojans, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.