Es4.runtask.exe Virus ⛏️ (Coin Miner Trojan) Removal

Written by Robert Bailey
Es4.runtask.exe process comes from a malicious application that can correctly be recognized as a coin miner trojan. That malware type utilizes your hardware to mine cryptocurrencies, primarily – Monero or DarkCoin1. It makes your computer almost nonfunctional as a result of high CPU use.
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What is Es4.runtask.exe process?

Es4.runtask.exe is a malicious process created by coin miner virus

As I have pointed out before, Es4.runtask.exe is a coin miner trojan virus. The names of the .exe file may be diverse, but the consequences are usually the same. Because coin miners aim at cryptocurrency mining, they use all possible hardware power of your desktop to conduct this procedure. This malware does not care about the fact that you may need to use your PC for other activities – it will continuously use over 80% of your processor power.

Es4.runtask.exe Windows Process

Es4.runtask.exe – Really high CPU and GPU use

Besides CPU usage, some of the coin miners additionally utilize GPU power for their tasks. In that case, you will probably struggle even to see the mouse cursor moving – GPU is often used on 100%. It is not as essential as processor for system work, so Es4.runtask.exe coin miner viruses don’t waste time on trifles and use it all. It sometimes can lead to sad effects.

Shortly about cryptocurrency mining

Crypto mining is a term that means the operation of calculating the transaction block hash. That is a integral element of anything based on the blockchain technology. Since this operation takes a lot of calculations, a high-end computer is needed. Exactly, the video card is better for this task, because they have more cores available. Cryptomining farms are usually constructed of dozens of video cards to complete their task efficiently. Such systems are not usable for “classic” purposes, like gaming or web browsing. Fraudsters who make profit via this coin miner use someones’ PCs instead, even if they are used for the regular activity.2

List of the typical coin miner symptoms

  • Microsoft Defender is stopped;
  • CPU and GPU is loaded at 80-90% exactly after the system start
  • Cooling fans are running at high speed and create a lot of noise
  • A single process in Task Manager consumes all CPU and GPU power
  • How dangerous is the Es4.runtask.exe miner?

    Coin miners does not deal damage to your files. However, they make a lot of unpleasant things with the whole system

    Firstly, Es4.runtask.exe malware makes your PC overloaded. It is unable to run your applications now, as all processor power is used by a virus. That malware does not care for your necessities, all it focuses on is generating profits on you. Even if you are patient, and you waited until web browser is open, you will likely experience extremely slow performance. Pages can open for years, any kind of logins will take about a minute – just a horror story for a person who works online.

    Es4.runtask.exe Technical Summary.

    File NameEs4.runtask.exe
    TypeTrojan Coin Miner
    Detection NameTrojan:Win32/CoinMiner
    Distribution MethodSoftware bundling, Intrusive advertisement, redirects to shady sites etc.
    Similar behaviorVideos.exe, Setup2.exe, Wifitask.exe
    RemovalDownload and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware for automatic Es4.runtask.exe removal.

    “Visible” damage is not a solitary bad thing coin miners do to your system. Es4.runtask.exe coin miner also deals damage to your OS. To execute all malevolent functions properly, it ruins the security features of your system. You will likely see your Microsoft Defender disabled – malware halts it to prevent recognition. If you check the HOSTS file, you will likely see a ton of new entries – they are added by this coin miner to connect your PC to a malicious mining network. All these changes are about to be gone back to the original in the process of computer recovery.

    Hardware effects of coin miner activity

    Besides making your computer slow, running at peak level for a long period of time can trigger damage to your machine as well as raise electricity costs. PC components are designed to easily get along with high load, but they can do so only in case when they are in a good shape.

    Little and well-protected CPU fan is not very easy to damage. Meanwhile, graphic cards have large and easy-to-access fans, which can be easily broke if touched while running, for instance, by the user much before the virus injection. Malfunctioning cooling system, together with the very high load caused by Es4.runtask.exe can easily lead to graphic processing unit failure3. Graphic cards are also prone to have very fast wearing when used for cryptocurrency mining. It is likely an unwanted case when your GPU’s performance plunges 20-30% just after 1-2 weeks of being used in such a way.

    How did I get Es4.runtask.exe coin miner virus?

    Coin miners are spread through different ways, but their main sources are malicious banners and programs from dubious sources

    Coin miners are the most prevalent malevolent programs through “severe” malware. Adware sometimes acts as a carrier for Es4.runtask.exe malware infiltration: it shows you the banners, which contain a link to malware downloading. Sure, this abstract “malware” can belong to any kind – another adware, spyware, rogue or backdoor. However, the statistics say that approximately 30% of all viruses spread through the malicious banners are coin miners – and Es4.runtask.exe is right one of them.4

    Unwanted banners adware

    The example of malicious banners you can see in the Internet

    An additional way you could get this item on your PC is by downloading it from the dubious site as a part of a program. Users that spread hacked variants of well-known programs (which do not need the license key) have small chances to get paid. Therefore, there is a very big temptation to include malware to the final package of the hacked app and receive a coin for each installation. Before criticizing these people for hacking and also malware distribution, ask yourself – is it OK to avoid purchasing the program in this manner? It is more affordable to pay $20-$30 one time than to pay a much bigger sum for antivirus program and new parts for your desktop.

    How to remove the Es4.runtask.exe miner from my PC?

    The best way to get rid of this coin miner virus is to use anti-malware software

    Getting rid of such a virus demands the use of specific software. Proper antivirus must have high performance at scanning and be lightweight – in order to create no problems with usage even on weak systems. In addition, it is better to have proactive protection in your security tool – to prevent the virus even before it launches. Microsoft Defender lacks these features for various factors. That’s why I’d suggest you to use a third-party anti-malware program for that purpose. GridinSoft Anti-Malware is a perfect choice that fits all of the specified qualities.5

    Prior to the virus removal, it is important to reboot your operating system into Safe Mode with Networking. Since Es4.runtask.exe miner consumes a lot of processor power, it is needed to halt it before launching the security program. Otherwise, your scan will last for years, even though the GridinSoft program is pretty lightweight.

    Booting the PC into Safe Mode with Networking

    Press the Start button, then choose Power, and click on Reboot while holding the Shift key on the keyboard.

    Boot into Windows Safe Mode

    Windows will reboot into recovery mode. In that mode, choose Troubleshoot→ Startup Settings→ Safe Mode with Networking. Press the corresponding button on your keyboard to choose that option.

    windows safe mode boot option with command prompt

    When your computer is in Safe Mode, all third-party software, just like the majority of non-critical Windows components, are not started with the system start. That allows you to clean the computer without dealing with high CPU usage of the coin miner.

    Remove Es4.runtask.exe coin miner virus with GridinSoft Anti-Malware

    Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware. You can use this anti-malware program for free during its 6-day trial period. In that term, all functions are available, and it takes no payments to remove malware from your system.

    GridinSoft Anti-Malware free trial

    After activating your free trial, start Full scan. It may last up to 10 minutes. You may use the PC as usual.

    Scanning in GridinSoft Anti-Malware

    When the scan is finished, press the Clean Now button to remove all detected elements from your system. This procedure takes less than a minute.

    GridinSoft Anti-Malware after the scan process

    Now, you are good to go. Reboot your PC into a normal Windows mode and use just as there was nothing malicious.

    Remove Es4.runtask.exe Virus ⛏️ Trojan Coin Miner

    Name: Es4.runtask.exe

    Description: The Es4.runtask.exe is a Trojan Coin Miner that uses the infected computer’s sources to mine electronic money without your authorization. This Es4.runtask.exe will create your CPU to go for very warm temperatures for prolonged periods of time, which could reduce the life of the CPU.

    Operating System: Windows

    Application Category: Trojan

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    References

    1. Read about why Monero and DarkCoin are so popular amongst cybercriminals.
    2. Detailed explanation of how does cryptomining work.
    3. About unwanted effects for GPUs in the process of cryptomining.
    4. Read more about various malware type on Cybersecurity Glossary.
    5. Our review on GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

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    About the author

    Robert Bailey

    I'm Robert Bailey, a passionate Security Engineer with a deep fascination for all things related to malware, reverse engineering, and white hat ethical hacking.

    As a white hat hacker, I firmly believe in the power of ethical hacking to bolster security measures. By identifying vulnerabilities and providing solutions, I contribute to the proactive defense of digital infrastructures.

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