Slmgr32.exe CPU Miner
The Slmgr32.exe CPU Miner is a detection name that refers to a Trojan, which invades systems via bundling with freeware packages and fake updates to Adobe Flash and Java. The Slmgr32.exe CPU Miner Trojan was reported for the first time on November 5th, 2017. The Slmgr32.exe CPU Miner is very similar in functionality to the majority of illegal mining software discovered in the second half of 2017, which includes the Winserv.exe CPU Miner and the Moloko CPU Miner. The Slmgr32.exe CPU Miner is programmed to use 70% of the available CPU and GPU power to mine the Monero digital currency. The process involves verifying data transactions on remote servers, which requires a lot of processing power and increased electricity consumption.
Mining digital coins is not an illicit business but it can be taxing on the machine, and there are threat authors who may install mining software on compromised computers to make a profit. Threat actors who employ the work of corrupted CPU and GPU mining software can make a decent profit as long as their Trojans are not detected in the end devices. Usually, programs like the Slmgr32.exe CPU Miner are programmed to connect to a remote server via a commonly used TCP/UDP port, which increases the chances that an AV may be unable to spot the suspicious activity. However, the machines hosting an unsolicited CPU/GPU mining software are not as responsive and fast as you may expect from a regular PC. Graphics rendering and loading resources from a remote server can take longer than what most users may expect. Additionally, the increased electricity consumption leads to an increased temperature of the PC components, which decreases their life expectancy.
When the Slmgr32.exe CPU Miner is installed, the program makes an entry in the Startup Manager and adds the process 'mfds.exe' as a background service with no accessible GUI (General User Interface). The process 'mfds.exe' connects to a pool of data on Nangopool.com and launches 'slmgr32.exe' that handles the mining operation. As long as the infected device is turned on, you can find 'mfds.exe' and 'smgr32.exe' running in the background. It is best to remove the Slmgr32.exe CPU Miner with the help of a reputable anti-malware utility, which can prevent unauthorized remote access to your device.
