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Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is Taskhostw Miner?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Taskhostw Miner is a Monero miner. These miners earn money for the threat actor by using your system resources.
This one uses so many resources you will notice a very slow system plus it opens an ad-rotator in your default browser.

How do I know if my computer is affected by Taskhostw Miner?

You may notice a process called taskhostw.exe using up almost all your CPU cycles:



How did Taskhostw Miner get on my computer?

Miners use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was offered as a Flash player update.

How do I remove Taskhostw Miner?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this Monero miner.

• Please download Malwarebytes to your desktop.
• Double-click mb3-setup-consumer-{version}.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
• Then click Finish.
• Once the program has fully updated, select Scan Now on the Dashboard. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
• If another update of the definitions is available, it will be implemented before the rest of the scanning procedure.
• When the scan is complete, make sure that all Threats are selected, and click Remove Selected.
• Restart your computer when prompted to do so.

Is there anything else I need to do to get rid of Taskhostw Miner?

• No, Malwarebytes removes Taskhostw Miner completely.

How would the full version of Malwarebytes help protect me?

We hope our application and this guide have helped you remove this miner.

As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the Taskhostw Miner. It would have warned you before the miner could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

The web protection module also blocks the ad-rotator the miner opens.

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:

 (Microsoft Corporation) C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\updatechecker.exe
 (Microsoft Corporation) C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\taskhostw.exe
 HKCU\...\Run: [WindowsUpdateChecker] => C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\updatechecker.exe [265216 2018-01-31] (Microsoft Corporation)
 ( Adobe Systems Incorporated) C:\Users\{username}\Downloads\FlashPlayer.exe

Alterations made by the installer:

File system details [View: All details] (Selection)
---------------------------------------------------
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate
       Adds the file config.json"="1/7/2018 10:47 AM, 850 bytes, A
       Adds the file contacts.txt"="2/1/2018 4:33 PM, 24 bytes, A
       Adds the file libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll"="8/15/2017 9:25 PM, 121524 bytes, A
       Adds the file libstdc++-6.dll"="8/15/2017 9:25 PM, 1544523 bytes, A
       Adds the file libwinpthread-1.dll"="7/13/2017 8:38 AM, 65693 bytes, A
       Adds the file taskhostw.exe"="1/30/2018 9:43 PM, 717824 bytes, A
       Adds the file taskhostw.exe.local"="1/7/2018 4:22 PM, 21 bytes, A
       Adds the file update.bin"="2/9/2018 9:16 AM, 10 bytes, A
       Adds the file update.exe"="1/31/2018 2:53 PM, 289792 bytes, A
       Adds the file updatechecker.exe"="1/31/2018 2:53 PM, 265216 bytes, A
       Adds the file updates.zip"="2/9/2018 9:16 AM, 1091906 bytes, A
       Adds the file ver.bin"="2/9/2018 9:16 AM, 17 bytes, A
    In the existing folder C:\Users\{username}\Downloads
       Adds the file FlashPlayer.exe"="2/7/2018 7:27 PM, 288768 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
       "WindowsUpdateChecker"="REG_SZ", "C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\updatechecker.exe"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 2/9/18
Scan Time: 10:52 AM
Log File: ebfe2413-0d7e-11e8-bf01-080027750297.json
Administrator: Yes

-Software Information-
Version: 3.3.1.2183
Components Version: 1.0.262
Update Package Version: 1.0.3906
License: Premium

-System Information-
OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1
CPU: x64
File System: NTFS
User: {computername}\{username}

-Scan Summary-
Scan Type: Threat Scan
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 241942
Threats Detected: 21
Threats Quarantined: 21
Time Elapsed: 2 min, 8 sec

-Scan Options-
Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Disabled
Heuristics: Enabled
PUP: Detect
PUM: Detect

-Scan Details-
Process: 2
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\taskhostw.exe, Quarantined, [82], [488987],1.0.3906
Backdoor.Agent.E.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\UPDATECHECKER.EXE, Quarantined, [146], [371622],1.0.3906

Module: 5
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll, Quarantined, [82], [488984],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\libstdc++-6.dll, Quarantined, [82], [488984],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\libwinpthread-1.dll, Quarantined, [82], [488984],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\taskhostw.exe, Quarantined, [82], [488987],1.0.3906
Backdoor.Agent.E.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\UPDATECHECKER.EXE, Quarantined, [146], [371622],1.0.3906

Registry Key: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Value: 1
Backdoor.Agent.E.Generic, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\RUN|WINDOWSUPDATECHECKER, Quarantined, [146], [371622],1.0.3906

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 0
(No malicious items detected)

File: 13
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\VER.BIN, Quarantined, [82], [488988],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\CONFIG.JSON, Quarantined, [82], [488985],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll, Quarantined, [82], [488984],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\libstdc++-6.dll, Quarantined, [82], [488984],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\libwinpthread-1.dll, Quarantined, [82], [488984],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\CONTACTS.TXT, Quarantined, [82], [488986],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\taskhostw.exe, Quarantined, [82], [488987],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\taskhostw.exe.local, Quarantined, [82], [488987],1.0.3906
Backdoor.Agent.E.Generic, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\UPDATECHECKER.EXE, Quarantined, [146], [371622],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\update.bin, Quarantined, [82], [488983],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\update.exe, Quarantined, [82], [488983],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWSUPDATE\updates.zip, Quarantined, [82], [488983],1.0.3906
RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\USERS\{username}\DOWNLOADS\FLASHPLAYER.EXE, Quarantined, [82], [488689],1.0.3906

Physical Sector: 0
(No malicious items detected)


(end)

As mentioned before the full version of Malwarebytes could have protected your computer against this threat.
We use different ways of protecting your computer(s):

• Dynamically Blocks Malware Sites & Servers
• Malware Execution Prevention

Save yourself the hassle and get protected.