Assets, Bitcoin

Can Windows Defender Detect Bitcoin Miner?

As cryptocurrency prices have skyrocketed in recent months, so has the number of malicious programs that secretly mine coins on a victim’s computer. These programs, called cryptocurrency miners, are often bundled with other free programs that you download off of the internet.

Some miners are very easy to detect because they consume large amounts of CPU or GPU power, overheat your computer, or even slow down your internet connection. However, other miners are much more stealthy, and can fly under the radar for months before being detected.

NOTE: WARNING: Windows Defender is not designed to detect Bitcoin miners. While some types of malicious software may be detected, many Bitcoin miners are able to evade detection. Additionally, some Bitcoin miners may be disguised as legitimate software and can be difficult to identify. It is important to use caution when downloading and installing programs on your computer. If you suspect that a program may be a Bitcoin miner, it is best to contact an IT professional for assistance in determining its purpose.

So, can Windows Defender detect cryptocurrency miners? The answer is yes and no. Windows Defender is a very good antivirus program, and will detect most miners that it comes across.

However, there are some miners that are specifically designed to evade detection by antivirus programs. These types of miners can be very difficult to detect and remove.

If you think that your computer may be infected with a cryptocurrency miner, we recommend running a scan with Windows Defender to see if it can detect and remove the threat for you.

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