How to remove the Kratos Silent Miner malware
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kidn of malware is Kratos Silent Miner?
Kratos Silent Miner is the name of ETC (Ethereum Classic) and ETH (Ethereum) cryptocurrency miner with various options and builds. We have discovered this miner on a hacker forum. Its developer offers to purchase a monthly subscription (with 24/7 support on Telegram) for $100.
More about the Kratos Silent Miner
Kratos Silent Miner has a wallet clipper feature allowing it to replace the recipient's cryptocurrency wallet addresses saved in the clipboard with the one owned by the cybercriminals. This clipper supports a wide range of cryptocurrencies. Also, Kratos Silent Miner cannot be deleted from (or modified in) the registry or terminated with Process Hacker.
Also, Kratos Silent Miner allows operators to choose an icon for the miner, spoof its extension and date, and bypass both the User Account Control (UAC) and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR). It also sends system information such as computer's name, operating system version, CPU and GPU names, ` installed VRAM, and antivirus to cybercriminals via Discord or Telegram.
Additionally, Kratos Silent Miner can block access to scanning websites (like VirusTotal), kill pre-existing miners installed on computers, display fake error windows/messages, and prevent Microsoft anti-malware products from scanning it.
| Name | Kratos Silent Miner crypto malware |
| Threat Type | Cryptocurrency miner |
| Detection Names | Avast (Win64:CrypterX-gen [Trj]), Combo Cleaner (Win64:CrypterX-gen [Trj]), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of MSIL/Agent.UYN), Kaspersky (HEUR:Trojan.MSIL.Agent.gen), Microsoft (Trojan:Win32/Sabsik.FL.B!ml), Full List (VirusTotal) |
| Symptoms | This miner is designed to stealthily infiltrate the victim's computer and remain silent, and thus no particular symptoms are clearly visible on an infected machine. |
| Distribution methods | Infected email attachments, malicious online advertisements, social engineering, software 'cracks'. |
| Damage | Monetary loss, poor computer performance, unexpected system crashes, higher electricity consumption. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Kratos Silent Miner in general
Kratos Silent Miner uses infected computers (hardware installed on them) to mine cryptocurrency. It can run silently and prevent victims from removing (or even detecting) it. Moreover, it can be disguised as another application by changing its icon. More examples of cryptocurrency miners popular among the threat actors are Sapphire Miner, Muse Miner, and CH Miner.
How did Kratos Silent Miner infiltrate my computer?
Most cybercriminals distribute their malware via emails, cracked software download pages (and other unreliable sources for downloading software/files), fake updaters, and certain Trojans. Emails used to trick recipients into infecting computers with malware are disguised as official letters from legitimate entities and contain malicious links or attachments.
Examples of unreliable sources for downloading software and files are third-party downloaders, Peer-to-Peer networks, and free file hosting pages. Most cybercriminals use malicious documents (MS Office, PDF documents), JavaScript files, executables, and archive files (like ZIP, RAR) to distribute malware. Their goal is to trick users into executing malware by themselves.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Always use legitimate sources (such as official pages and platforms) as sources for downloading software (and files). Using other sources can lead to computer infections. Also, do not click links or open attachments received from unknown addresses. Especially when such emails are irrelevant.
Use tools provided by the official developers to update and activate the installed software and operating system. Have reputable antivirus software installed on your computer and run scans with it regularly. If you believe that your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
Screenshots of the hacker forum used to promote Kratos Silent Miner:
Screenshots of the Kratos Silent Miner's administration panel:
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner
By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.
Quick menu:
- What is Kratos Silent Miner?
- STEP 1. Manual removal of Kratos Silent Miner malware.
- STEP 2. Check if your computer is clean.
How to remove malware manually?
Manual malware removal is a complicated task - usually it is best to allow antivirus or anti-malware programs to do this automatically. To remove this malware we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
If you wish to remove malware manually, the first step is to identify the name of the malware that you are trying to remove. Here is an example of a suspicious program running on a user's computer:
If you checked the list of programs running on your computer, for example, using task manager, and identified a program that looks suspicious, you should continue with these steps:
Download a program called Autoruns. This program shows auto-start applications, Registry, and file system locations:
Restart your computer into Safe Mode:
Windows XP and Windows 7 users: Start your computer in Safe Mode. Click Start, click Shut Down, click Restart, click OK. During your computer start process, press the F8 key on your keyboard multiple times until you see the Windows Advanced Option menu, and then select Safe Mode with Networking from the list.
Video showing how to start Windows 7 in "Safe Mode with Networking":
Windows 8 users: Start Windows 8 is Safe Mode with Networking - Go to Windows 8 Start Screen, type Advanced, in the search results select Settings. Click Advanced startup options, in the opened "General PC Settings" window, select Advanced startup.
Click the "Restart now" button. Your computer will now restart into the "Advanced Startup options menu". Click the "Troubleshoot" button, and then click the "Advanced options" button. In the advanced option screen, click "Startup settings".
Click the "Restart" button. Your PC will restart into the Startup Settings screen. Press F5 to boot in Safe Mode with Networking.
Video showing how to start Windows 8 in "Safe Mode with Networking":
Windows 10 users: Click the Windows logo and select the Power icon. In the opened menu click "Restart" while holding "Shift" button on your keyboard. In the "choose an option" window click on the "Troubleshoot", next select "Advanced options".
In the advanced options menu select "Startup Settings" and click on the "Restart" button. In the following window you should click the "F5" button on your keyboard. This will restart your operating system in safe mode with networking.
Video showing how to start Windows 10 in "Safe Mode with Networking":
Extract the downloaded archive and run the Autoruns.exe file.
In the Autoruns application, click "Options" at the top and uncheck "Hide Empty Locations" and "Hide Windows Entries" options. After this procedure, click the "Refresh" icon.
Check the list provided by the Autoruns application and locate the malware file that you want to eliminate.
You should write down its full path and name. Note that some malware hides process names under legitimate Windows process names. At this stage, it is very important to avoid removing system files. After you locate the suspicious program you wish to remove, right click your mouse over its name and choose "Delete".
After removing the malware through the Autoruns application (this ensures that the malware will not run automatically on the next system startup), you should search for the malware name on your computer. Be sure to enable hidden files and folders before proceeding. If you find the filename of the malware, be sure to remove it.
Reboot your computer in normal mode. Following these steps should remove any malware from your computer. Note that manual threat removal requires advanced computer skills. If you do not have these skills, leave malware removal to antivirus and anti-malware programs.
These steps might not work with advanced malware infections. As always it is best to prevent infection than try to remove malware later. To keep your computer safe, install the latest operating system updates and use antivirus software. To be sure your computer is free of malware infections, we recommend scanning it with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
My computer is infected with Kratos Silent Miner malware, should I format my storage device to get rid of it?
No, it is unnecessary to format the storage device to eliminate Kratos Silent Miner. It can be achieved without formatting.
What are the biggest issues that malware can cause?
It depends on the type of malware. Most commonly caused problems are monetary loss, identity theft, data encryption, and loss of access to personal accounts.
What is the purpose of Kratos Silent Miner?
Kratos Silent Miner is a cryptocurrency miner that mines ETH and ETC (Ethereum Classic and Ethereum) cryptocurrencies.
How did a malware infiltrate my computer?
The most popular ways to deliver malware are to send emails containing malicious links or files or host malware on cracked software download pages. In other cases, computers get infected via malicious drive-by downloads, files downloaded from unreliable sources like P2P networks, shady websites, third-party downloaders, etc.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from malware?
Yes, Combo Cleaner can remove malware from infected computers. When computers are affected by some high-end malware, they must be scanned fully (using a full scan). A quick scan is not enough to detect high-end malware because malware of this kind can hide deep in the operating system.
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