I've noticed that many people don't realize how dangerous hidden mining viruses are. It seems like you're just browsing the internet, and suddenly your computer starts lagging, the graphics card is whirring like an airplane, and you don't know what's going on. It turns out that your PC could be running cryptojacking or a classic crypto-mining Trojan, and antivirus software doesn't always catch it.

Mining viruses are divided into two types. The first is embedded scripts directly on websites. When you visit an infected page, the script activates and your processor starts working for a hacker. The second type is regular files that are installed secretly and run every time the system boots. Sometimes, such programs also steal wallet data.

How to tell if you've been infected? Here are the signs: the graphics card is making loud noises and overheating, the PC is running slower than usual, RAM and internet usage are increasing, the browser starts lagging, and in the task manager, processes with strange names like asikadl.exe appear. If you notice any of this, it's time to look for a miner on your PC.

Start simple: run your antivirus and perform a full system scan. After that, use CCleaner to clean out all the junk accumulated. Restart your computer. But keep in mind, new miners are clever and can hide in trusted programs or disable themselves when they see the task manager.

For manual searching, open the registry via Win+R, type regedit, and click OK. Then press Ctrl+F to search for suspicious names. They often look like random strings of letters and numbers. Delete all found entries and reboot. If the problem returns, the virus is more deeply embedded.

Another way is to check startup items through the Task Scheduler. Press Win+R, type taskschd.msc. In the scheduler window, open the task library and see which processes are set to run automatically at startup. Check the Triggers and Actions tabs. If something looks suspicious, disable that task by right-clicking it. If the CPU load normalizes, delete that task permanently. For more detailed startup checks, the AnVir Task Manager program helps. For deep scanning, use Dr. Web or a similar antivirus.

To protect yourself in the future, don't forget basic rules. Install a clean copy of Windows and restore it periodically. Keep your antivirus and firewall always enabled. Before downloading programs, check their information. Scan all downloaded files. Set a strong password on your router and disable remote access. Don't allow other users to install software. Avoid visiting sites without SSL certificates (https). In Chrome, enable mining protection in privacy settings. You can block JavaScript in the browser to prevent malicious scripts from running, though this may affect some sites' functionality. Install AdBlock or uBlock to filter ads and malware.

Most importantly, remember that a hidden miner can quickly damage your laptop due to constant overload. So if you notice strange system behavior, don't wait—start searching for the virus immediately. The sooner you find it, the less damage your equipment will sustain.