uTorrent Garbage App Turns Out To Be a Bitcoin Miner

The new update of the popular torrent client uTorrent is installing a garbage app EpicScale which, according to some virus scanners, is a Bitcoin mining software.

The unwanted program was recently highlighted at uTorrent’s complaint forum where a member informed about an autonomic installation, attached within the uTorrent’s latest software build. “When I updated uTorrent to version 3.4.2 build 28913 (32-bit) this morning it silently installed a piece of software called EpicScale,” the member remonstrated. “There was no information about this during installation and I did opt out of your other bundled software.”

As we researched to find the whereabouts of EpicScale, we found that this program uses the same hash functions — SHA256 and MD5 — that are used by Bitcoin miners to solve blocks. A scan on multiple antivirus programs, including Kaspersky and Norman, also categorized EpicScale to be a Bitcoin miner; not a virus though.

It simply means that if you install the aforementioned uTorrent update, the chances of your CPU or GPU consuming more power would increase. According to the same complainant, you might see an increased CPU load once it is idle, all credits to EpicScale.

What’s further troubling is that that you cannot uninstall this application by following the usual Uninstall Procedure on Window machines. A representative of EpicScale Inc., named Alexander, however ensured that the usual procedure will remove their application from the computer. He also cleared that the program is just for some “advanced research” while reaching to the community.

“How do you justify the silent (unrequested) installation and the (again, silent) inclusion of a cryptocurrency miner ‘when waiting for additional research jobs’,” questioned one of the respondents.

“You cannot be surprised that people object to these two points and regard the software as a virus as a consequence.”

Moral of the story: Get a third party application to remove EpicScale from your computer. People are recommending Free Fixer.