# Article Overview: Identifying Symptoms of Bitcoin Mining Malware on Your Device
Bitcoin mining malware—or cryptojacking—secretly hijacks your device's CPU and GPU resources to mine cryptocurrencies without permission, draining performance and increasing energy costs. This comprehensive guide identifies key infection symptoms including system slowdown, excessive CPU usage, overheating, and suspicious processes, then provides step-by-step detection methods using Task Manager, antivirus tools (Kaspersky, Malwarebytes, Bitdefender), and specialized utilities. Learn how miners infiltrate systems through downloads, phishing, and vulnerabilities, plus proven removal techniques and prevention strategies. Whether you're experiencing unexplained performance issues or seeking proactive protection, this guide equips users with actionable detection and removal solutions to safeguard their devices from evolving cryptocurrency mining threats.