I think I might have some malware or bitcoin miner running in the background

Diagnosing Unexplained Network Slowdowns on Your Android Device: Potential Malware and Resource-Heavy Background Processes

In today’s digital age, smartphones have become integral to our daily routine, serving as tools for communication, entertainment, and even work. However, experiencing unexpected performance issues, such as significant internet slowdowns, can be both frustrating and puzzling. If you notice your device’s internet connection slowing to a crawl—especially when other devices on the same network are unaffected—it may indicate underlying issues like malware or background processes consuming bandwidth.

Understanding the Symptoms

Imagine using your Android smartphone, such as a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with Android 15 and One UI 7, and observing that:

• Your internet speed has drastically decreased.
• Apps like Instagram Reels stop midway or take an unusually long time to load.
• The slowdown occurs on both Wi-Fi and mobile data connections.
• Your other devices, including laptops and other smartphones, maintain normal internet speeds.

Such symptoms suggest that the problem isn’t with your overall internet connection but might be related to your device itself.

Potential Causes

One common culprit behind unexplained network slowdown is unwanted background activity, including:

• Malware or malicious apps that run covertly and consume bandwidth.
• Cryptocurrency miners (like Bitcoin miners) operating in the background, often without your knowledge, which can significantly affect device performance and data usage.
• Other resource-intensive processes or apps that are poorly optimized.

How to Diagnose and Mitigate the Issue

If you suspect malware or unwanted background processes, consider the following steps:

1. Review App Permissions and Background Activity
2. Navigate to Settings > Apps & Notifications > App Info.
3. Check for any unfamiliar apps or those with excessive permissions.

4. Use the “Battery & Device Care” feature to see which apps are consuming the most resources.

5. Use Built-in Security Tools

6. Install and run a reputable mobile security app to scan for malware.

7. Android’s Google Play Protect offers automatic scanning for malicious apps.

8. Check Data Usage

9. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Data Usage.
10. Review which apps are consuming the most data over Wi-Fi and mobile data.

11. Unusual spikes might indicate background mining or hidden malicious activity.

12. Monitor Running Services

13. Use the Developer Options to see active processes:
    • Enable Developer Options by tapping the build number multiple times in Settings > About Phone.