Just like protecting yourself from other network malware threats, for remote access trojan protection, in general, you need to avoid downloading unknown items; keep antimalware and firewall up to date, change your usernames and passwords regularly; (for administrative perspective) block unused ports, turn off unused services, and monitor outgoing traffic.
Full Answer
How to remove remote access trojans (rat)?
While formatting a computer or server is a drastic move and can be inconvenient, especially if the malware has spread to multiple devices, it’s a surefire way to eliminate Remote Access Trojans. The best option, especially for larger organizations, is to employ an intrusion detection system, which can be host-based or network-based.
What can a remote access trojan do to your computer?
Since a remote access trojan enables administrative control, it is able to do almost everything on the victim machine. Get access to confidential info including usernames, passwords, social security numbers, and credit card accounts. Monitor web browsers and other computer apps to get search history, emails, chat logs, etc.
How do I turn off remote access to my computer?
In the search box on the top right, enter "Remote". Click on "Allow remote access to this computer" to open the Remote Access Settings. Uncheck the Checkbox "Allow remote support connections to this computer". Click "OK" and your computer will no longer accept remote desktop connections.
What can attackers do with a Trojan?
Attackers can do a wide range of actions on an infected computer including receiving, sending, deleting or launching files; displaying screen alerts; or rebooting PCs. These Trojans can also help attackers install and launch third-party code on the victim's device, record keystrokes (acting like keyloggers ), or turn on the camera and microphone.
How to protect yourself from remote access trojans?
What is a RAT trojan?
What Does a RAT Virus Do?
How does RAT malware work?
Why is Darkcomet no longer available?
Why do RATs use a randomized filename?
How to check if my computer is safe?
See 4 more
About this website
Can a Trojan give remote access?
Remote access trojans (RATs) are malware designed to allow an attacker to remotely control an infected computer. Once the RAT is running on a compromised system, the attacker can send commands to it and receive data back in response.
How are remote access Trojans delivered?
A remote access Trojan (RAT) is a malware program that includes a back door for administrative control over the target computer. RATs are usually downloaded invisibly with a user-requested program -- such as a game -- or sent as an email attachment.
What are the variant of remote access Trojan?
There are a large number of Remote Access Trojans. Some are more well-known than others. SubSeven, Back Orifice, ProRat, Turkojan, and Poison-Ivy are established programs. Others, such as CyberGate, DarkComet, Optix, Shark, and VorteX Rat have a smaller distribution and utilization.
How do Trojans avoid detection?
The trojan uses Alternate Data Stream (ADS) as a technique to run follow-up malware. The configuration scripts used during the infection process are obfuscated in an attempt to evade detection. The use of ADS, in particular, represents a serious ongoing threat, as it can easily hide follow-up malware.
How do I know if someone is accessing my computer remotely?
You can try any of these for confirmation.Way 1: Disconnect Your Computer From the Internet.Way 2. ... Way 3: Check Your Browser History on The Computer.Way 4: Check Recently Modified Files.Way 5: Check Your computer's Login Events.Way 6: Use the Task Manager to Detect Remote Access.Way 7: Check Your Firewall Settings.More items...•
What is a backdoor Trojan?
Backdoor malware is generally classified as a Trojan. A Trojan is a malicious computer program pretending to be something it's not for the purposes of delivering malware, stealing data, or opening up a backdoor on your system.
Which is the best remote access Trojan?
Blackshades is a Trojan which is widely used by hackers to gain access to any system remotely. This tool frequently attacks the Windows-based operating system for access.
How would users recognize if ones computer is infected?
Signs of an infection include your computer acting strangely, glitching and running abnormally slow. Installing and routinely updating antivirus software can prevent virus and malware infections, as can following cautious best practices.
What can NanoCore do?
NanoCore can provide the threat actor with information such as computer name and OS of the affected system. It also opens a backdoor that allows the threat actors to access the webcam and microphone, view the desktop, create internet message windows and offers other options.
Can Microsoft Defender remove Trojan?
Windows Defender comes packed with the Windows 10 update and offers top-notch antimalware protection to keep your device and data safe. Although, Windows Defender is not capable of handling all kinds of viruses, malware, trojan, and other security threats.
How can Trojans be detected?
A Trojan horse scanner is required to scan your computer for Trojans. If a Trojan horse scanner or anti-virus software is already installed on the computer, this should be updated before the scan process. In addition, all temporary files should also be deleted in order to speed up the virus scan.
Can you remove a trojan virus?
Trojan viruses can be removed in various ways. If you know which software contains the malware, you can simply uninstall it. However, the most effective way to remove all traces of a Trojan virus is to install antivirus software capable of detecting and removing Trojans.
Are PUPs malware?
Type and source of infection. Detections categorized as PUPs are not considered as malicious as other forms of malware, and may even be regarded by some as useful. Malwarebytes detects potentially unwanted programs for several reasons, including: They may have been installed without the user's consent.
What is data sending Trojan?
A data-sending Trojan is a kind of Trojan virus that relays sensitive information back to its owner. This type of Trojan can be used to retrieve sensitive data, including credit card information, email addresses, passwords, instant messaging contact lists, log files and so on.
Is a backdoor malware?
A backdoor is a malware type that negates normal authentication procedures to access a system. As a result, remote access is granted to resources within an application, such as databases and file servers, giving perpetrators the ability to remotely issue system commands and update malware.
Can an Iphone get a remote access Trojan?
The iOS Trojan is smart and spies discretely, i.e. does not drain a battery. The RCS mobile Trojans are capable of performing all kinds of spying you can expect from such a tool, including location reporting, taking photos, spying on SMS, WhatsApp and other messengers, stealing contacts and so on.
What is RAT software?
RAT can also stand for remote administration tool, which is software giving a user full control of a tech device remotely. With it, the user can ac...
What’s the difference between the RAT computer virus and RAT software?
As for functions, there is no difference between the two. Yet, while remote administration tool is for legit usage, RAT connotes malicious and crim...
What are the popular remote access applications?
The common remote desktop tools include but are not limited to TeamViewer, AnyDesk, Chrome Remote Desktop, ConnectWise Control, Splashtop Business...
Top five remote access trojans - Infosec Resources
Sources. October 2018’s Most Wanted Malware: For The First Time, Remote Access Trojan Reaches Top 10 Threats, Check Point; FlawedAmmyy Malware Information, Trend Micro; QuasarRAT, GitHub; androrat, GitHub; RATs Come to Android: It’s Scary, But You’re (Probably) Safe, PC Magazine
Remote Access Trojan - GeeksforGeeks
History of Remote Access Trojan : This Remote Access Trojan popularity increased in the year of 2000s. In this period people didn’t have sufficient knowledge of how this virus spreads on the internet and what is antivirus?
What is remote access trojan?
Like most other forms of malware, Remote Access Trojans are often attached to files appearing to be legitimate, like emails or software bundles. However, what makes Remote Access Trojans particularly insidious is they can often mimic above-board remote access programs.
What happens if you install remote access Trojans?
If hackers manage to install Remote Access Trojans in important infrastructural areas—such as power stations, traffic control systems, or telephone networks—they can wreak havoc across neighborhoods, cities, and even entire nations.
How does Snort intrusion detection work?
The intrusion detection mode operates by applying threat intelligence policies to the data it collects, and Snort has predefined rules available on their website, where you can also download policies generated by the Snort user community. You can also create your own policies or tweak the ones Snort provides. These include both anomaly- and signature-based policies, making the application’s scope fairly broad and inclusive. Snort’s base policies can flag several potential security threats, including OS fingerprinting, SMB probes, and stealth port scanning.
What is the best way to detect malware?
The best option, especially for larger organizations, is to employ an intrusion detection system, which can be host-based or network-based. Host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDSs), which are installed on a specific device, monitor log files and application data for signs of malicious activity; network-based intrusion detection systems (NIDSs), on the other hand, track network traffic in real time, on the lookout for suspicious behavior. When used together, HIDSs and NIDSs create a security information and event management (SIEM) system. SIEM is an incredibly beneficial part of a strong security regimen and can help to block software intrusions which have slipped past firewalls, antivirus software, and other security countermeasures.
What was the Russian attack on Georgia?
An example of this occurred in 2008, when Russia used a coordinated campaign of physical and cyber warfare to seize territory from the neighboring Republic of Georgia. The Russian government did this using distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks which cut off internet coverage across Georgia, combined with APTs and RATs allowing the government to both collect intelligence about and disrupt Georgian military operations and hardware. News agencies across Georgia were also targeted, many of which had their websites either taken down or radically altered.
How do remote access Trojans evade live data analysis?
One way in which Remote Access Trojans can evade the live data analysis NIDSs provide is by dividing the command messaging sent through the malware across multiple data packets. NIDSs like Zeek, which focus more on application layers, are better able to detect split command messaging by running analyses across multiple data packets. This is one advantage Zeek has over Snort.
What is APT in computer security?
The practice of stealthy, ongoing hacking seeking to accumulate data over time, as opposed to causing damage to information or systems, is known as an advanced persistent threat (APT ). Remote Access Trojans are a powerful tool in this type of attack, because they do not slow down a computer’s performance or automatically begin deleting files once installed—and because they’re so adaptable.
How are Remote Access Trojans Useful to Hackers?
Attackers using remote control malware cut power to 80,000 people by remotely accessing a computer authenticated into SCADA (supervisor y control and data acquisition) machines that controlled the country’s utility infrastructure. RAT software made it possible for the attacker to access sensitive resources through bypassing the authenticated user's elevated privileges on the network. Having access to critical machines that control city resources and infrastructure is one of the biggest dangers of RAT malware.
Why do attackers use remote devices?
Instead of storing the content on their own servers and cloud devices, attackers use targeted stolen devices so that they can avoid having accounts and servers shut down for illegal content.
How to install a RAT?
An attacker must convince the user to install a RAT either by downloading malicious software from the web or running an executable from a malicious email attachment or message. RATs can also be installed using macros in Microsoft Word or Excel documents. When a user allows the macro to run on a device, the macro silently downloads RAT malware and installs it. With the RAT installed, an attacker can now remotely control the desktop, including mouse movement, mouse clicks, camera controls, keyboard actions, and any configured peripherals.
Why do attackers use RATs?
RATs have the same remote-control functionality as RDPs, but are used for malicious purposes. Attackers always code software to avoid detection, but attackers who use a RAT risk being caught when the user is in front of the device and the mouse moves across the screen. Therefore, RAT authors must create a hidden program and use it when the user is not in front of the device. To avoid detection, a RAT author will hide the program from view in Task Manager, a Windows tool that lists all the programs and processes running in memory. Attackers aim to stay hidden from detection because it gives them more time to extract data and explore network resources for critical components that could be used in future attacks.
What happens if you don't see malware in Task Manager?
If you don’t see any potential malware in Task Manager, you could still have a RAT that an author programmed to avoid detection. Good anti-malware applications detect most of the common RATs in the wild. Any zero-day malware remains undetected until the user updates their anti-malware software, so it’s important to keep your anti-malware and antivirus software updated. Vendors for these programs publish updates frequently as new malware is found in the wild.
What is remote control software?
Legitimate remote-control software exists to enable an administrator to control a device remotely. For example, administrators use Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) configured on a Windows server to remotely manage a system physically located at another site such as a data center. Physical access to the data center isn’t available to administrators, so RDP gives them access to configure the server and manage it for corporate productivity.
What happens if you remove the internet from your computer?
Removing the Internet connection from the device disables remote access to your system by an attacker. After the device can no longer connect to the Internet, use your installed anti-malware program to remove it from local storage and memory. Unless you have monitoring configured on your computer, you won't know which data and files transferred to an attacker. You should always change passwords across all accounts, especially financial accounts, after removing malware from your system.
How to allow remote desktop access to my computer?
In the search box on the top right, enter "Remote". Click on "Allow remote access to this computer" to open the Remote Access Settings. Uncheck the Checkbox "Allow remote support connections to this computer". Click "OK" and your computer will no longer accept remote desktop connections.
How to stop external parties from accessing my desktop?
If you don't wish any external parties accessing your desktop remotely, this can be done by unchecking the privileges that would otherwise allow this.
How to protect your computer from phishing?
As mentioned above, you can't. What you can is follow best practices, that are repeated over and over again by security experts: 1 Keep your system up-to-date 2 Don't install software from untrustworthy sources 3 Use a password manager 4 Make backups on an external device 5 Don't click on links in phishing emails and don't answer them.
Does 100% security exist?
A 100% does not exist in security. You could scan for known RATs, and you could try and actively found the type of bugs RATs exploit, that’s about it.
What is remote access trojan?
The Remote Access Trojan is a type of malware that lets a hacker remotely (hence the name) take control of a computer. Let’s analyze the name. The Trojan part is about the way the malware is distributed. It refers to the ancient Greek story of the Trojan horse that Ulysses built to take back the city of Troy which had been besieged for ten years. In the context of computer malware, a Trojan horse (or simply trojan) is a piece of malware which is distributed as something else. For instance, a game that you download and install on your computer could actually be a Trojan horse and it could contain some malware code.
How does Bro Network Security Monitor work?
The Bro Network Security Monitor, another free network intrusion detection system. The tool operates in two phases: traffic logging and traffic analysis. Just like Suricata, Bro Network Security Monitor operates at multiple layers up to the application layer. This allows for better detection of split intrusion attempts. The tool’s analysis module is made up of two elements. The first element is called the event engine and it tracks triggering events such as net TCP connections or HTTP requests. The events are then analyzed by policy scripts, the second element, which decide whether or not to trigger an alarm and/or launch an action. The possibility of launching an action gives the Bro Network Security Monitor some IPS-like functionality.
Why do hackers use RATs?
As such, they can be seen as weapons. Hackers around the world use RATs to spy on companies and steal their data and money. Meanwhile, the RAT problem has now become an issue of national security for many countries, including the USA.
Can a hacker use a remote computer?
The controlling hacker can also operate the power functions of a remote computer, allowing a computer to be turned on or off remotely. The network functions of an infected computer can also be harnessed to use the computer as a proxy server and mask its user’s identity during raids on other computers.
Can a game be a Trojan horse?
For instance, a game that you download and install on your computer could actually be a Trojan horse and it could contain some malware code. As for the remote access part of the RAT’s name, it has to do with what the malware does. Simply put, it allows its author to have remote access to the infected computer.
Is virus protection software legit?
This is due in part to their nature. They hide in plain sight as something else which is totally legit. For that reason, they are often best detected by systems that are analyzing computers for abnormal behaviour.
How to prevent Trojans from getting on my computer?
Malefactors exploit security holes in these programs to place Trojans on your computers. Set up and use firewalls to keep the internet connections secure. Firewalls filter out malicious traffic and prevent Trojans from getting delivered onto your device.
How to protect against Trojans?
Users usually launch the malware when they click on an email attachment or allow macros in office docs. So, the best protection against Trojans is to train users to watch what they click or open.
How do Trojans work?
All Trojans consist of two parts: server and client. The client connects to the server with the help of the TCP/IP protocol. The client may have a user interface and a set of buttons and input fields for remote administration.
What is a Trojan horse?
The Trojan’s basic mission is to mislead people of its real goal. A Trojan is malicious software that usually needs to be launched by the user or another malicious program.
How to get rid of Trojans?
The first step is to clean the temporary folder, locate malicious entries in the registry, and manually delete them while in Safe Mode. The best antivirus tools can detect and remove Trojans automatically.
What is malware dropper?
These software pieces are designed to install malware covertly. They contain other malware that is obfuscated and deeply hidden inside the dropper’s code. This is done to prevent detection by antivirus software. Many antivirus tools cannot analyze all components of droppers. They usually are saved to a Windows temporary directory. Then they are executed without any user notifications.
What is a backdoor?
Backdoors allow criminals to control computers remotely. Attackers can do a wide range of actions on an infected computer including receiving, sending , deleting or launching files; displaying screen alerts; or rebooting PCs. These Trojans can also help attackers install and launch third-party code on the victim's device, record keystrokes (acting like keyloggers ), or turn on the camera and microphone. Sometimes backdoors are used to manage a group of infected computers (or recently IoT devices) united into a botnet.
How can a Trojan Horse allow a remote connection?
According to this article on Wikipedia, a trojan horse can allow a remote connection by opening a random port if it is able to bypass the firewall. I'm not much of an expert of routers and Network
How is a trojan distributed?
The trojan is distributed (by spam emails, drive by downloads,etc) and victim systems infected
What happens when an attacker doesn't connect to the victim?
The attacker doesn't connect to the victim computer, the victim computer connects to the attacker. Data in a connection can flow in both directions, it doesn't matter who initiates the connection in the first place. Once a connection is established the attacker is able to execute commands on the victim computer. The attackers use well-known web protocols that are usually allowed.
What keeps track of which IPs are communicating on which ports and translates accordingly?
Your router keeps track of which IPs are communicating on which ports and translates accordingly.
What IP address does the victim have?
Victim computer has private IP 192.168.1.147 and public IP 10.1.1.44 and attacker has private IP 192.168.0.119 and public IP 10.2.1.54, how do the two computers communicate with each other?
What are the commands that malware sends?
The victim computers then action the malware commands (send spam, scan for identity or credit card information, search for company secrets, etc)
Can a trojan open a port?
A trojan opening a server port is one, but not the only way to allow a remote attacker access.
How to protect yourself from remote access trojans?
Just like protecting yourself from other network malware threats, for remote access trojan protection, in general, you need to avoid downloading unknown items; keep antimalware and firewall up to date, change your usernames and passwords regularly; (for administrative perspective) block unused ports, turn off unused services, and monitor outgoing traffic.
What is a RAT trojan?
RAT trojan is typically installed on a computer without its owner’s knowledge and often as a trojan horse or payload. For example, it is usually downloaded invisibly with an email attachment, torrent files, weblinks, or a user-desired program like a game. While targeted attacks by a motivated attacker may deceive desired targets into installing RAT ...
What Does a RAT Virus Do?
Since a remote access trojan enables administrative control , it is able to do almost everything on the victim machine.
How does RAT malware work?
Once get into the victim’s machine, RAT malware will hide its harmful operations from either the victim or the antivirus or firewall and use the infected host to spread itself to other vulnerable computers to build a botnet.
Why is Darkcomet no longer available?
The reason is due to its usage in the Syrian civil war to monitor activists as well as its author’s fear of being arrested for unnamed reasons.
Why do RATs use a randomized filename?
It is kind of difficult. RATs are covert by nature and may make use of a randomized filename or file path structure to try to prevent identification of itself. Commonly, a RAT worm virus does not show up in the lists of running programs or tasks and its actions are similar to those of legal programs.
How to check if my computer is safe?
Open the command prompt better as administrator, type “ system.ini ”, and press Enter. Then, a notepad will pop up showing you a few details of your system. Take a look at the drivers section, if it looks brief as what the below picture shows, you are safe. if there are some other odd characters, there may be some remote devices accessing your system via some of your network ports.
