![]() ![]() By hijacking third-party computing power, attackers can generate digital currency while never paying for electricity costs.įinally, using a remote device for file storage is common with attackers that want to host illegal content. The electricity to power pools of computer resources is often more expensive than the returns on creating cryptocurrency. Digital currency requires large quantities of computer resources pooled together to perform calculations. ![]() Network performance is often affected when a user’s device is used in a DDoS, but users are often unaware that performance degradation is a warning sign for malware infection.Īs Bitcoin and cryptocurrency continue to become more popular, attackers use RATs to configure infected devices for mining digital currency. Users with devices controlled by RATs are unaware of the installed malware and don’t know that their devices are being used for malicious purposes. What makes these attacks difficult to avoid is that there are no warning signs of an attack, and the flood of traffic comes from hundreds or thousands of devices from around the globe. By controlling potentially thousands of devices, an attacker can instruct the devices to flood a targeted server with requests. Launching a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) is another popular use for RATs. They can also be used to blackmail the targeted user into sending payment to an attacker. These photos can be used to find out more about the targeted user or organization. For example, an attacker can use the camera to take pictures of the user or their surrounding environment. An attacker using RAT software can access cameras, microphones, and connected USB devices, and an attacker can exploit these hardware resources to their advantage. In addition to accessing network resources and files, any local hardware installed on the device is accessible to the attacker. 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. 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. Therefore, RAT authors must create a hidden program and use it when the user is not in front of the device. 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. RATs have the same remote-control functionality as RDPs, but are used for malicious purposes. 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. 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. Legitimate remote-control software exists to enable an administrator to control a device remotely. Having access to critical machines that control city resources and infrastructure is one of the biggest dangers of RAT malware. RAT software made it possible for the attacker to access sensitive resources through bypassing the authenticated user's elevated privileges on the network. Attackers using remote control malware cut power to 80,000 people by remotely accessing a computer authenticated into SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) machines that controlled the country’s utility infrastructure. A 2015 incident in Ukraine illustrates the widespread and nefarious nature of RAT programs. ![]()
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