HotRat: New Variant of AsyncRAT Malware Spreading Through Pirated Software

silversurfer

Level 85
Thread author
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Malware Hunter
Well-known
Aug 17, 2014
10,178
A new variant of AsyncRAT malware dubbed HotRat is being distributed via free, pirated versions of popular software and utilities such as video games, image and sound editing software, and Microsoft Office.

"HotRat malware equips attackers with a wide array of capabilities, such as stealing login credentials, cryptocurrency wallets, screen capturing, keylogging, installing more malware, and gaining access to or altering clipboard data," Avast security researcher Martin a Milánek said.

The Czech cybersecurity firm said the trojan has been prevalent in the wild since at least in October 2022, with a majority of the infections concentrated in Thailand, Guyana, Libya, Suriname, Mali, Pakistan, Cambodia, South Africa, and India.


HotRat-01.png
 
Last edited by a moderator:

cartaphilus

Level 5
Mar 17, 2023
202
I find it funny when people download pirated software and catch something like this karma At its best especially If the pirated software is a antivirus lol
I would agree but I am very very close at eventually pirating adobe products mainly because I actually want to own a product and not lease it. I am hating the new trend of leasing software. I don't want the latest and the greatest in everything. Sometimes I am just a beginner user and having basic functions works fine for me. For example I own office 2021 and I only use at most 10% of what it offers. I have no need for a constantly updated 365 suite since there is a 95% chance that I will never use those extra features.
 

Sandbox Breaker

Level 9
Verified
Well-known
Jan 6, 2022
435
I find it funny when people download pirated software and catch something like this karma At its best especially If the pirated software is a antivirus lol
There used to be a backdoored McAfee Virusscan Enterprise floating around and some of my IT friends had it installed! It was truly funny. It was a code caved setup exe within the McAfee install folder.
 

About us

  • MalwareTips is a community-driven platform providing the latest information and resources on malware and cyber threats. Our team of experienced professionals and passionate volunteers work to keep the internet safe and secure. We provide accurate, up-to-date information and strive to build a strong and supportive community dedicated to cybersecurity.

User Menu

Follow us

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to know first about the latest cybersecurity incidents and malware threats.

Top