Cyberespionage is a practice used by cybercriminals to find information without the authorization of its owner, and today’s protagonist, AsyncRAT, is a software that is used to remotely control users, as well as monitoring, registering keyboard, among other activities; which serves cybercriminals to obtain privileged information. This information can be used to extract users, passwords, emails, bank details.
The usual techniques used by cybercriminals to implant this type of virus are through social engineering to persuade users to open a PDF or RAR file where the code for the Trojan installation is included. Once the virus is implanted in the computer, it is compromised and the following activities can be carried out: installation of malicious software, information leakage, escalation of privileges, monitoring of activities.
The usual techniques used by cybercriminals to implant this type of virus are through social engineering to persuade users to open a PDF or RAR file containing the Trojan installation code. Once the virus is implanted in the computer, Async can be used to open various websites, such as malicious ones. Also, cybercriminals could use them to deliver various files, for example, executable files that, if opened, will install malware. In a nutshell, AsyncRAT can be used to spread malicious software like ransomware, Trojans and other malicious programs so it is no longer a single problem to face.
Normally, users download and install malicious programs because cyber criminals trick them into falling for it. To archieve this, they often use spam campaigns, dodgy file and software download channels, unofficial software update/activation tools, and Trojans.
An example of the use of AsyncRAT is the SPALAX operation, which consisted of a series of attacks on government institutions in Colombia, as well as in the energy and metallurgical sectors. In this scenario, Trojans were used to monitor the victims through remote access.
Cyber espionage software such as AsyncRAT, Emotet or some other, make companies have different security measures as reinforcement, be it antivirus, user training, secure access management, among others, to safeguard the most important information assets.
