Rogue RAT

Underground hacking forums are a breeding ground for all sorts of computer and mobile malware, which can be acquired at a budget-friendly price. This makes such forums an attractive spot for novice cybercriminals who want to expand their arsenal and use modern malware that comes at a cheap price. The Rogue RAT is one of the latest malware families to be advertised via such forums, and it appears to be sold for just $29.99, making it one of the more affordable Android malware families.

This Remote Access Trojan (RAT) is capable of collecting data from compromised systems, and it appears to emphasize keylogging, data theft and spyware activities. The 'spyware' components of the Rogue RAT allow it to:

• Obtain GPS data through the device's sensor.
• Take pictures and screenshots via the camera.
• Record audio from calls or by using the microphone.

The buyers of the Rogue RAT will be able to set up a control server on their own device, therefore allowing them to orchestrate the attack campaign through a smartphone. The good news is that Rogue RAT's low price reflects its quality as well – the malware is not very sophisticated, and it can be detected and removed by reputable Android anti-virus software successfully. Regardless of this, such threats are always a major problem because they can be used by any cybercriminal around the world. This means that the propagation methods used to spread them can be very diverse, and it is impossible to take down all control servers linked to the Rogue RAT's operations. So far, no copies of the Rogue RAT have been identified on the official Google Play Store, so fetching your software from there may minimize the risk of coming across this particular malware family greatly.

To avoid threats of this sort, you need to stick to downloading Android applications from safe destinations. You should also avoid interacting with suspicious emails, files, and downloads. Last but not least, investing in a reputable Android anti-malware application is the best way to mitigate attacks like the one that the Rogue RAT carries out.