CrossRAT

Posted: January 26, 2018

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Threat Level:	2/10
Infected PCs:	61

First Seen:	September 19, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

CrossRAT is a Remote Access Trojan that includes features for collecting information and giving a remote attacker the ability to control your PC, for instance, by downloading and running new files. This Trojan is compatible with different operating systems exceptionally, and users of other OSes besides Windows and Mac also are at risk. Malware experts recommend updating your anti-malware solutions urgently to help their detection rates for removing CrossRAT promptly.

A RAT to Pester Every OS

The group of people identifying themselves as 'Dark Caracal' is notable for their persistent attacks against mobile phone platforms. However, the evidence is starting to become available that implies that their aims also include desktop and laptop PCs without any discrimination for what OS the system is running. While the weaponized Trojan in question, CrossRAT, is in an early build (version 0.1), its module-based payload includes numerous and working features.

CrossRAT is a Java-based threat that can run on Windows, Linux, Solaris, and Mac-based PCs equally adeptly. Some of the different features that malware experts are verifying include:

CrossRAT can install and run other threats that it loads through corrupted DLL components (this feature only is verifiable on Windows).
CrossRAT can give third parties the ability to manipulate the file system through methods such as erasing files, renaming them, moving them or opening them at will.
The Trojan also includes some modest 'spyware' features for collecting and uploading data. Although its keylogger module for recording keyboard data is inactive, its screenshot-taking function is live. There also is some evidence of a partially-complete capability for monitoring mouse and keyboard events. However, the threat actor must call for all of these features from his server explicitly; CrossRAT doesn't run them passively.

Setting out Your Operating System's RAT Traps

CrossRAT is an odd RAT for more reasons than just how readily compatible it is with different environments. Its campaign also exploits a less than usual, but not extinct, infection method: social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. The links these messages promote lead to disguised, corrupted websites that load drive-by-downloads. However, Dark Caracal also has a history of using other strategies, of which, malware analysts can confirm phishing attacks and even physically compromising a vulnerable computer.

The anti-malware industry's overall rates for detecting CrossRAT samples are shockingly low, although, identifying factors may rise with any updates that increase CrossRAT's live attack capabilities. There also are mild differences in how the RAT runs itself on different OSes, which may impact the ability of your security software to classify it as being a security risk. Updating your anti-malware programs whenever they have patches available can limit any inaccuracies and may let you remove CrossRAT before it begins attacking.

Users may be at fault for clicking a poisoned Web link, in the first place, but the price they pay for such a simple security oversight is, arguably, excessive. With a payload whose comprehensiveness and flexibility are without peer, CrossRAT can be the start of everything from account hijackings to losing complete access to a computer, whether you're on a Mac or a Windows one.

Technical Details

Additional Information

The following URL's were detected:

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