The NetWiredRC Trojan is a dangerous weapon used against computer users worldwide. It infects mainly via infected software installers. Our article gives an overview of its behavior according to the collected samples and available reports, also it may be helpful in attempting to remove the virus.
Threat Summary
| Name | NetWiredRC Trojan |
| Type | Trojan |
| Short Description | The NetWiredRC Trojan is a computer virus that is designed to silently infiltrate computer systems. |
| Symptoms | The victims may not experience any apparent symptoms of infection. |
| Distribution Method | Software Vulnerabilities, Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages, Scripts and others. |
| Detection Tool |
See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware
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Malware Removal Tool
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss NetWiredRC Trojan. |
NetWiredRC Trojan – Distribution Methods
The NetWiredRC Trojan is a dangerous weapon that is used by the criminal collective known as the APT33 group. It is widely used in attack campaigns that infect target machines mainly via vulnerability exploitation. The Trojan is used as the main payload during the infections. The malware can also be distributed using alternative methods in future campaigns.
The Trojan can be used in email phishing campaigns which is one of the most popular ways to spread malware to victims en-masse. The virus installation scripts will be installed via the built-in body contents. They can contain all kinds of links, pop-ups, redirects and other scripts that can activate the infection. In other cases the Trojan file can be attached directly to the emails.
Advanced forms of Trojan delivery tactics include the setup of the virus infection in file payloads. This means that by interacting with another object that seems legitimate and safe to the victims. There are two popular variants that are used with this technique:
- Infected Documents — This strategy can be used with the macro scripts that are embedded in documents of all popular types: spreadsheets, presentations, databases and text files. Whenever such a file is accessed a notification message will pop-up asking the users to enable them. The quoted reason that is given is to “correctly view” the document.
- Setup Installers — The other tactic depends on the inclusion of the virus installation commands in installers of popular software. The criminals will take the legitimate files from their official sources and modify them accordingly. All popular software can be victims of this tactic: creativity suites, productivity and office tools, system utilities and etc.
These files can also be uploaded to malicious sites which represent fake copies of legitimate services, products or companies. The users might be confused into thinking that they have accessed the real site by using similar sounding domain names and security certificates. These fake portals may even copy the design and body elements which makes it very difficult to tell the two pages apart.
In other cases malicious browser plugins can be used. They are uploaded to the relevant repositories of the browsers with fake user reviews and developer credentials. This is done in order to persuade the visitors into installing them. Usually the descriptions offered include the addition of new features or enhancements. As soon as they are installed the default settings will be changed in order to redirect the users to a hacker-controlled landing page. At the same time the NetWiredRC Trojan will also be deployed, possibly with other malware as well.
NetWiredRC Trojan – Detailed Description
As soon as the NetWiredRC Trojan is launched it will start immediatelyt to infect the victim computer. This is done by dropping a file in the current’s users folder under a temporary location. It will serve as the main local client which will be run at a next step.
The next step is to make sure that a persistent state is maintained. This is done by setting up the appropriate Windows Registry key. The manipulation of the Registry shows that the client is fully capable of creating, modifying and deleting existing entries. This can lead to very serious performance issues with the computer making it unstable. Modifications to services and program entries can make them quit with unexpected errors.
A connection with a hacker-controlled server will then be established allowing the hacker operators to access the compromised machines.
When the connection is established another set of commands will be started that will search for any security software that can block the Trojan installation. Any detected ones will be disabled and entirely removed, this process is referred to as security bypass. It can scan for apps like anti-virus programs, sandbox and debug environments, firewalls and intrusion detection systems. They will be disabled or removed.
What follows is a data harvesting process that has the ability to search for a variety of sensitive information that can be found on the compromised machines. The captured samples were found to acquire the following data:
- Regional Settings and Localization
- Personal Settings
- Windows Version
- Computer Name
- Installed Applications
- Compatability Information
The established connection with the hacker-controlled server allows the spy on the victims, take over control of their machines and steal valuable data. Other malicious behavior that is observed is the timed creation of screenshots at regular intervals. They are sent to the hackers as image files allowing them to monitor the sequence of user interaction. Using this mechanism the NetWiredRC Trojan can also search for sensitive information about the victims themselves. It can be used across a wide rage of crimes: identity theft, financial abuse and blackmail. Information that can be retrieved includes the following: name, address, location, interests, emails and any stored account credentials (username, email and password combinations).
The modular code base on which the Trojan is conceinved allows the hackers to carry out a wide range of commands:
- Identification and password configuration and computer data retrieval
- Process creation from a local file
- File retrieval from a remote URL and process creation
- Stop the running threads
- Removal of the auto-start Registry keys, cleanup and quit
- Identified addition
- Retrieval and sending of hard disk contents
- Files modification
- Closing of open files
- Execution of files
- Deletion of files
- Folder creation
- Copying of files
- Remote shell startup
- Write into pipe
- Tid reset of the remote shell
- Configuration settings collection
- Retrieval of logged in users
- Retrieval of running processes
- Process termination
- Windows enumeration
- Keyboard events set
- Mouse button press
- Cursor position set
- Screenshot capture
- Location and sending of files with time attributes
- Log files deletion
- Retrieval and sending of stored account credentials
- Retrieval and sending of stored email credentials
- SOCKS proxy setup and modification
- Audio devices information retrieval
- Start audio recording
- Stop audio recording
- Files search
- Files search with MD5
- Database queries execution
As the Trojan is based on a modular code base further changes can be implemented in future versions.
Martin Beltov
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
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Preparation before removing NetWiredRC Trojan.
Before starting the actual removal process, we recommend that you do the following preparation steps.
- Make sure you have these instructions always open and in front of your eyes.
- Do a backup of all of your files, even if they could be damaged. You should back up your data with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats.
- Be patient as this could take a while.
- Scan for Malware
- Fix Registries
- Remove Virus Files
Step 1: Scan for NetWiredRC Trojan with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Clean any registries, created by NetWiredRC Trojan on your computer.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by NetWiredRC Trojan there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.Step 3: Find virus files created by NetWiredRC Trojan on your PC.
1.For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.
For Newer Windows Operating Systems
1: On your keyboard press + R and write explorer.exe in the Run text box and then click on the Ok button.
2: Click on your PC from the quick access bar. This is usually an icon with a monitor and its name is either “My Computer”, “My PC” or “This PC” or whatever you have named it.
3: Navigate to the search box in the top-right of your PC's screen and type “fileextension:” and after which type the file extension. If you are looking for malicious executables, an example may be "fileextension:exe". After doing that, leave a space and type the file name you believe the malware has created. Here is how it may appear if your file has been found:
N.B. We recommend to wait for the green loading bar in the navigation box to fill up in case the PC is looking for the file and hasn't found it yet.
2.For Windows XP, Vista, and 7.
For Older Windows Operating Systems
In older Windows OS's the conventional approach should be the effective one:
1: Click on the Start Menu icon (usually on your bottom-left) and then choose the Search preference.
2: After the search window appears, choose More Advanced Options from the search assistant box. Another way is by clicking on All Files and Folders.
3: After that type the name of the file you are looking for and click on the Search button. This might take some time after which results will appear. If you have found the malicious file, you may copy or open its location by right-clicking on it.
Now you should be able to discover any file on Windows as long as it is on your hard drive and is not concealed via special software.
NetWiredRC Trojan FAQ
What Does NetWiredRC Trojan Trojan Do?
The NetWiredRC Trojan Trojan is a malicious computer program designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system. It can be used to steal sensitive data, gain control over a system, or launch other malicious activities.
Can Trojans Steal Passwords?
Yes, Trojans, like NetWiredRC Trojan, can steal passwords. These malicious programs are designed to gain access to a user's computer, spy on victims and steal sensitive information such as banking details and passwords.
Can NetWiredRC Trojan Trojan Hide Itself?
Yes, it can. A Trojan can use various techniques to mask itself, including rootkits, encryption, and obfuscation, to hide from security scanners and evade detection.
Can a Trojan be Removed by Factory Reset?
Yes, a Trojan can be removed by factory resetting your device. This is because it will restore the device to its original state, eliminating any malicious software that may have been installed. Bear in mind that there are more sophisticated Trojans that leave backdoors and reinfect even after a factory reset.
Can NetWiredRC Trojan Trojan Infect WiFi?
Yes, it is possible for a Trojan to infect WiFi networks. When a user connects to the infected network, the Trojan can spread to other connected devices and can access sensitive information on the network.
Can Trojans Be Deleted?
Yes, Trojans can be deleted. This is typically done by running a powerful anti-virus or anti-malware program that is designed to detect and remove malicious files. In some cases, manual deletion of the Trojan may also be necessary.
Can Trojans Steal Files?
Yes, Trojans can steal files if they are installed on a computer. This is done by allowing the malware author or user to gain access to the computer and then steal the files stored on it.
Which Anti-Malware Can Remove Trojans?
Anti-malware programs such as SpyHunter are capable of scanning for and removing Trojans from your computer. It is important to keep your anti-malware up to date and regularly scan your system for any malicious software.
Can Trojans Infect USB?
Yes, Trojans can infect USB devices. USB Trojans typically spread through malicious files downloaded from the internet or shared via email, allowing the hacker to gain access to a user's confidential data.
About the NetWiredRC Trojan Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this NetWiredRC Trojan how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific trojan problem.
How did we conduct the research on NetWiredRC Trojan?
Please note that our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware definitions, including the various types of trojans (backdoor, downloader, infostealer, ransom, etc.)
Furthermore, the research behind the NetWiredRC Trojan threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by trojans, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.