What is FatalRAT
FatalRAT is a sophisticated remote access trojan (RAT) that has been prominently involved in various cyber espionage campaigns, particularly targeting industrial organizations across the Asia-Pacific region. This malware is designed to infiltrate systems through meticulously crafted phishing attacks, often leveraging legitimate Chinese cloud services like myqcloud and Youdao Cloud Notes to avoid detection. Once installed, FatalRAT grants cybercriminals extensive control over compromised devices, allowing them to log keystrokes, manipulate system settings, and exfiltrate sensitive data. Its distribution methods have evolved over time, previously utilizing fake Google Ads and now relying on phishing emails with language-specific lures aimed at Chinese-speaking individuals. The trojan’s stealth capabilities are enhanced by advanced evasion tactics, including recognizing virtual environments and using DLL side-loading to blend in with normal system activities. Connections to the Silver Fox APT suggest potential geopolitical motives, with the malware serving as a tool for long-term cyber espionage and data theft. Despite the lack of concrete identification of the threat actors, tactical similarities across different campaigns imply a common origin, likely linked to Chinese-speaking perpetrators.
How FatalRAT infected your system
FatalRAT infiltrates computers through a sophisticated phishing campaign, primarily targeting individuals in industries across the Asia-Pacific region. The attack commences with a phishing email that contains a ZIP archive disguised with a Chinese-language filename, which when opened, initiates a first-stage loader. This loader connects to legitimate Chinese cloud services, like Youdao Cloud Notes, to download a DLL file and a FatalRAT configurator, which then extracts configuration data while opening a decoy file to reduce suspicion. A notable feature of this attack is the use of DLL side-loading techniques, allowing the malware to blend in with legitimate system activities, complicating detection. The second-stage DLL loader subsequently downloads the FatalRAT payload from a remote server, leveraging legitimate binaries to avoid detection. FatalRAT’s advanced evasion tactics, including checks for virtual machine and sandbox environments, alongside its ability to terminate certain system processes, further ensure its stealthy and persistent presence on compromised systems.
- Download FatalRAT Removal Tool
- Use Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool to remove FatalRAT
- Use Autoruns to remove FatalRAT
- Files, folders and registry keys of FatalRAT
- Other aliases of FatalRAT
- How to protect from threats, like FatalRAT
Download Removal Tool
To remove FatalRAT completely, we recommend you to use SpyHunter 5. It can help you remove files, folders, and registry keys of FatalRAT and provides active protection from viruses, trojans, backdoors. The trial version of SpyHunter 5 offers virus scan and 1-time removal for FREE.
Download Alternative Removal Tool
To remove FatalRAT completely, we recommend you to use Norton Antivirus from Symantec. It detects and removes all files, folders, and registry keys of FatalRAT and several millions of other malware, like viruses, trojans, backdoors.
Remove FatalRAT manually
Manual removal of FatalRAT by inexperienced users may become a difficult task because it does not create entries in Add/Remove Programs under Control Panel, does not install browser extensions, and uses random file names. However, there are pre-installed instruments in the Windows system, that allow you to detect and remove malware without using third-party applications. One of them is Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool. It comes with Windows Update in Windows 11, 10, 8. 8.1. For older operating system you can download it here: 64-bit version | 32-bit version.
Remove FatalRAT using Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool
- Type
mrtin the search box near Start Menu. - Run mrt clicking on found item.
- Click Next button.
- Choose one of the scan modes Quick scan, Full scan, Customize scan (Full scan recommended).
- Click Next button.
- Click on View detailed results of the scan link to view the scan details.
- Click Finish button.
Remove FatalRAT using Autoruns
FatalRAT often sets up to run at Windows startup as an Autorun entry or Scheduled task.
- Download Autoruns using this link.
- Extract the archive and run Autoruns.exe file.
- In Options menu make sure there are checkboxes near Hide Empty Locations, Hide Microsoft Entries, and Hide Windows Entries.
- Search for suspicious entries with weird names or running from locations like:
C:\{username}\AppData\Roaming. - Right-click on suspicious entry and choose Delete. This will prevent the threat to run at startup.
- Switch to Scheduled Tasks tab and do the same.
- To remove files themselves, click on suspicious entries and choose Jump to Entry…. Remove files or registry keys found.
Remove files, folder and registry keys of FatalRAT FatalRAT files and folders
{randomname}.exe
FatalRAT registry keys
no information
Aliases of FatalRAT no information How to protect from threats, like FatalRAT, in future
Standard Windows protection or any decent third-party antivirus (Norton, Avast, Kaspersky) should be able to detect and remove FatalRAT. However, if you got infected with FatalRAT with existing and updated security software, you may consider changing it. To feel safe and protect your PC from FatalRAT on all levels (browser, e-mail attachments, Word or Excel scripts, file system) we recommend a leading provider of internet security solutions – BitDefender. Its solutions both for home and business users proved to be one of the most advanced and effective. Choose and get your BitDefender protection via the button below:
