NetSupport Manager used as Remote Access Trojan

NetSupport Manager, a legitimate remote access tool, has been observed being deployed as a remote access trojan (RAT) in malware campaigns.

Threat ID:: CC-2247
Category:: Trojan
Threat Severity:: Medium
Threat Vector:
Published:: 12 April 2018 12:00 AM

Report a cyber attack: call 0300 303 5222 or email [email protected]

This content has been archived

This article no longer conforms to NHS Digital's standards for cyber alerts, and may contain outdated or inaccurate information. Use of this information contained in this page is at your own risk

Summary

NetSupport Manager, a legitimate remote access tool, has been observed being deployed as a remote access trojan (RAT) in malware campaigns.

Affected platforms

The following platforms are known to be affected:

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows - all versions

Threat details

The campaigns typically use social engineering techniques to encourage users to click on links offering fake updates for commonly-used applications such as Flash, Chrome or Firefox.

The links instead download JavaScript content from a DropBox account. When executed, this initiates a connection with a Command and Control server and sends information on the target system. It then downloads and executes the final payload, which is usually NetSupport Manager RAT. This allows an attacker to take remote control of the system.

The malware is capable of establishing persistence, so that it will run automatically when the system starts up. It can also add itself to the device's firewall whitelist. To try and prevent detection, it hides its files and then deletes them once the attack has been carried out. It also disables Windows Error Reporting and App Compatibility.

Remediation advice

To prevent and detect a trojan infection, ensure that:

Remediation steps

Type	Step
	A robust program of education and awareness training is delivered to users to ensure they don’t open attachments or follow links within unsolicited emails. All operating systems, antivirus and other security products are kept up to date. All day to day computer activities such as email and internet are performed using non-administrative accounts. Strong password policies are in place and password reuse is discouraged. Network, proxy and firewall logs should be monitored for suspicious activity. User accounts accessed from infected machines should be reset on a clean computer.

Type

Step

A robust program of education and awareness training is delivered to users to ensure they don’t open attachments or follow links within unsolicited emails.
All operating systems, antivirus and other security products are kept up to date.
All day to day computer activities such as email and internet are performed using non-administrative accounts.
Strong password policies are in place and password reuse is discouraged.
Network, proxy and firewall logs should be monitored for suspicious activity.
User accounts accessed from infected machines should be reset on a clean computer.

Last edited: 17 February 2020 12:50 pm