Plasma RAT

It is difficult to discuss Plasma RAT because this malicious infection has many different shapes, and it can be used in various different ways. That is because this infection can be downloaded and built up by anyone. Although, according to our research team, the threat’s source code is not open, it had been leaked in the past. Also, it is still available for downloading, and those who can figure out how to do it can also figure out how to use it. Needless to say, because the infection can be modified and configured in any way, it is very difficult to predict its activity. Not only is the activity of this malware unique in every case. It also runs using different components that use unique names and are placed in unique locations. This is what makes the infection so incredibly unpredictable. Please continue reading if you want to learn more about the threat and ways to delete it. Note that Plasma RAT removal tips are added too.

RAT stands for “remote administration tool,” which indicates that it is an infection that can be controlled remotely. Our research team has found at least 6 different versions of the Plasma RAT infection, and some of the features these versions had included:

• Chat between Client/Server
• Crypto Currency Miner
• DDos Attack
• Edit Hosts File
• File Explorer
• Keylogger
• Password Recovery
• Remote Desktop
• Remote WebCam
• Script Execution
• Website Stress Testing

Needless to say, the attackers using Plasma RAT are not joking around, and they are ready to do some real damage. If the infection managed to log your keystrokes, capture screen content, and record video – and possibly audio – your virtual identity could be stolen very fast. Using the passwords and usernames that are recorded illegally, cyber criminals could hijack your virtual identity to spread malware using your name. If they plant a crypto-miner, your computer’s CPU resources could be depleted for the sole purpose of making money for someone else. Also, Plasma RAT could easily drop malicious files if any additional functions were needed. This is why even if you successfully delete the Trojan, it is imperative that you scan your operating system to check if other threats exist. If they do, they must be removed ASAP.

One of the worst things about Plasma RAT is that it can block antivirus software. It can do that via the HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\{.exe file name}::Debugger registry. More than fifty different entries can be created to ensure that the listed .exe files are blocked. When modifying these registries, you might also need to delete Plasma RAT keys in [HKLM or HKCU]\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and [HKLM or HKCU]\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce. The names of these keys, of course, are unknown. In most cases, the infection copies itself to %WINDIR%\SysWOW64 or %WINDIR%\System32 directory, and it might hide the files to ensure that they are not deleted. The names of the files could also be identical to legitimate Windows files to confuse users further.

Since there are many different versions of Plasma RAT, and they can be spread in unique ways, it is hard to say how it could have landed on your computer. Maybe you launched it by opening a corrupted spam email or clicking a random link sent to you by someone you do not know? Exploit kits and software bundles can be used to drop the infection onto your computer seamlessly as well. Without a doubt, you need to keep in mind your operating system’s vulnerabilities. If they are not patched, and you yourself are careless, malware can slither in without any warning. As discussed already, Plasma RAT also can circumvent antivirus protection, which can create problems as well.

You need to remove Plasma RAT from your operating system as soon as possible. Hopefully, your antivirus tool was not disabled by the threat, and it was eliminated automatically. Most likely, you uncovered the threat after scanning your operating system using a legitimate malware scanner. What’s next? You could install a reputable anti-malware tool to have the threat eliminated automatically, and this is the option our research team recommends. Or you could try to delete this threat yourself. Can you do that? If you are capable of identifying malicious files and registry entries, you should do just fine, but if you are not experienced, we strongly recommend relying on anti-malware software that was built to eliminate existing threats and also keep your system protected in the future.

Plasma RAT Removal

1. Tap keys Ctrl+Alt+Delete and select Start Task Manager.
2. Click the Processes tab and look for malicious processes. Note that you can right-click them and select Open File Location to find the files they represent. End processes and delete the files.
3. Tap keys Win+E to launch Windows Explorer.
4. Enter %WINDIR%\SysWOW64 and/or %WINDIR%\System32 into the bar at the top separately.
5. Look for malicious files, if they exist, Delete them.
6. Tap keys Win+R to launch RUN and then enter regedit.exe to access the Registry Editor.
7. Check these locations for malicious values (Delete them if you find them):
   • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
   • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
   • HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
   • HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
8. Empty Recycle Bin and DO NOT forget to scan your system one more time to check for leftovers.