The Detective AllCellular, a service specializing in investigating “strange things” that happen on the internet, identified that a group is selling malware for cell phones through Telegram.
Called Brata RAT (which stands for Remote Access Trojan), the virus is sold with the .apk extension and can be installed on both Android and iOS (iPhone) smartphones.
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Once installed on the device, the malware starts spying on everything the user does, sending information to its controllers.
In contact with Detetive TudoCelular, the company ISH Tecnologia, which specializes in cybersecurity, reported that this virus was created especially to infect devices in Brazil, despite having originated unknown.
The Brata RAT is used by cybercriminals who use it to capture information from unsuspecting users. Usually, the virus is embedded in messages or apps, to be accidentally installed by victims.
What can this virus do?
According to tests carried out by ISH Tecnologia, the Brata RAT can access cameras, microphones and even software functions of the devices infected by it.
In addition, the attacker can monitor what is done on the cell phone simultaneously. That is, while the victim is messing with the cell phone, the criminal is on the other side watching everything.
Another important thing to pay attention to about this trojan is the fact that it comes “disguised” as another app. With this, the user can grant all the necessary permissions without realizing that his smartphone is being hacked.
With the concessions made, the Brata RAT controller now has even more access to the victim's cell phone, which is extremely dangerous.
Investigations into the commercialization of the virus
When investigating the sale of Brata RAT on Telegram, Detetive TudoCelular discovered that the virus has been sold for almost four months on the platform.
In a quick search, it is possible to reach the developer channel, where malware is sold and advertised.
The prices of the “product” vary between US$ 1,000 and US$ 2,000, depending on the preference of the “client”. If the cybercriminal wants access to the source code of the virus, he will have to pay more, if he accepts the private version, the price drops.
In the sales channel, the developer of Brata RAT gives details about new trojan updates and optimizations.
As an example, still according to Detetive TudoCelular, recently the “seller” reported that a new version of the malicious software would be “more undetectable”.
Another recurring content on the channel are videos of the malware running, which are always associated with messages advertising the virus.
The developer of the Brata RAT informs that he only releases the link to download his cybernetic freak upon presentation of proof of payment for it.
Protect yourself against cybercriminals
Malicious software like Brata RAT is used by hackers who aim to steal data, thus committing digital crimes.
To protect yourself against them, never download third-party apps outside of official stores (Google Play and Apple Store).
In stores there are protection mechanisms against the transmission of malware, spyware, adware and other types of viruses associated with applications.
Additionally, it is important to keep your smartphone updated with the latest security packages, which are periodically sent by manufacturers and operating system developers.
In this sense, it is worth noting that the older the phone, the more unprotected it will be against hacker attacks.
To help in these cases, the best way out is to install an antivirus that works well and has good coverage.
It's also always worth checking passwords for banking apps and other important apps. They need to be strong and diverse.
Finally, cybersecurity experts also indicate monitoring permissions given to apps, even if they have been downloaded in the right place.
It is precisely these permissions that grant apps access to system controls, such as the screenshot engine, microphone, cameras, etc.
It is even recommended to grant only the essential permissions for each app to work. And of course, it's important to be wary of apps that ask for too many permissions.
Telegram was approached by the Detetive TudoCelular team to comment on the circulation of Brata RAT in its domains, but, until the closing of this matter, it still had not given any response.
Graduated in History and Human Resources Technology. Passionate about writing, today he lives the dream of acting professionally as a Content Writer for the Web, writing articles in different niches and different formats.
