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ZeroEvil Remote Access Trojan

ZeroEvil is a newly observed remote access trojan based on the established ARS Loader malware.
Report a cyber attack: call 0300 303 5222 or email [email protected]

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This article no longer conforms to NHS Digital's standards for cyber alerts, and may contain outdated or inaccurate information.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

ZeroEvil is a newly observed remote access trojan based on the established ARS Loader malware.

Affected platforms

The following platforms are known to be affected:

Threat details

At the time of publication, it is unclear how ZeroEvil is being distributed, although it is likely delivered via spam and phishing campaigns.

Once installed, ZeroEvil has much of the same functionality as ARS Loader, including being able to exfiltrate user and system credentials, performing script injection attacks on popular Internet browsers and stealing cryptocurrency wallet keys. At present the downloader module appears to be non-functioning, and the distributed denial-of-service module used by ARS is not included in ZeroEvil.


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, anti-virus and other security products are kept up-to-date.
  • Regular anti-virus and security scans are performed on your organisation’s estate.
  • All day-to-day computer activities such as email and internet are performed using non-administrative accounts.
  • Strong password policies are in place.
  • Network, proxy and firewall logs should be monitored for suspicious activity.
  • User accounts accessed from affected devices should be reset on a clean computer.
  • Your organisation adopts a holistic all-round approach to Cyber Security as advocated by the 10 Steps to Cyber Security.

Last edited: 17 February 2020 12:58 pm