How to remove CapraRAT from an Android device
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What kind of malware is CapraRAT?
CapraRAT is the name of an Android remote access trojan (RAT), possibly a modified version of another (open-source) RAT called AndroRAT. It is known that CapraRAT is used by an advanced persistent threat group (ATP) called APT36 (also known as Earth Karkaddan). CapraRAT allows attackers to perform certain actions on the infected Android device.
More about CapraRAT
CapraRAT RAT can open the camera, launch installation packages of other applications, access the phone number, microphone (and record audio), unique identification number, location information, phone call history, and contact information. Also, it can be used to drop MP4 or APK files from asset directory.
CapraRAT also has a persistence mechanism that allows the malware to be always active. It constantly checks whether the service is still running and restarts it every time it is not running.
| Name | CapraRAT remote access trojan |
| Threat Type | Android malware, malicious application, unwanted application. |
| Detection Names | Avast-Mobile (Android:Evo-gen [Trj]), Combo Cleaner (Trojan.GenericKD.49195185), ESET-NOD32 (A Variant Of Android/Spy.AndroRAT.AE), Kaspersky (HEUR:Trojan-Spy.AndroidOS.Camvod.a), Full List (VirusTotal) |
| Symptoms | The device is running slow, system settings are modified without user's permission, questionable applications appear, data and battery usage is increased significantly, browsers redirect to questionable websites, intrusive advertisements are delivered. |
| Distribution methods | Infected email attachments, malicious online advertisements, social engineering, deceptive applications, scam websites. |
| Damage | Stolen personal information (private messages, logins/passwords, etc.), decreased device performance, battery is drained quickly, decreased Internet speed, huge data losses, monetary losses, stolen identity (malicious apps might abuse communication apps). |
| Malware Removal (Android) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your mobile device with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
CapraRAT in general
CapraRAT malware is used mainly for harvesting and exfiltration of data. CapraRAT may be capable of accessing not only contact information, call history, and other data mentioned above but also sending SMSes, taking screenshots, and accessing SMS data.
It is noteworthy that malware developers often improve upon their software and methodologies. Therefore, potential future releases of CapraRAT could have additional/different functionalities and features (information on new variants can be found below).
More examples of Android malware are Harly, PINEFLOWER, and Dracarys.
How did CapraRAT infiltrate my device?
It is likely that threat actors distribute CapraRAT via email or SMS. They send letters or messages containing malicious links or attachments. Their goal is to trick recipients into downloading malware by themselves. Usually, emails (or SMSes) used to deliver malware are disguised as important/urgent/official letters (or messages) from legitimate companies or other entities.
Also, threat actors use third-party (or even official) stores and websites to distribute their malware. Typically, they disguise malicious apps as legitimate ones.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Be careful of opening links or files in suspicious emails (e.g., irrelevant emails sent from unknown addresses). Download applications only from trusted sources (official pages and stores). Read reviews before downloading applications. Avoid downloading apps with no or few reviews.
Do not trust ads appearing on shady websites. Use trustworthy mobile security solutions to protect devices against threats.
Update September 19, 2023 – new CapraRAT variants and distribution methods have been discovered. In previous 2023 CapraRAT campaigns, it was proliferated under the guise of a dating app, and the malware operated predominantly as spyware.
Recently, three Android application packages related to CapraRAT have been found. They are presented as YouTube apps. While boasting minimalistic functionality compared to the legitimate YouTube application, the disguise may nonetheless be convincing.
There is reason to believe that the threat actors behind CapraRAT continue to rely on dating-themed lures, as one of these packages connected to a YouTube channel named "Piya Sharma" that hosts shorts depicting women in various locales.
It has also been confirmed that the newest CapraRAT versions can modify device files, override system settings (e.g., GPS, network, etc.), take screenshots, block and send SMSes, and make phone calls. Since these variants are capable of sending text messages and making calls, they could operate as Toll Fraud malware.
More information on these developments can be found in an article by Alex Delamotte on the SentinelLabs website.
Quick menu:
- Introduction
- How to delete browsing history from the Chrome web browser?
- How to disable browser notifications in the Chrome web browser?
- How to reset the Chrome web browser?
- How to delete browsing history from the Firefox web browser?
- How to disable browser notifications in the Firefox web browser?
- How to reset the Firefox web browser?
- How to uninstall potentially unwanted and/or malicious applications?
- How to boot the Android device in "Safe Mode"?
- How to check the battery usage of various applications?
- How to check the data usage of various applications?
- How to install the latest software updates?
- How to reset the system to its default state?
- How to disable applications that have administrator privileges?
Delete browsing history from the Chrome web browser:
Tap the "Menu" button (three dots on the right-upper corner of the screen) and select "History" in the opened dropdown menu.
Tap "Clear browsing data", select "ADVANCED" tab, choose the time range and data types you want to delete and tap "Clear data".
Disable browser notifications in the Chrome web browser:
Tap the "Menu" button (three dots on the right-upper corner of the screen) and select "Settings" in the opened dropdown menu.
Scroll down until you see "Site settings" option and tap it. Scroll down until you see "Notifications" option and tap it.
Find the websites that deliver browser notifications, tap on them and click "Clear & reset". This will remove permissions granted for these websites to deliver notifications. However, once you visit the same site again, it may ask for a permission again. You can choose whether to give these permissions or not (if you choose to decline the website will go to "Blocked" section and will no longer ask you for the permission).
Reset the Chrome web browser:
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Apps" and tap it.
Scroll down until you find "Chrome" application, select it and tap "Storage" option.
Tap "MANAGE STORAGE", then "CLEAR ALL DATA" and confirm the action by taping "OK". Note that resetting the browser will eliminate all data stored within. This means that all saved logins/passwords, browsing history, non-default settings and other data will be deleted. You will also have to re-login into all websites as well.
Delete browsing history from the Firefox web browser:
Tap the "Menu" button (three dots on the right-upper corner of the screen) and select "History" in the opened dropdown menu.
Scroll down until you see "Clear private data" and tap it. Select data types you want to remove and tap "CLEAR DATA".
Disable browser notifications in the Firefox web browser:
Visit the website that is delivering browser notifications, tap the icon displayed on the left of URL bar (the icon will not necessarily be a "Lock") and select "Edit Site Settings".
In the opened pop-up opt-in the "Notifications" option and tap "CLEAR".
Reset the Firefox web browser:
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Apps" and tap it.
Scroll down until you find "Firefox" application, select it and tap "Storage" option.
Tap "CLEAR DATA" and confirm the action by taping "DELETE". Note that resetting the browser will eliminate all data stored within. This means that all saved logins/passwords, browsing history, non-default settings and other data will be deleted. You will also have to re-login into all websites as well.
Uninstall potentially unwanted and/or malicious applications:
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Apps" and tap it.
Scroll down until you see a potentially unwanted and/or malicious application, select it and tap "Uninstall". If, for some reason, you are unable to remove the selected app (e.g., you are prompted with an error message), you should try using the "Safe Mode".
Boot the Android device in "Safe Mode":
The "Safe Mode" in Android operating system temporarily disables all third-party applications from running. Using this mode is a good way to diagnose and solve various issues (e.g., remove malicious applications that prevent users you from doing so when the device is running "normally").
Push the "Power" button and hold it until you see the "Power off" screen. Tap the "Power off" icon and hold it. After a few seconds the "Safe Mode" option will appear and you'll be able run it by restarting the device.
Check the battery usage of various applications:
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Device maintenance" and tap it.
Tap "Battery" and check the usage of each application. Legitimate/genuine applications are designed to use as low energy as possible in order to provide the best user experience and to save power. Therefore, high battery usage may indicate that the application is malicious.
Check the data usage of various applications:
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Connections" and tap it.
Scroll down until you see "Data usage" and select this option. As with battery, legitimate/genuine applications are designed to minimize data usage as much as possible. This means that huge data usage may indicate presence of malicious application. Note that some malicious applications might be designed to operate when the device is connected to wireless network only. For this reason, you should check both Mobile and Wi-Fi data usage.
If you find an application that uses a lot of data even though you never use it, then we strongly advise you to uninstall it as soon as possible.
Install the latest software updates:
Keeping the software up-to-date is a good practice when it comes to device safety. The device manufacturers are continually releasing various security patches and Android updates in order to fix errors and bugs that can be abused by cyber criminals. An outdated system is way more vulnerable, which is why you should always be sure that your device's software is up-to-date.
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Software update" and tap it.
Tap "Download updates manually" and check if there are any updates available. If so, install them immediately. We also recommend to enable the "Download updates automatically" option - it will enable the system to notify you once an update is released and/or install it automatically.
Reset the system to its default state:
Performing a "Factory Reset" is a good way to remove all unwanted applications, restore system's settings to default and clean the device in general. However, you must keep in mind that all data within the device will be deleted, including photos, video/audio files, phone numbers (stored within the device, not the SIM card), SMS messages, and so forth. In other words, the device will be restored to its primal state.
You can also restore the basic system settings and/or simply network settings as well.
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "About phone" and tap it.
Scroll down until you see "Reset" and tap it. Now choose the action you want to perform:
"Reset settings" - restore all system settings to default;
"Reset network settings" - restore all network-related settings to default;
"Factory data reset" - reset the entire system and completely delete all stored data;
Disable applications that have administrator privileges:
If a malicious application gets administrator-level privileges it can seriously damage the system. To keep the device as safe as possible you should always check what apps have such privileges and disable the ones that shouldn't.
Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Lock screen and security" and tap it.
Scroll down until you see "Other security settings", tap it and then tap "Device admin apps".
Identify applications that should not have administrator privileges, tap them and then tap "DEACTIVATE".
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the biggest issues that malware can cause?
In most cases, victims cannot access files or online accounts, lose money, have their identities stolen, and encounter other issues related to online privacy and browsing safety. It depends on the capabilities of the malware.
What is the purpose of CapraRAT malware?
This Android malware can access the camera, microphone, unique identification number, call logs/history, contact information, victim's phone number, and location information. Also, it can launch the installation packages of other applications.
How did CapraRAT infiltrate my device?
There is a high chance that this malware is delivered via SMS or email (via website links or attachments in messages/emails). Also, it may be distributed via third-party stores, unofficial websites, and other unreliable sources for downloading applications.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from malware?
Combo Cleaner can detect almost all known malware. It scans the operating system and removes all detected threats. Since high-end malware usually hides deep in the system, running a full system scan is required to eliminate it.
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