What is NetWire?
NetWire (S0198) is a multi-platform Remote Access Trojan (RAT) used for data theft, often spread through phishing emails. This malware operates silently, giving attackers full, unauthorized control over a victim’s computer.
Its main threat is its powerful surveillance. The RAT can log keystrokes, capture screenshots, and record audio to steal sensitive credentials and financial data. Attackers also use this access to execute commands and deploy additional malware on the system.
How to Defend Against NetWire?
A strong defense against NetWire focuses on preventing initial infection and detecting its command-and-control (C2) traffic.
- Be cautious with email attachments and downloads, which are the primary delivery vectors for this malware.
- Keep operating systems and applications patched to limit the vulnerabilities that can be exploited for initial access.
- Deploy endpoint detection (EDR) to identify and block the execution of known RATs and their associated behaviors.
- Use network detection (NDR) with integrated threat intelligence to spot and block NetWire’s C2 communications.
