In a detailed report by Cyfirma, researchers have uncovered a Python-based Remote Access Trojan (RAT) that leverages Discord as its command-and-control (C2) platform. This malware, deceptively crafted as a benign Python script, is capable of executing a wide range of malicious operations — from exfiltrating system information to crashing systems with a simulated Blue Screen of Death (BSOD).
“The malware analyzed in this report is a Python-based Remote Access Trojan (RAT) that utilizes Discord as a command-and-control (C2) platform,” Cyfirma explains. “Disguised as a benign script, it leverages built-in Python libraries and a Discord bot interface to execute a wide range of malicious operations.”
Discord, originally designed as a communication tool for gaming and communities, has become an attractive medium for cybercriminals due to its permissive network access and encrypted traffic. Cyfirma notes: “It takes advantage of the permissive network environments in which Discord traffic is typically unfiltered, and it employs widely available Python libraries that blend into benign system activity.”
This makes the RAT difficult to detect, particularly in environments where Discord is used for legitimate purposes.
The Python-based RAT is not particularly sophisticated in terms of evasion, but its simplicity and modularity make it highly dangerous. Once installed, it grants attackers a disturbing level of control over infected systems:
- Screen Locking: Using the
tkinterlibrary, it creates an unclosable fullscreen window, blocking user access. - Visual Disruption: An animated spiral pattern is displayed to further disorient users.
- BSOD Simulation: Perhaps its most destructive feature, the malware can invoke a Windows system fault: “It uses ctypes.windll.ntdll to call the undocumented Windows functions RtlAdjustPrivilege and NtRaiseHardError… resulting in a BSOD. This is essentially a simulated kernel panic, which crashes the system without warning and may result in data loss.”
- Mouse Interference: Using
pyautogui, the script randomly moves the mouse pointer, sabotaging user interaction. - Information Exfiltration: The RAT collects usernames, hostnames, IP addresses, and detailed geolocation data (down to city and GPS coordinates) and sends it back to the attacker’s Discord channel.
All of these malicious functionalities are conveniently triggered through simple button clicks on Discord: “From the Discord channel, attackers can click interactive buttons labeled with actions like ‘Block Screen,’ ‘Trigger BSOD,’ and ‘Mess with Mouse.’ When clicked, these send commands to the bot, which immediately invokes the corresponding Python function on the victim’s machine.”
This seamless integration reduces the technical barrier for attackers, allowing even low-skilled threat actors to execute disruptive attacks effortlessly.
The RAT weaponizes common Python libraries — pyautogui, tkinter, ctypes, requests, and discord — all of which are normally benign and widely used in legitimate applications. By doing so, it blends malicious behavior with legitimate system activity, making static analysis much more difficult.
The malware also ensures persistence by stealthily copying itself into the Windows Startup folder, masquerading under the name “WindowsCrashHandaler.exe”: “The use of a name resembling a system component is intended to evade user detection and administrator scrutiny.”
The increasing use of platforms like Discord for cyber operations underscores a growing challenge for defenders. As Cyfirma warns: “The increasing reliance on communication platforms like Discord for both personal and professional use has created a new attack surface for cybercriminals.”