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WebSocket RAT remote access trojan with WebSocket C2

Malware Activity
First reported
Last updated
Happening score
H score 16
1 unique sources, 1 articles

Summary

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On October 8, 2025, a WebSocket RAT was delivered through the PhantomCaptcha phishing chain, giving operators remote command execution and data exfiltration capability on compromised Windows hosts. The malware’s WebSocket C2 and staged PowerShell execution make the payload a flexible backdoor for interactive post-compromise control. The activity also raised the risk of additional malware deployment after initial access.

Related Happenings

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Malware Activity
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Campaign
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Malware Activity
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ShadowPad malware deployed via WSUS exploitation

Malware Activity
First: 24.11.2025 09:18 Last: 24.11.2025 09:18 Sources 1

About this happening: **ShadowPad** was **downloaded and installed** on **Windows Server WSUS** systems after attackers exploited **CVE-2025-59287**, extending the impact of the flaw beyond initial acc...

Timeline

  1. 22.10.2025 19:55 1 articles · 7mo ago

    PhantomCaptcha infrastructure prepared with domain registration

    Campaign Scope Update

    On March 27, 2025, attackers registered goodhillsenterprise[.]com and used it to serve obfuscated PowerShell malware scripts, indicating campaign preparation before the later phishing activity against Ukraine war relief targets.

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  2. 22.10.2025 19:55 2 articles · 7mo ago

    PhantomCaptcha phishing delivers WebSocket RAT through fake Zoom and Cloudflare pages

    Exploitation Observed

    On October 8, 2025, phishing emails impersonated the Ukrainian President's Office and delivered a booby-trapped PDF that redirected victims to zoomconference[.]app and a fake Cloudflare CAPTCHA page, where malicious PowerShell execution led to a staged downloader, second-stage reconnaissance, and a WebSocket RAT using wss://bsnowcommunications[.]com:80 for command-and-control.

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  3. 22.10.2025 19:55 1 articles · 7mo ago

    Researchers disclose PhantomCaptcha spear-phishing campaign and WebSocket RAT

    Initial Disclosure

    On October 22, 2025, security researchers disclosed PhantomCaptcha as a coordinated spear-phishing campaign against organizations linked to Ukraine's war relief efforts, describing a remote access trojan with WebSocket command-and-control, arbitrary command execution, data exfiltration, and potential additional malware deployment.

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