A dangerous new malware is circulating on the Internet that can steal user data. Called PY#RATION, it can masquerade as the Windows voice assistant Cortana. The virus infects the user’s computer through phishing emails and leaves executable files hidden in system shortcuts, making identification difficult.

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It’s always a good idea to be careful with Windows to avoid problems with your laptop/computer. Data security platform Securonix has been investigating malware since August 2022. PY#RATION can perform data extraction and keylogging. The virus arrives in the user’s email as a supposed client who attaches some documentation. Fake documentation is infected but disguised as real. Below, Securonix has published an example of a fake British driver’s license that got into infected files.

PY#RATION avoids detection and is highly flexible

Unlike some other viruses, PY#RATION uses web sockets to communicate and retrieve data, making it difficult for firewalls and other security tools to detect. The malware is a binary file compiled in Python, which makes it flexible and capable of infecting non-Windows operating systems such as OSX and Linux. According to Securonix, the virus typically infects .zip, .iso, and .img files. But opening an infected file is only the first step in infection.

Once the file is opened, PY#RATION performs a cascade of actions to get the variant of Cortana running on the computer that will be given system priority. According to Securonix, the infected CortanaAssis.bat file is placed in the “%appdata%/Microsoft/Windows/Start Menu/Programs/Startup/CortanaAssist.bat” directory and runs every time the computer is turned on.

There is no information about the creator or creators of the malware yet, but it is important to be careful when opening unknown emails and avoid infecting your machine and subsequent data loss.

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Source: Securonics

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