Right now, thousands of computers are infected with malware that hands hackers almost complete control of the machines. Often hidden inside torrents, Remote Administration Tools (RAT) create a server that lets hackers execute malicious code, access users’ files, webcams, and log keystrokes. RATs are nothing new — they’ve been around in multiple guises for well over a decade, but an entire community has developed around the tools, sharing images of “slaves” (the hackers’ name for a user whose computer is infected), tips on how to infect more users, and even in some cases “slave trading” the details of users. Ars Technica has run an extensive piece on RATs, which includes a look at how some developing nations are using the tools for off-the-shelf espionage.
The perverted world of webcam hackers
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