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What kind of malware is Covert?
Covert is a remote access Trojan (RAT) developed in Rust and typically delivered via spear‑phishing emails. The RAT can perform various malicious tasks on infected devices, allowing cybercriminals to steal information, upload files, and more. If detected on the system, Covert should be removed as soon as possible.
More about Covert
Before running, Covert uses multiple checks to detect virtual machines, sandboxes, and analysis tools. It checks the system manufacturer, scans for known VM registry keys, files, MAC addresses, sandbox paths, and debugging tools, and monitors running processes for analysis software. If any indicator is detected, the malware terminates execution.
After those checks (if none of the indicators are detected), Covert collects system information, including the hostname, username, operating system, and privilege level. It uses WMI and command‑line queries to gather these details and checks privileges by determining whether the user has administrative access.
The RAT then attempts to connect to its control server. It tries different address formats and, if those fail, uses a built‑in backup server. Once connected, it identifies itself so it can receive commands.
The commands Covert supports allow the malware to add entries to Windows startup settings so it runs every time the user logs in. The entries are given names that appear legitimate, such as "security" or "Microsoft software", to avoid suspicion. It also creates scheduled tasks that automatically run the malware, sometimes with high privileges, to ensure persistence.
If the server sends a specific command, the malware can clean up after itself by deleting the startup registry entries and scheduled tasks it created. Furthermore, Covert can receive a command used to steal files from the infected device. The malware collects a file's name, size, and contents and sends them to the threat actor.
Using the upload command, cybercriminals can place files on the victim's device. This is commonly used to deliver additional malware, load malicious DLLs, or run further attack stages. Also, the RAT can activate a credential‑stealing and ransomware module (it can encrypt or decrypt files in a specified folder).
Additionally, Covert attempts to gain administrator privileges by running a PowerShell script that triggers a User Account Control (UAC) prompt. If successful, the malware gains higher access.
| Name | Covert remote access trojan |
| Threat Type | Remote Access Trojan |
| Detection Names | Avast (Script:SNH-gen [Drp]), Combo Cleaner (Trojan.GenericKD.78466139), ESET-NOD32 (PowerShell/TrojanDownloader.Agent.OLJ Trojan), Kaspersky (HEUR:Trojan.BAT.Agent.gen), Microsoft (Trojan:Win32/Alevaul!rfn), Full List (VirusTotal) |
| Symptoms | RATs are designed to stealthily infiltrate the victim's computer and remain silent, and thus no particular symptoms are clearly visible on an infected machine. |
| Possible distribution methods | Infected email attachments, online repositories, social engineering. |
| Damage | Stolen passwords and banking information, identity theft, the victim's computer added to a botnet, file encryption, monetary loss, account hijacking. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) |
To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. Download Combo CleanerTo use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by RCS LT, the parent company of PCRisk.com. |
Conclusion
In conclusion, Covert is a remote access Trojan designed to evade detection, maintain long‑term persistence, and give attackers control over infected systems. The utilized techniques and capabilities make it a serious threat. Victims of Covert may experience issues like monetary loss, account hijacking, additional infections, identity theft, or other outcomes.
Some examples of other RATs are EndRAT, SpecRAT, and MetaRAT.
How did Covert infiltrate my computer?
Cybercriminals use spear‑phishing emails that appear legitimate to deliver the malware. It is known that their targets are mainly people in Argentina's judicial sector. The emails contain a ZIP attachment with three files: a malicious Windows shortcut (.LNK), a batch script (.BAT), and a decoy PDF that seems to be an official document.
When the recipient opens the shortcut file, it appears to be a PDF but actually runs a hidden PowerShell command that executes the .BAT file. That file downloads Covert RAT from a repository (e.g., GitHub), saves it under a name and location that mimics legitimate software, and executes it.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Be cautious when dealing with unsolicited emails or messages, and avoid opening attachments or clicking links, especially if they come from unknown senders. Regularly install updates for the operating system and installed apps, and perform scans with a reputable security solution.
Download software only from official websites or trusted app stores, and stay away from pirated software, cracks, and keygens. Also, steer clear of suspicious websites, do not interact with pop‑ups, ads, or buttons on such pages, and never grant them permission to send notifications.
If you believe that your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
Malicious attachment distributing Covert:
How to remove malware manually?
Most trojan infections can be removed by running a full system scan with Combo Cleaner. The full manual procedure below is for cases where automatic removal failed, where you want to verify a scan caught everything, or where the threat has multiple persistence points.
Disconnect from the network
Unplug your Ethernet cable and turn off Wi-Fi. If you're on a laptop, the airplane-mode key works fastest.
Many trojans exfiltrate data - saved browser passwords, banking sessions, screenshots - and accept remote commands. Cutting the network stops both immediately. Keep it disconnected until Phase 4.
Boot into Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode loads a minimal set of drivers and stops most malware from auto-running. "With Networking" lets you download tools - re-enable Wi-Fi only after you've booted in.
Open . Click Restart now next to Advanced startup.
Your computer will restart into the "Choose an option" menu. Click . After the second reboot, press 5 or F5.
Click the Windows logo, hold Shift, click the Power icon and choose Restart. In the Choose an option screen, click . Press F5.
Windows 8
Go to the Start Screen, type Advanced, select Settings → Advanced startup options → Restart now → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup settings → Restart → F5.
Note: Windows 8 reached end-of-life in January 2023 - running on it puts you at much higher risk of reinfection.
Windows 7
Click Start → Shut Down → Restart → OK. As the system boots, press F8 repeatedly until the Windows Advanced Options menu appears, then choose Safe Mode with Networking.
Note: Windows 7 reached end-of-life in January 2020 - running on it puts you at much higher risk of reinfection.
Inspect running processes with Process Explorer
Download Process Explorer from Microsoft Sysinternals. Run it as Administrator. Click and .
Sort by "Verified Signer." Anything unsigned running from %AppData%, %LocalAppData%, %Temp%, or %ProgramData% is suspicious. Right-click → Properties to see the full image path. Right-click → "Search Online" to look up unfamiliar process names.
Task Manager hides full file paths, doesn't show digital signatures, and groups processes in ways that make malware easy to miss. Process Explorer is the same tool Microsoft engineers use.
Map every persistence point with Autoruns
Download Autoruns. Right-click Autoruns.exe and choose Run as administrator - without elevation, Autoruns can't inspect protected registry hives.
In the menu, open and , then click Refresh.
Modern trojans don't just live in startup. Walk through these tabs and look for unsigned or unfamiliar entries:
- Logon - classic Run/RunOnce keys
- Scheduled Tasks - frequent hiding spot, especially tasks with PowerShell, MSHTA, or rundll32 actions
- Services - unsigned services in non-Microsoft folders
- WMI - Event Subscriptions are a stealthy persistence mechanism (MITRE T1546.003)
- Image Hijacks - Image File Execution Options "Debugger" abuse
- AppInit - DLLs loaded into every GUI process
- Browser plug-ins - unsigned add-ons across all installed browsers
Right-click any suspicious entry → "Jump to Image" to see the actual file. Right-click → "Search Online" opens VirusTotal for the file hash. Don't delete yet - just write down the file paths and entry names. We'll remove them after the scans.
Check the hosts file and DNS settings
Trojans often redirect bank, antivirus, and update domains to attacker-controlled servers by editing the hosts file or DNS settings.
Hosts file: Open Notepad as Administrator and open C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts. Legitimate entries are commented with #. Any uncommented IP-to-domain mapping is suspicious - especially redirects for microsoft.com, windowsupdate, or your bank.
DNS settings: Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run ipconfig /all. Confirm your DNS servers point to your ISP, your router, or a known public resolver (Cloudflare 1.1.1.1, Google 8.8.8.8). Then open and verify both DNS and DNS over HTTPS (DoH) settings haven't been hijacked.
A clean PC with hijacked DNS is still a compromised PC. You'll think you're at chase.com and you'll be at the attacker's clone.
No single antivirus catches everything. The order below is intentional: offline scan first (catches rootkits before Windows fully loads), then on-demand scanners on the running system, then manual cleanup of anything they missed.
Run Microsoft Defender Offline
Reboot to normal Windows. Open . Select Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan) and click Scan now. Your computer will restart into a stripped-down environment and scan before the full operating system loads.
Rootkits and bootkits hide from any scanner running on the same Windows session that's already infected. A pre-boot offline scan sees the disk before the malware can hide itself.
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Download Combo CleanerRun Combo Cleaner full system scan
Install Combo Cleaner and run a full system scan (not the quick scan). Let it complete fully, review the detected threats, and apply the recommended actions. Combo Cleaner will quarantine known trojans and registry persistence.
Run Microsoft Safety Scanner as a second-opinion scan
Download Microsoft Safety Scanner (MSERT.exe), Microsoft's free on-demand tool. The binary expires every 10 days, which means every download has the latest signatures. Run a full scan after Combo Cleaner to catch anything one engine alone might miss.
Different scanning engines catch different threats. Running an additional Microsoft scan after Combo Cleaner is the single most underused verification step in malware removal.
Manually remove anything still listed in Autoruns
Reopen Autoruns. Anything you flagged in Step 4 that's still present hasn't been caught by the automated scans. For each remaining suspicious entry: right-click → Delete in Autoruns (this removes the persistence registration), then navigate to the file path and delete the actual file. Empty the Recycle Bin.
Some malware files reappear after deletion because something else on the system recreates them. If you delete a file and it returns within minutes, you have a remaining persistence point that Autoruns didn't show - usually a service or scheduled task running under SYSTEM. Re-run the scans from Steps 6-8 or proceed to a clean install (see end of guide).
Reset browsers and clear notification permissions
Trojans and adware frequently hijack browsers - change the default search engine, install rogue extensions, or grant themselves notification permissions to keep displaying scam pop-ups even after the malware is gone.
- Chrome: visit
chrome://settings/resetand click "Restore settings to their original defaults." Then visitchrome://settings/content/notificationsand remove any unfamiliar sites. - Edge: visit
edge://settings/reset. Then checkedge://settings/content/notifications. - Firefox: open
about:supportand click Refresh Firefox (Firefox uses "Refresh," not "Reset"). Then check Settings → Privacy & Security → Permissions → Notifications.
Review installed extensions in each browser and remove anything you don't recognize, especially extensions you didn't install yourself.
Re-enable Defender, Tamper Protection, and update everything
Many trojans disable security software. Open and confirm Real-time protection, Cloud-delivered protection, and Tamper Protection are all turned on. Tamper Protection prevents malware from disabling Defender silently.
Then run Windows Update () and update your browsers and applications. The infection vector that let the trojan in originally usually involves outdated software.
Change passwords from a clean device
If the trojan was an info-stealer (Lumma, RedLine, Vidar, and similar are extremely common), assume every password saved in your browser is compromised. Change them from a different, known-clean device - your phone is fine if it's not infected.
Recommended order:
- Primary email first - it's the recovery hub for everything else
- Banking and financial accounts
- Password manager master password (if you use one)
- Social media, shopping, and remaining accounts
Where available, enable phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (passkeys / FIDO2 hardware keys / authenticator apps) - SMS-based MFA is bypassable by sophisticated attackers.
Verify the clean and monitor for 7 days
Reconnect to the network and run one final full scan with Combo Cleaner. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and switch to the Startup apps tab - confirm nothing suspicious has reappeared.
Over the next 7 days, watch for symptom recurrence: unexpected high CPU usage, unknown processes returning, browser redirects, or pop-ups. If anything returns, you missed a persistence point and the procedure needs to be repeated - or you may have a deeper compromise that requires a clean install.
When to clean install Windows instead
Manual removal isn't always the right answer. Reinstalling Windows from scratch is the only way to be 100% certain when:
- The malware reappears after every removal attempt
- A bootkit or UEFI rootkit was detected (this class of threat sits below the operating system and survives a normal Windows reinstall)
- A confirmed credential-theft trojan ran with administrator privileges (Lumma, RedLine, Vidar) - the system likely has multiple unknown payloads
- The PC is used for online banking, business email, or anything where partial doubt isn't acceptable
A clean install is a 30-60 minute process: Windows 11 reinstall via . Back up documents to external storage first, scan the backup with Combo Cleaner before restoring it, and reinstall applications fresh - never restore them from a backup of the infected system.
Important: Manual removal requires advanced computer skills. If you're not confident identifying system files from malicious files, run an automated scan with Combo Cleaner and Windows Defender and stop there - that path catches the vast majority of consumer trojans without the risk of breaking Windows by deleting the wrong file.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
My computer is infected with Covert malware, should I format my storage device to get rid of it?
Formatting your storage device will remove Covert, but this will also erase all your files. As a safer alternative, you can use security tools like Combo Cleaner, which can eliminate malware like Covert without deleting your data.
What are the biggest issues that malware can cause?
Malware can be used to steal sensitive information like passwords and financial data, encrypt files, execute other malicious software, grant attackers remote access to a device, mine cryptocurrency, and more.
What is the purpose of Covert?
The purpose of Covert is to give attackers remote control over infected systems. It is designed to quietly collect information, maintain persistence, upload and download files, escalate privileges, and deploy additional malware such as credential stealers or ransomware.
How did Covert infiltrate my computer?
Covert typically infiltrates systems through emails. These emails contain a malicious attachment (often a ZIP file) that includes a disguised shortcut file (.LNK) designed to look like a legitimate document, such as a PDF. When the attachment is opened, the shortcut silently runs hidden commands that download and execute the Covert RAT in the background.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from malware?
Yes, Combo Cleaner can detect and remove nearly all known malware. However, advanced threats often hide deep within the system, so it is essential to run a full system scan.
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Tomas Meskauskas
Expert security researcher, professional malware analyst
I am passionate about computer security and technology. I have an experience of over 10 years working in various companies related to computer technical issue solving and Internet security. I have been working as an author and editor for pcrisk.com since 2010. Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay informed about the latest online security threats.
PCrisk security portal is brought by a company RCS LT.
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