How to remove the Mirax RAT trojan from Android

What kind of malware is Mirax RAT?

Mirax RAT is a Remote Access Trojan targeting Android devices. First analyzed by the Cleafy Threat Intelligence Team in March 2026, it primarily focuses on Spanish-speaking users and is designed to spy on victims, steal sensitive data, and silently route internet traffic through infected phones.

Mirax RAT malware overview

Mirax is an Android Remote Access Trojan first analyzed by the Cleafy Threat Intelligence Team in March 2026. It targets users in Spanish-speaking regions, with Spain identified as the primary country of interest. Over 182 applications are in its crosshairs, mostly Spanish banking institutions, cryptocurrency platforms, and finance apps.

Mirax is distributed through paid advertisements on Meta platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. These ads reportedly reached over 200,000 accounts and directed victims to download fake applications from sources outside the official Google Play Store.

The malware uses a two-stage dropper mechanism protected by a commercial packer called GoldCrypt. This packer uses RC4 and XOR encryption to conceal the actual payload, making it significantly harder for security software to detect. Files are stored in deeply nested folders using unusual characters to further complicate analysis.

Once installed, Mirax prompts the victim to enable Accessibility Services. With this permission granted, the malware can monitor and control virtually everything on the device without the user's awareness. It also injects malicious overlays built with HTML and JavaScript on top of legitimate banking and finance apps to steal login credentials as the user types them.

One of Mirax's most distinctive capabilities is turning an infected device into a residential SOCKS5 proxy node. Using a multiplexing protocol, the malware routes other attackers' traffic through the victim's phone and internet connection. This makes fraudulent transactions appear to originate from a real home address, helping bypass bank fraud detection systems.

Mirax communicates with its command-and-control server through encrypted WebSocket connections. The malware supports over 80 remote commands, giving attackers real-time control: live screen viewing, camera activation, remote tapping and swiping, fake lock screen display, and notification injection.

Beyond remote control, Mirax also functions as spyware. It intercepts SMS messages, including one-time passwords used for two-factor authentication, making it possible to bypass security measures on banking apps. It also logs keystrokes and can capture the device screen at any time.

Mirax operates under a private Malware-as-a-Service model, with developers limiting access to trusted affiliates. Daily rotation of hosted file hashes helps the malware evade detection systems that rely on known file signatures.

It has to be mentioned that malware developers often improve upon their software and methodologies. Hence, potential future iterations of Mirax could have additional or different functionalities and features.

In summary, the presence of software like Mirax RAT on a device can lead to multiple system infections, serious privacy violations, significant financial losses, and identity theft.

Remote access trojan examples

Mirax RAT stands out due to its residential proxy functionality and broad surveillance capabilities. That said, it is far from the only Android RAT in circulation. Other examples include Oblivion, Arsink, and Cellik.

Regardless of the specific malware family, the end goal is usually the same: gain unauthorized access to victims' devices to steal data, commit financial fraud, or exploit the device for other criminal purposes. Any app that requests Accessibility Services or administrator privileges without a clear reason should be treated with serious suspicion.

How did Mirax RAT infiltrate my device?

Mirax has primarily been spread through paid advertisements on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Clicking these ads leads users to websites offering fake apps, such as an illegal sports streaming service or a video player, that are not available on the official Google Play Store.

The fake apps instruct users to allow installation from unknown sources and grant Accessibility Services permissions. These are common social engineering tactics used to trick users into handing over control of their devices. Downloading apps from unofficial sources and granting broad permissions to unknown applications are the two biggest risk factors.

How to avoid installation of malware?

Only download applications from the official Google Play Store or verified developer websites. Be cautious with social media advertisements that promote apps or offer free streaming services, as these are a common delivery method for Android malware. Always review app permissions before installation.

Keep your device's operating system and all applications up to date. Use a reputable mobile security solution to scan for threats in real time. If an app requests Accessibility Services, administrator privileges, or other sensitive permissions without a clear and obvious reason, do not grant them.

Screenshot of a fake streaming application used to distribute Mirax RAT (the page is in Spanish and instructs the user to grant permissions for installing apps from unknown sources) - source: cleafy.com:

Quick menu:

• Introduction
• How to delete browsing history from the Chrome web browser?
• How to disable browser notifications in the Chrome web browser?
• How to reset the Chrome web browser?
• How to delete browsing history from the Firefox web browser?
• How to disable browser notifications in the Firefox web browser?
• How to reset the Firefox web browser?
• How to uninstall potentially unwanted and/or malicious applications?
• How to boot the Android device in "Safe Mode"?
• How to check the battery usage of various applications?
• How to check the data usage of various applications?
• How to install the latest software updates?
• How to reset the system to its default state?
• How to disable applications that have administrator privileges?

Delete browsing history from the Chrome web browser:

Tap the "Menu" button (three dots on the right-upper corner of the screen) and select "History" in the opened dropdown menu.

Tap "Clear browsing data", select "ADVANCED" tab, choose the time range and data types you want to delete and tap "Clear data".

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Disable browser notifications in the Chrome web browser:

Tap the "Menu" button (three dots on the right-upper corner of the screen) and select "Settings" in the opened dropdown menu.

Scroll down until you see "Site settings" option and tap it. Scroll down until you see "Notifications" option and tap it.

Find the websites that deliver browser notifications, tap on them and click "Clear & reset". This will remove permissions granted for these websites to deliver notifications. However, once you visit the same site again, it may ask for a permission again. You can choose whether to give these permissions or not (if you choose to decline the website will go to "Blocked" section and will no longer ask you for the permission).

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Reset the Chrome web browser:

Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Apps" and tap it.

Scroll down until you find "Chrome" application, select it and tap "Storage" option.

Tap "MANAGE STORAGE", then "CLEAR ALL DATA" and confirm the action by taping "OK". Note that resetting the browser will eliminate all data stored within. This means that all saved logins/passwords, browsing history, non-default settings and other data will be deleted. You will also have to re-login into all websites as well.

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Delete browsing history from the Firefox web browser:

Tap the "Menu" button (three dots on the right-upper corner of the screen) and select "History" in the opened dropdown menu.

Scroll down until you see "Clear private data" and tap it. Select data types you want to remove and tap "CLEAR DATA".

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Disable browser notifications in the Firefox web browser:

Visit the website that is delivering browser notifications, tap the icon displayed on the left of URL bar (the icon will not necessarily be a "Lock") and select "Edit Site Settings".

In the opened pop-up opt-in the "Notifications" option and tap "CLEAR".

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Reset the Firefox web browser:

Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Apps" and tap it.

Scroll down until you find "Firefox" application, select it and tap "Storage" option.

Tap "CLEAR DATA" and confirm the action by taping "DELETE". Note that resetting the browser will eliminate all data stored within. This means that all saved logins/passwords, browsing history, non-default settings and other data will be deleted. You will also have to re-login into all websites as well.

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Uninstall potentially unwanted and/or malicious applications:

Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Apps" and tap it.

Scroll down until you see a potentially unwanted and/or malicious application, select it and tap "Uninstall". If, for some reason, you are unable to remove the selected app (e.g., you are prompted with an error message), you should try using the "Safe Mode".

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Boot the Android device in "Safe Mode":

The "Safe Mode" in Android operating system temporarily disables all third-party applications from running. Using this mode is a good way to diagnose and solve various issues (e.g., remove malicious applications that prevent users you from doing so when the device is running "normally").

Push the "Power" button and hold it until you see the "Power off" screen. Tap the "Power off" icon and hold it. After a few seconds the "Safe Mode" option will appear and you'll be able run it by restarting the device.

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Check the battery usage of various applications:

Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Device maintenance" and tap it.

Tap "Battery" and check the usage of each application. Legitimate/genuine applications are designed to use as low energy as possible in order to provide the best user experience and to save power. Therefore, high battery usage may indicate that the application is malicious.

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Check the data usage of various applications:

Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Connections" and tap it.

Scroll down until you see "Data usage" and select this option. As with battery, legitimate/genuine applications are designed to minimize data usage as much as possible. This means that huge data usage may indicate presence of malicious application. Note that some malicious applications might be designed to operate when the device is connected to wireless network only. For this reason, you should check both Mobile and Wi-Fi data usage.

If you find an application that uses a lot of data even though you never use it, then we strongly advise you to uninstall it as soon as possible.

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Install the latest software updates:

Keeping the software up-to-date is a good practice when it comes to device safety. The device manufacturers are continually releasing various security patches and Android updates in order to fix errors and bugs that can be abused by cyber criminals. An outdated system is way more vulnerable, which is why you should always be sure that your device's software is up-to-date.

Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Software update" and tap it.

Tap "Download updates manually" and check if there are any updates available. If so, install them immediately. We also recommend to enable the "Download updates automatically" option - it will enable the system to notify you once an update is released and/or install it automatically.

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Reset the system to its default state:

Performing a "Factory Reset" is a good way to remove all unwanted applications, restore system's settings to default and clean the device in general. However, you must keep in mind that all data within the device will be deleted, including photos, video/audio files, phone numbers (stored within the device, not the SIM card), SMS messages, and so forth. In other words, the device will be restored to its primal state.

You can also restore the basic system settings and/or simply network settings as well.

Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "About phone" and tap it.

Scroll down until you see "Reset" and tap it. Now choose the action you want to perform:
"Reset settings" - restore all system settings to default;
"Reset network settings" - restore all network-related settings to default;
"Factory data reset" - reset the entire system and completely delete all stored data;

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Disable applications that have administrator privileges:

If a malicious application gets administrator-level privileges it can seriously damage the system. To keep the device as safe as possible you should always check what apps have such privileges and disable the ones that shouldn't.

Go to "Settings", scroll down until you see "Lock screen and security" and tap it.

Scroll down until you see "Other security settings", tap it and then tap "Device admin apps".

Identify applications that should not have administrator privileges, tap them and then tap "DEACTIVATE".

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

My Android device is infected with Mirax RAT malware, should I format my storage device to get rid of it?

Formatting is not typically required. Running a reputable mobile antivirus such as Combo Cleaner should be sufficient to detect and remove Mirax RAT from your device without losing all of your data.

What are the biggest issues that Mirax RAT malware can cause?

Mirax RAT can give attackers full remote control over your device, letting them view your screen live, activate your camera, and intercept SMS messages including banking one-time passwords.

It also injects fake login screens over real banking apps to steal credentials, and turns your phone into a residential proxy, meaning your internet connection can be used to conduct fraud on behalf of criminals.

What is the purpose of Mirax RAT malware?

Most malware attacks are financially motivated. In the case of Mirax RAT, the primary goals appear to be banking fraud, credential theft, and monetizing infected devices as proxy nodes for other criminal operations.

How did Mirax RAT malware infiltrate my Android device?

Mirax RAT is most commonly distributed through social media advertisements on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These ads direct users to websites offering fake streaming or media player apps that must be installed from outside the official app store.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from malware?

Combo Cleaner can detect and eliminate nearly all known malware infections. It is important to run a complete system scan, as sophisticated threats like Mirax RAT may hide deep within the device's storage.