Nanocore
Overview
NanoCore is a modular remote access tool developed in .NET that, per MITRE ATT&CK, can be used to spy on victims and steal information, and has been used by threat actors since 2013. Marketed originally as a remote-administration product, it was widely abused; its author was prosecuted, but cracked builds continued to circulate. Its plugin architecture supports a broad range of surveillance and data-theft capabilities.
Known aliases
Threat reports may refer to this family under multiple names:
MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
This family has been observed using the following ATT&CK techniques: T1059.003 T1056.001 T1113 T1496 T1041 T1547.001
Tactical Mitigations
Based on the techniques used by this family, consider the following defensive strategies:
- T1056.001: Implement Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) to monitor for suspicious API calls related to keystroke interception. Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to render stolen passwords useless.
- T1059.003: Restrict execution of Windows Command Shell (cmd.exe) and block unauthorized batch scripts.
- T1113: Monitor for frequent or unauthorized screen captures or clipboard reads. Restrict background applications from accessing desktop APIs.
Generated Detections (Boilerplate)
These YARA and Sigma rules are auto-generated based on the family name and aliases. They must be heavily tuned before deployment in a production environment.
YARA Rule
rule MALWARE_WIN_NANOCORE {
meta:
description = "Detects Nanocore (rat)"
author = "SystemHelpdesk Boilerplate Generator"
date = "2026-07-06"
strings:
$s1 = "nanocore" ascii wide nocase
$s2 = "nanocore" ascii wide nocase
condition:
uint16(0) == 0x5a4d and any of them
}Sigma Rule
title: Suspicious Nanocore Activity
id: d98e0313121270011bcbe8c6d3921a12
status: experimental
description: Detects generic indicators of the nanocore malware family.
logsource:
category: process_creation
product: windows
detection:
selection:
Image|endswith:
- '\cmd.exe'
- '\powershell.exe'
CommandLine|contains:
- "*nanocore*"
- "*nanocore*"
condition: selection
level: mediumReferences & External Analysis
- MITRE ATT&CK: NanoCore (S0336)
- Search "nanocore" on VirusTotal (External Analysis)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is NanoCore?
A modular .NET remote access tool, used by threat actors since 2013, capable of spying on victims and stealing information.
Is NanoCore legitimate software?
It was marketed as remote-administration software but became widely abused as a RAT; its developer was prosecuted for facilitating malicious use.
What can NanoCore do once installed?
Through its plugin system it can provide remote control, keylogging, credential theft, and surveillance such as webcam access.
How is NanoCore delivered?
Commonly through phishing emails carrying malicious attachments or downloaders.
Why does NanoCore keep appearing despite the prosecution?
Cracked versions of the builder circulated publicly, so many different actors continue to deploy their own variants.
How do I reduce the risk of RATs like NanoCore?
Be cautious with email attachments and downloads, keep endpoint protection updated, and avoid pirated software that often bundles such tools.
Where is the authoritative reference?
MITRE ATT&CK's NanoCore entry (S0336), linked on this page.
How do I remove the Nanocore Rat from Windows?
Manual removal of Nanocore is highly discouraged as it may leave persistence mechanisms intact. We recommend disconnecting the device from the internet and utilizing a professional incident response service or enterprise-grade EDR software to conduct a full forensic sweep.
Is Nanocore a virus or a Rat?
Nanocore is classified as a Rat. Unlike traditional viruses that infect files, modern malware like Nanocore typically operates as a standalone payload designed to compromise systems, steal data, or deploy secondary stage implants.
What are the main symptoms of a Nanocore infection?
Symptoms of Nanocore can include unexpected system slowness, unauthorized outbound network traffic to unknown IP addresses, disabled security software, and suspicious background processes running from AppData or Temp directories.
Related Families (Category: rat)
Explore other malware families in the same category:
Protect Your Network Against Rats
Want to prevent Nanocore and similar threats from compromising your organization? Read our comprehensive defensive guide: Backdoor & RAT Protection.
Machine-readable
Get this profile as JSON: https://jordan123234-malware-families-explorer.static.hf.space/api/nanocore.json
Ecosystem & Interactive Environments
This profile is part of the Malware Families Catalog, a public dataset of 2,899 malware families. The catalog is also published across our ecosystem: Hugging Face, Kaggle, Zenodo, Replit, StackBlitz, CodeSandbox, and CodePen.