Information

Main Classification Remote Access

Historical Events / Facts

2017
DarkComet and the Umbrage Project

Leaked CIA documents published by WikiLeaks revealed that the agency's secretive "Umbrage" team actively collected and studied widespread malware, including the DarkComet RAT.

2015
Kevin Mitnick's DarkComet Live Demonstrations

Renowned hacker and cybersecurity consultant Kevin Mitnick frequently utilized the DarkComet RAT to conduct live hacking demonstrations during his security conferences, and was even willing to purchase the project's source code for his professional needs. One of his most notable public showcases took place at the CeBIT 2015 technology trade fair, where he used the tool to actively demonstrate real-world cyber threats to the audience.

2012
The RAT Weaponized Against Syrian Activists

Syrian government weaponized DarkComet to bypass encrypted communications and surveil activists during the civil war. DarkComet was distributed through malicious Skype messages disguised with a fake Facebook icon, secretly installing itself to monitor citizens and reportedly leading to widespread arrests. Upon discovering his tool was being exploited by the Assad regime for state-sponsored espionage, DarkComet's creator immediately and permanently halted the project's development.

DarkComet RAT Releases

Version Origins Authors Languages Release Date
DarkComet RAT 1.3 logoDarkComet RAT 1.3 France 🇫🇷 DarkCoderSc Nov, 2009
DarkComet RAT 2.0 RC4 logoDarkComet RAT 2.0 RC4 France 🇫🇷 DarkCoderSc Delphi Mar, 2010
DarkComet RAT 2.0 RC7 logoDarkComet RAT 2.0 RC7 France 🇫🇷 DarkCoderSc Assembly, Delphi Jun, 2010
DarkComet RAT 5.3 logoDarkComet RAT 5.3 France 🇫🇷 DarkCoderSc Assembly, Delphi Jun, 2012
DarkComet RAT 5.3.1 logoDarkComet RAT 5.3.1 France 🇫🇷 DarkCoderSc Assembly, Delphi Jun, 2012

Malware Family References