What is the main purpose of a Remote Access Trojan (RAT)?

A Remote Access Trojan (RAT) is primarily designed to give attackers the ability to take control of a victim's computer remotely. Once the RAT is installed on the target system, the attacker can exploit this access to perform various malicious activities, such as stealing sensitive data, monitoring user activity, and executing commands on the compromised machine without the user’s consent.

In many cases, the RAT can operate without the victim being aware of its presence, allowing the attacker to gain persistent access and control over the system. This capability makes RATs particularly dangerous, as they can be used for espionage, data theft, and other malicious actions that can cause significant harm to individuals or organizations.

While some of the other options mention actions that may occur as a result of a malware infection (such as advertising or information gathering), the defining characteristic of a RAT is its ability to provide an attacker with remote control of the infected system.