Malware Handbook
  • Preface
  • Author
  • Prerequisites for Malware
  • Prerequisites for Lab Set-Up
  • Setting Up Labs
  • Download Sample Malware Exercises
  • Intro to Assembly Language
  • Assembly Language Basics
  • Commonly Used Instructions
  • Win32 Assembly Programming
  • PE Format
    • PE32
    • PE32+
  • Malware
    • Types of Malware
    • Malware Classification by Windows Defender
    • Sourcing Malware
  • Malware Development
  • Malware Analysis
    • Malware Analysis Methodologies
      • Static Analysis
        • Static Analysis Tools/Methods
        • Static Analysis of Sample Files
      • Dynamic Analysis
        • Dynamic Analysis Tools/Methods
        • Analyzing Files with Regshot, Process Monitor, and Wireshark
        • Analyzing calc.exe and Network Activity
      • Manual Code Reversing
        • Reverse Engineering Simple Windows Executable Files
        • Reverse Engineering re_lotsastuff.exe
        • Reverse Engineering re_lotsastuff.exe Using Ghidra
      • Analyzing PowerShell Scripts
      • Analyzing JavaScript Samples
        • Analyzing JavaScript in HTML
      • Analyzing Macro Code in Office Documents
      • Setting Up REMnux Environment
        • Setting Up and Configuring FakeNet in REMnux
      • Analyzing an ELF File
      • Analyzing ASPX Webshells
      • Analyzing JAR Files
    • SAMPLE NOTES (of Notes.txt)
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Malware Analysis

Malware analysis is the process of studying malicious software to understand its behavior, functionality, and impact on computer systems. It plays a crucial role in cybersecurity by helping analysts identify, classify, and mitigate malware threats. It is a critical process for understanding and mitigating the ever-evolving landscape of malware threats, requiring a combination of technical skills, tools, and methodologies to effectively analyze and combat malicious software.

Here's a short overview and introduction to malware analysis:

  1. Types of Malware:

    • Viruses: Self-replicating programs that attach themselves to other files or programs.

    • Worms: Standalone malicious programs that replicate and spread across networks.

    • Trojans: Malicious programs disguised as legitimate software.

    • Ransomware: Malware that encrypts files or locks systems, demanding a ransom for decryption or unlocking.

    • Spyware: Software that secretly monitors and collects information about users' activities.

    • Adware: Software that displays unwanted advertisements.

    • Rootkits: Malicious programs that gain unauthorized access and control over a computer system.

  2. Purpose of Malware Analysis:

    • Detection: Identifying and classifying malware to develop effective detection mechanisms.

    • Attribution: Determining the origin and authorship of malware.

    • Reverse Engineering: Analyzing malware code to understand its functionality and behavior.

    • Mitigation: Developing countermeasures and defenses against malware threats.

    • Forensics: Investigating and analyzing malware-related incidents for legal and investigative purposes.

  3. Phases of Malware Analysis:

    • Static Analysis: Examining the properties of malware without executing it, including file metadata, code structure, and embedded resources.

    • Dynamic Analysis: Running malware in a controlled environment to observe its behavior, interactions, and system impact.

    • Code Analysis: Reverse engineering malware code to understand its logic, functions, and algorithms.

    • Behavioral Analysis: Studying the actions and activities of malware during execution, such as file modifications, network communications, and system calls.

    • Memory Analysis: Analyzing the memory of infected systems to identify malware artifacts, processes, and injected code.

  4. Tools and Techniques:

    • Sandboxes: Controlled environments for executing malware safely and capturing its behavior.

    • Disassemblers and Debuggers: Tools for reverse engineering and analyzing malware code.

    • Network Sniffers: Tools for monitoring and capturing network traffic generated by malware.

    • Memory Forensics Tools: Tools for analyzing memory dumps and detecting malware artifacts in RAM.

    • Signature-based and Heuristic Scanners: Antivirus and anti-malware tools for detecting known and unknown malware based on signatures and behavioral patterns.

  5. Challenges and Considerations:

    • Evasion Techniques: Malware authors employ various evasion techniques to evade detection and analysis, such as code obfuscation, anti-debugging, and anti-VM techniques.

    • Resource Intensiveness: Malware analysis can be resource-intensive and time-consuming, especially for sophisticated and complex malware.

    • Legal and Ethical Considerations: Malware analysis should be conducted in compliance with legal and ethical standards, considering privacy, data protection, and intellectual property rights.

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Last updated 1 year ago