What is Malware Analysis?

Malware analysis is the method of learning how malware works and if there are any possible adverse outcomes of a given malware. Malware code can vary drastically, and it’s important to know that malware can have numerous functionalities, such as different viruses, worms, spyware, and Trojan horses. Each type of malware collects information about the affected device shorn of the knowledge, or approval of the user.

Incident response programs try to restrict the damage of a security break or attack, in addition to the cost of recovery. Whether managed by a devoted internal team or a reliable security partner, incident response programs are key to an effective security approach. Incident response comprises numerous elements, but malware analysis is one explicit realm of security that has become extremely advantageous to the process.

In this day and age, malware can be extremely sophisticated, targeted and multifaceted, as well as commercialized and accessible for prevalent attacks. Since malware is the key to so many security breaches, malware analysis is a significant factor of an incident response program. Malware helps responders comprehend the degree of a malware-centric event and swiftly recognize additional hosts or systems that could be impacted. 

Types of Malware Analysis

Static Analysis

Also called static code analysis, Static Analysis is a process of software debugging without performing the code or program. Simply put, it examines the malware without examining the code or performing the program. The methods of static analysis can be applied on numerous depictions of a program. The methods and tools promptly determine whether a file is of malicious intent or not. Then the information on its functionality and other technical pointers help produce its simple names. The source code helps static analysis applications find memory corruption flaws and verify the accuracy of models of the given system.

Dynamic Analysis

The dynamic analysis runs malware to observe its conduct, learn its functionality and identify technical pointers. When all these details are acquired, they are used in the finding signatures. The technical indicators revealed may include IP addresses, domain names, file path sites, supplementary files, registry keys, on the network or computer. Moreover, it will recognize and find the communication with the external server controlled by an attacker. The objective to do so may involve focusing on the command and control purposes or to download extra malware files.

Threat Analysis

The threat analysis is a continuing process that helps recognize paradigms of malicious software. With hackers frequently restoring network setup, it is clear to ignore the tools continuously being used and updated by these several actors. Starting with malicious program family examination, this procedure is focused on charting flaws, exploits, network infrastructure, supplementary malware, and rivals.

Use Cases for Malware Analysis

Computer security incident management

If an organization thinks that malware may have infiltrated into its system, the situation will be responded to by a dedicated team. Then, they will seek to do malware examination on any possibly malicious files that are exposed. This will then ascertain if it is indeed malware, and if so, what its type is, and what effect it might have on the systems of certain companies.

Malware research

Academic or industry setting where malware academics perform malware examination creates the best understanding of how malware functions and the latest methods used in its formation.

Indicator of compromise (IOC) extraction

Vendors of software solutions and products may carry out bulk malware analysis in order to find possible new indicators of negotiation which will then help the organizations to protect themselves against malware attacks.

Value of Malware Analysis for Effective Incident Response

Malware analysis is pertinent to all stages of incident response. As incident response planning and preparation occur, organizations ought to consider whether their teams have suitably trained and armed responders who can swiftly and successfully perform malware analysis. companies could strive to recognize malware as the major problem of an incident, and may also take longer to control events or fail to entirely appreciate and eliminate malware from their networks, causing enormous damage and loss over a period of time.

Malware Analysis and Post-Incident Activity

While post-incident activity is often an ignored stage of the incident response procedure, it is doubtless the most important one. This phase entails that information obtained by malware analysis should be chronicled and included in the incident synopsis reports or discrete malware analysis papers for propagation. The information should be used to help avoid future malware-centric incidents of identical nature. Sharing information about the event and its evaluation with apt business units in the organization can also help ensure others are cognizant of the threats and extenuation efforts and help reinforce the abilities to protect against future threats.

Conclusion

Every individual and organization is prone to the threat of malwares, which have become an effective tool to harm, destroy and incur massive losses not only limited to individuals but also to highly e-secured environment of organizations.

The misuse of computer programs is being envisaged as the next threat to information storing and sharing. A comprehensive research in discovery, evaluating, identification, revamping, eliminating of malwares is vital to explore this undiscovered field. Therefore, cybercrime needs to be methodically and accurately conducted similar to a murder investigation. A few years ago, digital investigators could easily discover and evaluate malicious code on computer systems owing to the malware functionality which was easily noticeable; therefore, little effort was needed to carry out in-depth examination of the code. Today, however, the situation is much different and systems are more secure. The results of malware analysis must be precise and demonstrable, to the level that they can be relied on as proof in an inquiry or trial.

Malware analysis, together with event log analysis, is a crucial element of incident response. The blend can provide organizations with the tools required to recognize and respond to threats as they emerge. Early recognition of a security incident, as well as scientific data about the event, can considerably decrease the time between incident identification and extenuation.