Malware Analysis – Investigate Malware with Static and Dynamic Analysis

As cyber threats continue to evolve, attackers are using more advanced techniques to evade detection by traditional security measures. Malware is one of the most common and effective tools used by attackers to compromise systems and steal sensitive information. As such, it is crucial for organizations to have a thorough understanding of malware threats and how to identify them. In this article, I will discuss the importance of static and dynamic analysis in identifying malware threats.

Understanding Malware Threats

Malware refers to any software that is designed to harm, exploit or compromise a computer system without the user’s knowledge or consent. Malware can take many forms, including viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, and spyware. The impact of malware can range from minor annoyances, such as unwanted pop-ups, to serious security breaches, such as data theft and system crashes.

The consequences of a malware infection can be devastating. A malware infection can result in lost revenue, reputational damage, legal liability, and worse. Therefore, it is essential for organizations to take proactive measures and investigate malware to protect themselves. 

What is Static Analysis?

Static analysis is a method of examining software code without actually executing it. This type of analysis involves scrutinizing the code for potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers and picking apart binaries to see what their architecture is and if they’re obfuscated, encrypted or packed. Static analysis can be performed manually or using automated tools.

Static analysis can help identify potential security flaws in software code as well, such as buffer overflows, SQL injection, and cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities. By identifying these vulnerabilities, organizations can take steps to remediate them before they are exploited by attackers.

How Static Analysis Helps Identify Malware Threats

Static analysis is a valuable tool in identifying malware threats because it can detect code that is designed to evade detection by traditional security measures. Malware authors often use obfuscation techniques to hide their code from security scanners. Static analysis can help identify these obfuscation techniques and uncover the true nature of the code.

Static analysis can also identify code that is suspicious or anomalous. For example, if a piece of code attempts to access system resources that it does not need, it may be a sign that it is attempting to perform malicious actions.

Limitations of Static Analysis

While static analysis is a powerful tool, it does have its limitations. Static analysis cannot detect malware that is encrypted or hidden in non-executable files, such as images or documents, for this you will need other tools. Additionally, static analysis cannot detect malware that is polymorphic or metamorphic, meaning that it can change its code each time it is executed to evade detection.

What is Dynamic Analysis?

Dynamic analysis involves running software in a controlled environment to observe its behavior. This type of analysis can help identify malware that is designed to evade detection by traditional security measures. Dynamic analysis can be performed manually or using automated sandbox tools.

Dynamic analysis can help identify malware that is designed to perform malicious actions, such as stealing sensitive information, launching a denial-of-service (DoS) attack, dumping credentials, etc. By observing the behavior of the malware, analysts can gain insights into how it operates and therefore how to defend against it.

How Dynamic Analysis Helps Identify Malware Threats

Dynamic analysis is a valuable tool in identifying malware threats because it can detect malware that is designed to evade detection by traditional security measures. Malware authors often use anti-analysis techniques to hide their code from security scanners. Dynamic analysis can help bypass these anti-analysis techniques and uncover the true nature of the malware.

Dynamic analysis can also identify malware that is designed to perform specific actions, such as contacting a command-and-control (C&C) server or downloading additional malware components. By identifying these actions, analysts and Incident Response teams can take steps to block the malware from communicating with its C&C server and prevent further infections, such as isolating systems and blocking any observed IOCs.

Limitations of Dynamic Analysis

While dynamic analysis is a powerful tool, it does have its limitations. Dynamic analysis cannot detect malware that is designed to only activate under specific conditions, such as a certain date or time, unless your sandbox can adjust those parameters, as some can. Additionally, dynamic analysis can be resource-intensive and time-consuming, making it difficult to scale for large-scale malware analysis, especially if it involves more hands on intensive tasks like reverse engineering.

Combining Static and Dynamic Analysis for Better Threat Detection

While both static and dynamic analysis have their limitations, they can be combined to provide a more comprehensive view of malware threats. By combining static and dynamic analysis, organizations can identify malware that may have evaded detection by either method alone.

For example, static analysis can be used to identify potential vulnerabilities in software code, or if malware is packed, while dynamic analysis can be used to observe the behavior of the software in a controlled environment to see what it actually does. By combining these two methods, organizations can gain a better understanding of how the malware operates and how to defend against it.

Tools for Static and Dynamic Analysis

There are many tools available for both static and dynamic analysis. Some of the most popular tools for Malware Analysis (as well as many others!) are available here at BlueTeamSec.net:

TOOLS

Creating your own Malware Sandbox

Using some open source tools, you can make your own sandbox, which can function the same way as commercial and enterprise products, but for free. See below video from BlackPerl DFIR for step by step instructions on how to set up a home sandbox for malware analysis.

More Resources

John Hammond (Malware Analyst at Huntress)

LetsDefend.io Malware Analysis

DFIR Diva                        

Conclusion

In conclusion, malware is a serious concern for organizations of all sizes. Static and dynamic analysis are valuable tools in identifying malware threats and taking proactive measures to protect against them. While both methods have their limitations, they can be combined to provide a more comprehensive view of malware threats. By using the right tools and techniques, analysts can stay ahead of the ever-evolving threat landscape and protect themselves against malware threats.