What Is Malware Analysis? Types, Methodologies & Tools for Security Analysts
Learn what malware analysis is, the key types (static, dynamic, hybrid), common methodologies, and essential tools used to dissect and defend against malware threats.
What is Malware Analysis?
Malware analysis is the process of understanding malware behavior through source code examination and methodologies such as static, dynamic, and hybrid analysis.
Types of Malware Analysis:
Static Malware Analysis
Static malware analysis involves inspecting the malware’s code and structure without running it. This method uses techniques like disassembly, decompilation, and signature-based detection to understand the malware’s components and known patterns. It is quick and safe but may not reveal runtime behavior or obfuscated code.
1. BinText – download pages (e.g., from MajorGeeks) 👇
https://m.majorgeeks.com/files/details/bintext.html
2. CFF Explorer – part of Explorer Suite (NTCore) 👇
https://ntcore.com/?page_id=388
3. PeStudio – official analysis tool site 👇
https://pestudio.org/
4. PEiD – classic packer detection tool (historical info) 👇
Search for “PEiD download” (tool no longer actively maintained)
5. Detect It Easy (DiE) – official GitHub repository 👇
https://github.com/horsicq/Detect-It-Easy
6. Strings – included in Sysinternals and many toolkits
Windows version (part of Sysinternals): https://learn.microsoft.com/sysinternals/
(General strings utility available in Windows/Linux)
7. FireEye Labs Obfuscated String Solver (FLOSS) – official GitHub 👇
https://github.com/mandiant/flare-floss
8. HashMyFiles – hash calculator tool
Search for HashMyFiles download (various freeware hosts)
9. ExeInfo PE – static analysis & packer detection
Search for “ExeInfo PE download” (multiple freeware sources)
10. HxD – hex editor official site
https://mh-nexus.de/en/hxd/
11. FileAlyzer – file detail & metadata tool
Search for FileAlyzer download (various freeware hosts)
12. SSDEEP – fuzzy hashing tool (official) 👇
https://ssdeep-project.github.io/ssdeep/index.html
Dynamic Malware Analysis
Dynamic malware analysis runs the malware in a controlled environment to monitor its real-time behavior. Techniques include sandboxing, behavior monitoring, and debugging to observe system changes and network activity during execution. This method provides detailed insights into the malware’s actions but risks potentially compromising the analysis environment if not properly isolated.
1. Sysinternals Suite – official Microsoft Sysinternals toolkit
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/sysinternals-suite
2. ProcMon (Process Monitor) – part of Sysinternals Suite
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon
3. ProcDot – visualizes ProcMon logs
https://www.procdot.com/
4. Process Explorer – advanced process viewer, part of Sysinternals
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/process-explorer
5. Process Hacker – open-source process and memory analysis tool
https://processhacker.sourceforge.io/
6. Radare2 – open-source reverse engineering framework
https://rada.re/n/
7. Regshot – registry comparison tool
https://sourceforge.net/projects/regshot/
8. Dependency Walker – analyzes DLL dependencies of executables
http://www.dependencywalker.com/
9. Wireshark – network protocol analyzer
https://www.wireshark.org/
10. Fiddler – HTTP/HTTPS traffic debugging proxy
https://www.telerik.com/fiddler
11. DNSpy – .NET assembly editor and debugger
https://github.com/dnSpy/dnSpy
12. ILSpy – open-source .NET assembly browser and decompiler
https://github.com/icsharpcode/ILSpy
13. x64dbg – open-source debugger for Windows (x32/x64)
https://x64dbg.com/
14. IDA Pro – interactive disassembler and debugger (commercial)
https://www.hex-rays.com/products/ida/
Hybrid Malware Analysis
Hybrid malware analysis combines static and dynamic methods to gain a comprehensive view of the malware. By integrating code examination with real-time behavior observation, this approach addresses the limitations of each individual method. It provides a thorough understanding of both the malware’s structure and its runtime actions, though it can be complex and resource-intensive.
