Advanced Malware Analysis

1. Course Overview

The Advanced Malware Analysis course provides IT professionals, cybersecurity analysts, and incident responders with the knowledge and practical skills required to dissect, understand, and respond to complex malware threats.

The course covers modern malware types, reverse engineering, dynamic and static analysis, sandboxing, and behavioral analysis. Learners will gain hands-on experience analyzing real-world malware samples in a controlled lab environment, understanding attack techniques, and implementing effective defense strategies.

2. Target Audience

• Security analysts and SOC personnel
• Incident responders and forensic investigators
• Malware researchers
• Penetration testers with interest in malware
• IT professionals aiming to specialize in cybersecurity
• Students preparing for certifications like GREM, CEH, or Cybersecurity Analyst roles

3. Learning Outcomes

Upon completion, learners will be able to:

✔ Identify and classify malware families and attack techniques

✔ Perform static and dynamic malware analysis safely

✔ Conduct reverse engineering using disassemblers and debuggers

✔ Understand malware persistence, obfuscation, and evasion techniques

✔ Analyze network communication and command & control (C2) behavior

✔ Apply memory forensics and sandboxing techniques

✔ Generate detailed malware analysis reports

✔ Implement effective malware mitigation and incident response strategies

4. Course Duration & Format

• Duration: 6–8 Weeks
• Hours: 50–80 Hours
• Format: Lectures, lab exercises, hands-on malware analysis, simulations
• Assessment: Module quizzes, lab assignments, case study analysis, final project

5. Course Modules & Syllabus

Module 1: Malware Fundamentals

Topics:

• Definition and types of malware (viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, rootkits, bots)
• Malware propagation techniques
• Malware lifecycle and attack chain
• Malware threat landscape and current trends

Labs:

• Classification of sample malware
• Study of historical malware incidents

Module 2: Malware Analysis Environment Setup

Topics:

• Setting up isolated lab environments (VMware, VirtualBox, sandbox)
• Safe handling of malware samples
• Analysis tools overview (IDA Pro, Ghidra, OllyDbg, x64dbg, Wireshark, ProcMon)

Labs:

• Configure secure malware analysis lab
• Install and test analysis tools

Module 3: Static Malware Analysis

Topics:

• Examining executable files without execution
• PE file format and header analysis
• Strings analysis and file metadata
• Hashing and signature extraction

Labs:

• Identify malware properties using static analysis
• Extract indicators of compromise (IOCs)

Module 4: Dynamic Malware Analysis

Topics:

• Behavior-based analysis in a controlled environment
• Process monitoring (ProcMon, Process Explorer)
• File system, registry, and network activity monitoring
• Detecting persistence mechanisms

Labs:

• Execute malware in sandbox and monitor behavior
• Log and document malware actions

Module 5: Malware Reverse Engineering

Topics:

• Introduction to assembly language
• Disassembly using IDA Pro or Ghidra
• Debugging with OllyDbg/x64dbg
• Identifying key functions, loops, and obfuscation techniques

Labs:

• Reverse engineer a simple malware sample
• Trace execution flow and identify malicious routines

Module 6: Obfuscation, Packing, and Evasion Techniques

Topics:

• Malware packing and compression techniques
• Anti-debugging and anti-VM techniques
• Code obfuscation methods
• Detection evasion strategies

Labs:

• Analyze packed malware
• Apply unpacking techniques for static and dynamic analysis

Module 7: Network and C2 Analysis

Topics:

• Malware communication over networks
• Command & control (C2) channels
• Packet capture and analysis using Wireshark
• Identifying malicious IPs and domains

Labs:

• Analyze network traffic of malware in sandbox
• Map malware C2 infrastructure

Module 8: Memory Forensics and Volatility

Topics:

• Memory acquisition and analysis
• Detecting in-memory malware
• Using Volatility framework for memory forensics

Labs:

• Capture and analyze malware memory images
• Extract runtime indicators and hidden processes

Module 9: Malware Reporting and Threat Intelligence

Topics:

• Documentation of analysis findings
• Creating actionable malware reports
• Sharing indicators of compromise (IOCs)
• Integrating malware analysis into threat intelligence

Labs:

• Prepare a complete malware analysis report
• Identify and document IOCs

Module 10: Malware Mitigation and Response

Topics:

• Antivirus and endpoint security strategies
• Patching and hardening systems
• Incident response lifecycle
• Recovery and remediation techniques

Labs:

• Simulate malware mitigation in lab environment
• Develop response playbooks

6. Assessments

• Module Quizzes: End-of-module MCQs and short answers
• Lab Assignments: Practical malware analysis exercises
• Midterm Assessment: Case study analysis and reporting
• Final Project: Advanced malware sample analysis with full documentation and mitigation plan

7. Certification Requirements

Learners must:

✔ Complete all modules and lab exercises

✔ Score at least 60% in quizzes and assessments

✔ Submit and defend the final malware analysis project

8. Career Pathways

Graduates can pursue roles such as:

• Malware Analyst
• Reverse Engineer
• Incident Response Specialist
• Threat Intelligence Analyst
• SOC Analyst
• Cybersecurity Researcher
• Digital Forensics Expert