Reverse Engineer Malware Samples for Cyber Threat Analysis
Learn how malware operates by decompiling and analyzing its binary structure, unpacking payloads, and identifying malicious behavior — a hands-on cybersecurity research project.Reverse engineering helps security analysts understand how malware works internally, what damage it can cause, and how it spreads. This knowledge allows organizations to build better defense strategies, detect similar threats, and improve threat intelligence systems.
The objective is to download or simulate known malware samples, use disassemblers or debuggers to analyze their execution, identify behavior such as registry manipulation or file encryption, and extract Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) like IP addresses, domains, and file hashes.
Static Binary Analysis
Disassemble malware binaries using tools like Ghidra or IDA Pro to inspect instructions and functions.
Dynamic Malware Execution
Run malware in a sandbox or VM and trace system calls, file activity, and network requests.
IOC Extraction & Reporting
Detect embedded URLs, IPs, mutexes, and dropped files, and document them in a structured report.
Behavioral Mapping
Map malware behavior to MITRE ATT&CK techniques (e.g., persistence, lateral movement).
Malware samples are obtained from trusted research repositories. These binaries are analyzed in isolated environments where static disassembly is done to understand logic flow. Dynamic execution tracks real-time activity like file access, registry edits, and C2 communication.
- Obtain malware samples from open-source repositories (like VirusShare, Malpedia).
- Disassemble binaries and analyze opcodes, strings, and function calls.
- Execute samples in a sandbox (e.g., Cuckoo) and log file, network, and memory activity.
- Extract Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) such as IPs, hashes, and file paths.
- Map findings to known attack patterns and generate a threat report.
Disassemblers & Debuggers
Ghidra, x64dbg, Radare2, IDA Free — for binary static analysis.
Dynamic Sandboxing
Cuckoo Sandbox, Remnux VM, or FLARE VM for real-time execution monitoring.
Logging & IOC Extraction
Volatility for memory analysis, Wireshark for packet capture, custom scripts for parsing logs.
Reporting & Documentation
Markdown, PDF report templates, or tools like OpenCTI to store IOC data.
1. Collect Malware Samples
Download real-world or simulated malware binaries from safe research portals.
2. Perform Static Analysis
Use disassemblers to identify key code sections, obfuscation, and embedded strings.
3. Run Malware Dynamically
Use a sandbox to observe runtime behavior like registry edits or C2 beaconing.
4. Extract Indicators of Compromise
Identify hashes, dropped files, IPs, domains, and commands used by the malware.
5. Generate Final Report
Create a complete technical analysis report with threat classification and prevention suggestions.
Understand Malware to Stop It
Dive deep into malware internals with reverse engineering — a vital skill for defenders, researchers, and ethical hackers alike.
Let's Ace Your Assignments Together!
Whether it's Machine Learning, Data Science, or Web Development, Collexa is here to support your academic journey.
"Collexa transformed my academic experience with their expert support and guidance."
Alfred M. Motsinger
Computer Science Student
Get a Free Consultation
Reach out to us for personalized academic assistance and take the next step towards success.