Introduction

What Is Malware?

Malware is any program or file that is harmful to a computer user. It can take the form of an executable, script, code, or any other software.

Malware can perform the following operations.

1. Disrupting computer operations.

2. Stealing sensitive information, including personal, business, and financial data.

3. Unauthorized access to the victim's system.

4. Spying on the victims.

5. Sending spam emails. Etc.

Malware categorized based on behaviors.

1. Ransomware.

Is software that uses encryption to disable a target’s access to its data until a ransom is paid. The victim organization is rendered partially or totally unable to operate until it pays, but there is no guarantee that payment will result in the necessary decryption key or that the decryption key provided will function properly.

2. Fileless Malware.

Fileless malware doesn’t install anything initially, instead, it makes changes to files that are native to the operating system, such as PowerShell or WMI. Because the operating system recognizes the edited files as legitimate, a fileless attack is not caught by antivirus software — and because these attacks are stealthy, they are up to ten times more successful than traditional malware attacks.

3. Spyware.

Spyware collects information about users’ activities without their knowledge or consent. This can include passwords, pins, payment information, and unstructured messages.

The use of spyware is not limited to the desktop browser: it can also operate in a critical app or on a mobile phone.

4. Adware.

Adware tracks a user’s surfing activity to determine which ads to serve them.

Although adware is similar to spyware, it does not install any software on a user’s computer, nor does it capture keystrokes.

5. Trojan.

A Trojan disguises itself as desirable code or software.

Once downloaded by unsuspecting users, the Trojan can take control of victim's systems for malicious purposes. Trojans may hide in games, apps, or even software patches, or they may be embedded in attachments included in phishing emails.

6. Worms.

Worms target vulnerabilities in operating systems to install themselves into networks.

They may gain access in several ways: through backdoors built into software, through unintentional software vulnerabilities, or through flash drives. Once in place, worms can be used by malicious actors to launch DDoS attacks, steal sensitive data, or conduct ransomware attacks.

7. Virus.

Is a piece of code that inserts itself into an application and executes when the app is run.

Once inside a network, a virus may be used to steal sensitive data, launch DDoS attacks or conduct ransomware attacks.

8. Rootkits.

A rootkit is a software that gives malicious actors remote control of a victim’s computer with full administrative privileges.

Rootkits can be injected into applications, kernels, hypervisors, or firmware. They spread through phishing, malicious attachments, malicious downloads, and compromised shared drives.

Rootkits can also be used to conceal other malware, such as keyloggers.

9. Keyloggers.

A keylogger is a type of spyware that monitors user activity.

Keyloggers have legitimate uses; businesses can use them to monitor employee activity and families may use them to keep track of children’s online behaviors.

10. Botnet.

A bot is a software application that performs automated tasks on command. They’re used for legitimate purposes, such as indexing search engines, but when used for malicious purposes, they take the form of self-propagating malware that can connect back to a central server.

Classifying malware based on their functionalities may not always be possible because a single malware can contain multiple functionalities, which may fall into a variety of categories mentioned just now.

Types Of Malware Analysis.

1. Static analysis.

Static analysis is a process of analyzing a malware binary without actually running the code. Static analysis is generally performed by determining the signature of the binary file which is a unique identification for the binary file and can be done by calculating the cryptographic hash of the file and understanding each component.

2. Dynamic analysis.

Dynamic analysis is involves running the malware sample and observing its behavior on the system in order to remove the infection or stop it from spreading into other systems. The system is setup in a closed, isolated virtual environment so that the malware sample can be studied thoroughly without the risk of damage to your system.

3. Code analysis.

Code analysis is an advanced technique that focuses on analyzing the code to understand the inner workings of the binary. This technique reveals information that is not possible to determine just from static and dynamic analysis. Code analysis is further divided into Static code analysis and Dynamic code analysis.