Master advanced static analysis in your malware sandbox with ease

TLDR:

• Sandboxes are valuable for static analysis in addition to dynamic malware analysis.
• Sandboxes can be used to detect threats in PDFs, LNK files, spam and phishing emails, suspicious office documents, and malicious archives.

In the article “How to Conduct Advanced Static Analysis in a Malware Sandbox,” the author discusses the importance of utilizing sandboxes for static analysis in addition to dynamic malware analysis. Sandboxes provide a safe virtual environment to analyze malicious files. The article outlines five key scenarios where a sandbox can be a useful tool in investigating threats.

Firstly, sandboxes can help in detecting threats in PDFs. Malicious PDF files can contain JavaScript or Bash scripts that indicate potential malware execution. Sandboxes like ANY.RUN allow users to analyze URLs found in PDFs for suspicious domains and indicators of compromise.

Secondly, sandboxes can expose LNK file abuse. By analyzing the properties and contents of LNK files, sandboxes can reveal potential threats such as malicious software launch attempts or connections to remote servers.

Additionally, sandboxes can be used to investigate spam and phishing emails. By uploading an email file to a sandbox, users can analyze email content, metadata, and potential indicators of compromise without risking their infrastructure.

Moreover, sandboxes are valuable for analyzing suspicious office documents. Static analysis in a sandbox can help examine the content, macros, images, QR codes, and metadata of Office files to identify any malicious elements.

Lastly, sandboxes can be utilized to analyze malicious archives. Sandboxes can unpack archive files to expose their contents, including potentially malicious components like executable files or scripts.

The article emphasizes the benefits of using ANY.RUN, a cloud-based sandbox with advanced static and dynamic analysis capabilities. This service allows users to scan suspicious files and links for threat analysis in real-time and provides comprehensive reports with indicators of compromise.

In conclusion, the article highlights the importance of conducting advanced static analysis in malware sandboxes to enhance threat detection and strengthen cybersecurity practices.