Incident Response & Digital Forensics

Malware_Reverse_Engineering

  • May 9, 2025
  • 0

Sherlocked Security – Malware Reverse Engineering

Uncover the Secrets of Malicious Code – A Deep Dive into Malware for Detailed Analysis and Defense Strategies

1. Statement of Work (SOW)

Service Name: Malware Reverse Engineering (MRE)
Client Type: SaaS, FinTech, Enterprises, Startups, Cybersecurity Professionals
Service Model: On-Demand Engagements & Retainer Support
Compliance Alignment: NIST 800-53, ISO/IEC 27001, PCI-DSS, SOC 2, GDPR, HIPAA

Malware Types Covered:

  • Ransomware, Trojans, Worms
  • Fileless Malware & Memory Resident Malware
  • Rootkits, Botnets, and APTs
  • Phishing Kits and Exploit Kits
  • Malware targeting IoT and OT environments

2. Our Approach

[Preparation] → [Static Analysis] → [Dynamic Analysis] → [Code Review] → [Triage & Reporting] → [Threat Intelligence Sharing] → [Remediation Guidance]

3. Methodology

  • Pre-Incident Setup: Gathering sample, environment preparation, and identification of primary analysis objectives.
  • Static Analysis: Disassembling the malware without executing it to understand its structure, behavior, and code patterns.
  • Dynamic Analysis: Executing the malware in a controlled, isolated environment (sandbox or VM) to monitor its runtime behavior and network activities.
  • Code Review: Deep analysis of code for vulnerabilities, backdoors, or specific attack vectors such as privilege escalation or persistence mechanisms.
  • Triage & Reporting: Classifying malware based on impact, functionality, and threat level. Documenting findings in a detailed incident report.
  • Threat Intelligence Sharing: Sharing IOCs (Indicators of Compromise) with appropriate stakeholders and threat intelligence feeds.
  • Remediation Guidance: Offering recommendations for detection improvements, containment strategies, and mitigating future risks.

4. Deliverables to the Client

  1. Detailed Malware Analysis Report: Root cause, attack vector, and behavior of the malware.
  2. Malware Signature Creation: Custom signatures or YARA rules based on observed patterns.
  3. IOC (Indicators of Compromise): Comprehensive list of hashes, IPs, domain names, and other relevant IOCs.
  4. Dynamic Behavior Report: Timeline and detailed actions of the malware when executed in the sandbox environment.
  5. Remediation Recommendations: Technical guidance on blocking, removal, and mitigating similar attacks.
  6. Playbook Updates: Updating your response playbook to include new detection and containment strategies.
  7. Threat Intelligence Feed Contribution: Contribution of findings to global threat intelligence platforms.

5. What We Need from You (Client Requirements)

  • Sample Submission: Malware sample or hash provided by the client (submit via secure channel).
  • Environment Setup: A secured sandbox or VM environment for malware analysis (if available).
  • Initial Detection Logs: Logs and alerts from SIEM, EDR, or other detection systems that identified the malware.
  • Designated Contacts: Access to security, legal, and IT team members for communication during analysis.
  • Malware Analysis Objectives: A brief outlining what you need from the analysis (e.g., detection signatures, behavior, remediation).

6. Tools & Technology Stack

  • Disassemblers/Decompilers: IDA Pro, Ghidra, OllyDbg
  • Debuggers: x64dbg, WinDbg
  • Dynamic Sandboxes: Cuckoo Sandbox, Any.Run, Hybrid Analysis
  • Network Traffic Analysis: Wireshark, Fiddler, Burp Suite
  • IOCs & Threat Intel: MISP, OpenCTI, VirusTotal
  • YARA: Custom signature creation based on the malware characteristics

7. Engagement Lifecycle

  1. Initial Malware Sample Submission
  2. Sample Identification & Preliminary Analysis
  3. Static and Dynamic Analysis Phases
  4. Code Review and Vulnerability Assessment
  5. Incident Reporting and IOC Documentation
  6. Threat Intelligence Sharing & Detection Strategy Updates
  7. Remediation and Containment Guidance
  8. Final Report and Lessons Learned

8. Why Sherlocked Security?

Feature Sherlocked Advantage
Expert Malware Analysts Highly experienced professionals specialized in malware behavior analysis.
Customized Detection Rules Creation of custom detection rules (YARA, Snort, Sigma).
Proactive Intelligence Sharing Contributions to threat intelligence platforms to help defend against global threats.
Comprehensive Reports In-depth technical and executive summaries tailored to your environment.
Holistic Remediation Guidance Actionable advice on improving defenses and reducing future risk exposure.

9. Real-World Case Studies

Ransomware Sample Analysis in Healthcare

Issue: A healthcare provider’s network was impacted by a ransomware strain that encrypted patient records.
Findings: Malware used a custom-built exploit to evade traditional AV detection.
Outcome: Reverse engineering identified the exploit method and provided a method for detecting it in real-time. Recommendations led to a quicker recovery and prevention of future infections.

APT Malware Analysis in Financial Sector

Client: A large bank experienced a targeted APT attack.
Findings: The malware used a multi-stage payload, with a remote access Trojan (RAT) employed for data exfiltration.
Outcome: Through reverse engineering, we identified the RAT’s C2 server infrastructure and provided IOCs for blocking. A custom detection rule was created for the bank’s SIEM.

10. SOP – Standard Operating Procedure

  1. Malware Sample Acquisition: Ensure the malware sample is gathered securely and accurately.
  2. Sample Validation: Confirm sample integrity and source.
  3. Preliminary Static Analysis: Examine code structure, strings, and packed code.
  4. Dynamic Analysis: Execute malware in a controlled environment to observe its behavior.
  5. Network Traffic Monitoring: Monitor and document network requests, C2 communications, and data exfiltration attempts.
  6. Post-Analysis Reporting: Generate a detailed report with findings, IOCs, and remediation guidance.
  7. IOC and Signature Sharing: Share relevant IOCs with global threat intelligence platforms.
  8. Remediation Plan: Provide clear action items for patching, detection, and containment.
  9. Lessons Learned: Update playbooks and detection rules based on new insights.

11. Malware Reverse Engineering – Readiness Checklist

1. Pre-Incident Setup

  • [ ] Sample Submission Process: Ensure a secure method for submitting malware samples is in place.
  • [ ] Environment Setup: Validate the sandbox or VM environment for safe malware execution.
  • [ ] Malware Identification: Ensure malware samples are identified and labeled clearly.
  • [ ] Internal Training: Conduct regular internal training on handling and analyzing malicious code.

2. During Malware Analysis

  • [ ] Static Analysis: Perform in-depth analysis of the malware’s structure and key components (e.g., strings, headers).
  • [ ] Dynamic Analysis: Execute malware in a sandbox to observe behavior, including network connections, file modifications, etc.
  • [ ] Behavioral Analysis: Document system interactions, C2 communications, and persistence mechanisms.
  • [ ] Debriefing with IT & Security Teams: Share initial findings with relevant teams to assess containment actions.

3. Post-Analysis Response

  • [ ] IOC Documentation: Compile IOCs (hashes, IPs, URLs) and share with internal and external threat intelligence sources.
  • [ ] Remediation: Advise on technical remediation steps such as patching vulnerabilities, blocking C2 servers, and strengthening endpoint defenses.
  • [ ] Signature Creation: Create and implement detection signatures (YARA, Snort) based on the observed malware behavior.
  • [ ] Playbook Update: Update internal incident response playbooks based on insights gained.

4. Reporting & Communication

  • [ ] Report Generation: Provide a detailed report on the malware analysis, including root cause, attack vector, and mitigation strategies.
  • [ ] Executive Summary: Include an executive summary for non-technical stakeholders, outlining impact and key actions.
  • [ ] Communication with Legal/Regulatory: Ensure that all findings are communicated to legal and regulatory teams as required.

5. Continuous Improvement

  • [ ] Feedback Loop: Use lessons learned from the analysis to improve detection and response playbooks.
  • [ ] Ongoing Threat Intel Contribution: Contribute findings and IOCs to threat intelligence platforms for community defense.
  • [ ] Automation of Detection Rules: Automate signature creation and IOC sharing through integration with SIEM or threat intel platforms.
Memory_Forensic
Malicious Code Analysis