During a complex malware investigation, a forensic investigator found a binary executable suspected to contain malicious code. The investigator decides to perform static malware analysis to identify and analyze the threat. Which of the following actions should be performed next by the investigator to reveal essential information about the executable's functionalities and features?
To reveal essential information about the executable's functionalities and features, an investigator should disassemble the binary executable. Disassembling an executable allows the investigator to study its code, understand its structure, and determine its functionality. This process helps to identify any malicious behavior embedded within the code, such as API calls, control flow, and potential payload delivery mechanisms. While other methods like string search, online scanning, and file fingerprinting are useful steps in malware analysis, disassembling provides a more in-depth understanding of the executable's operational behavior.
Some static malware analysis techniques: File fingerprinting Online malware scanning Performing strings search Identifying packing / obfuscation methods Finding the portable executables (PE) information Identifying file dependencies Malware disassembly
Static analysis also includes the dismantling of a given executable into binary format to study its functionalities and features. This process will help investigators find the language used for programming the malware, look for APIs that reveal its function, etc.