Malware Analysis

Why Malware Analysis Matters

When ransomware encrypts your files, a loader drops a RAT, or a phishing email delivers a credential stealer, the artefact left behind contains a complete record of what happened. Most incident responses stop at containment and recovery — without ever answering the questions that determine legal and regulatory liability:

• What data did the malware access, exfiltrate, or destroy?
• How long was it present before detection?
• What credentials or systems did it compromise?
• Is this a known threat actor, and what do we know about their next moves?
• Is there a secondary implant we haven't found yet?

Without these answers, remediation is incomplete, notification decisions are made on assumptions, and you may be exposed to regulatory or legal consequences you could have avoided.

Our Analysis Capability

Static Analysis

We examine malware without executing it — dissecting its structure, embedded strings, imported libraries, obfuscation techniques, and code logic. Static analysis identifies:

• File type, packer, and obfuscation identification
• Embedded IOCs — C2 domains, IP addresses, registry keys, file paths
• Functionality mapping — what the code is designed to do
• Code similarity and attribution to known malware families
• Cryptographic routines — relevant for ransomware decryption assessment

Dynamic Analysis

We detonate malware in isolated environments to observe its real-world behaviour — what it does when it runs, not just what its code suggests:

• Process execution and injection behaviour
• File system and registry modifications
• Network communications — C2 beaconing, data exfiltration channels
• Persistence mechanisms and lateral movement capability
• Anti-analysis evasion technique identification
• Data access and staging behaviour

Ransomware-Specific Analysis

For ransomware incidents, malware analysis determines whether decryption is feasible without payment, validates that a threat actor's decryptor will work before payment is made, and provides the technical evidence base for both insurance claims and regulatory notifications:

• Encryption algorithm and key management analysis
• Decryptor validation — testing against small encrypted sample sets before full deployment
• Data exfiltration scope — identifying what was staged and transmitted before encryption
• Affiliate and RaaS family attribution

Threat Attribution

We assess the malware against known threat actor TTPs, malware families, and infrastructure patterns — providing context on who is likely responsible, what their typical objectives are, and whether further activity is expected. Attribution findings are caveated appropriately and structured for use in legal proceedings where required.

Deliverables

• Technical malware report — full analysis findings, methodology, and IOC list suitable for legal proceedings and regulatory submissions
• Executive summary — plain-language findings for board, legal, and insurer audiences
• IOC package — machine-readable indicators for deployment to your security tooling
• Remediation guidance — specific actions required based on confirmed malware capability, not assumed worst-case
• Decryptor validation report — for ransomware cases where payment is under consideration

Standalone or Integrated

Malware analysis can be engaged as a standalone service — where you have artefacts from a previous incident and need answers — or as part of a full incident response engagement where samples are collected during the live investigation and analysed in parallel. Findings feed directly into remediation scoping, breach notification decisions, and insurance claim documentation.

If you have recovered malware samples and need to understand what they did, contact us. Turnaround for initial findings is typically 24–48 hours from sample receipt.