When conducting dynamic analysis on a suspicious executable, describe the tools and techniques you would employ to monitor the malware's runtime behavior. How would you capture relevant information without risking the spread of the malware?

Question

Accepted Answer

To monitor the runtime behavior of a suspicious executable without risking its spread, a Cyber Security Analyst can employ tools and techniques such as sandboxing, virtual machines, and dynamic analysis tools.

Utilize sandboxing techniques to isolate the malware and prevent it from infecting the host system.
Set up a virtual machine environment to run the suspicious executable, ensuring the malware is contained within the virtual environment.
Use dynamic analysis tools like Process Monitor, Wireshark, or Sysinternals Suite to monitor the malware's behavior.
Monitor system calls, network traffic, file system changes, and registry modifications made by the malware.
Capture relevant information such as network connections, API calls, spawned processes, and file activities.
Employ behavior-based detection techniques to identify malicious activities and patterns exhibited by the malware.
Analyze the captured information to understand the malware's capabilities, intentions, and potential impact.
Ensure proper security measures are in place to prevent the malware from escaping the controlled environment.