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Course 20 - Malware Analysis: Identifying and Defeating Code Obfuscation | Episode 2: Analyzing and Defeating Obfuscation in VBA
Published 4 months ago
Description
In this lesson, you’ll learn about:
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- Obfuscation in Interpreted Code:
- Why interpreted languages like VBA and PowerShell are still heavily obfuscated despite being easier to access than native binaries.
- Common tactics such as junk instructions, string and object obfuscation, and nonsensical naming designed to slow analysis rather than prevent it.
- Analyzing Malicious VBA Macros:
- Extracting macro code from Office documents using stream-analysis tools.
- Identifying execution entry points such as AutoOpen to understand how and when malicious logic is triggered.
- Tracing string operations to uncover indicators of compromise, including URLs, dropped file names, and execution paths.
- PowerShell Obfuscation and “Living off the Land”:
- Understanding why attackers favor PowerShell for in-memory execution and stealth.
- Capturing and decoding obfuscated commands, including Base64 payloads that rely on UTF-16 encoding.
- Decompressing embedded payloads and inspecting runtime values as scripts de-obfuscate themselves.
- Dynamic Analysis Techniques:
- Using process and script inspection tools to observe PowerShell behavior at runtime.
- Leveraging debugging environments to set breakpoints and examine variables at the exact moment hidden data is revealed.
- Efficient Analysis Strategies:
- Refactoring obfuscated scripts by renaming variables and functions for clarity.
- Filtering out dead or irrelevant code to reduce noise.
- Allowing malware to execute in a controlled environment so it reveals its own logic, saving significant analysis time.
You can listen and download our episodes for free on more than 10 different platforms:
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