The Importance of Malware Sandbox Analysis

Cyber attacks are on the rise, with 5.4 billion malware attacks reported globally in 2022. To combat these growing threats, many companies are turning to cost-effective methods to enhance their cybersecurity. 

One such method is malware sandbox analysis. This process involves studying malicious files, websites, and applications in a controlled, isolated environment to understand their goals and behaviors safely. 

What is a malware sandbox?

A malware sandbox is a virtual machine used for malware analysis. This secure environment allows you to execute any kind of malware to observe its behavior and collect information to develop strategies to defend against it within your company.

Many security professionals use malware sandboxes to track malware and collect Indicators of Compromise (IOCs), which help protect against future attacks.

How does a malware sandbox work? 

Malware sandboxing starts by setting up an isolated virtual environment that mimics a typical computing setup. This can be done manually or via a cloud sandbox like ANY.RUN, which lets you quickly configure and deploy a custom VM with all necessary tools.

Once the suspicious file, application, or URL is introduced into the sandbox, it is executed in this controlled setting. The sandbox monitors all activities, including: 

• System calls
• File operations
• Network communication
• Registry modifications

Every action is logged, providing a comprehensive record of the malware’s behavior.

After the analysis, the sandbox generates a detailed report highlighting suspicious activities and potential risks. This report includes a summary of the malware’s behavior and a list of IOCs.

Interactive malware analysis

Being able to interact with malware is important for effective analysis. Many sandbox tools only use automated checks, which prevent users from engaging with harmful files or the system. This means that some threats requiring user interaction might be missed and labeled as safe. 

Interactive sandboxes like ANY.RUN solve this by letting users interact with the system in a safe virtual environment, just like they would on a regular computer.

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Examples of interactive malware sandbox analysis

To better understand how malware sandboxes work, let’s look at two examples provided by ANY.RUN.

BlueSky ransomware

Analysis of BlueSky ransomware inside the ANY.RUN sandbox

In this example, the sandbox environment is used to analyze the behavior of the BlueSky ransomware. Once the ransomware is executed within the sandbox, it begins to encrypt files and display ransom notes. 

The sandbox instantly detects these malicious activities, providing a conclusive verdict along with tags such as “ransomware” and “encryption” to categorize the threat. The detailed report includes IOCs such as the ransomware’s file hash, IP addresses it communicates with, and any changes it makes to the system.

View Analysis on ANY.RUN

Phishing attack via PDF

Analysis of a phishing attack inside ANY.RUN sandbox

In this phishing attack, a PDF document contains a link that downloads an HTML file disguised as a Word document. When the HTML file is opened, it prompts the user to enter their Microsoft credentials to unlock it. The sandbox environment allows this entire process to be executed safely, revealing the phishing attempt. 

The sandbox instantly detects the malicious activity and provides a conclusive verdict, tagging it with “phishing” and “phish-pdf”. The report includes details about the malicious PDF and the fake HTML document.

View Analysis on ANY.RUN

What are the main advantages of malware sandbox analysis?

After examining the detailed examples of malware sandbox analysis, it becomes clear how important sandboxes are for cybersecurity and protecting our software and online presence.

Let’s explore the main advantages that malware sandbox analysis offers:

Sandbox malware analysis helps anticipates future risks

There are over a billion malicious programs online, with thousands of new ones appearing each month. Staying informed about these threats is important.

A malware sandbox helps by quickly exposing malicious behavior, providing IOCs, and helping you decide if more analysis is needed. This allows for faster responses to new threats, improving overall security.

Malware sandbox analysis increases email security

Email is a common attack method, with many phishing attempts targeting organizations daily. If one employee opens a malicious email, it can put the entire company’s network at risk. 

To avoid this, you can check if an email is malicious by analyzing attachments using a sandbox. This analysis helps you determine if the email is safe or if you need to mitigate the threat.

Malware sandbox analysis can help you discover suspicious network activity

Malware sandbox analysis can help you detect suspicious network activity. By monitoring how malware interacts with the network in a controlled environment, you can identify unusual patterns, unauthorized connections, and potential data exfiltration attempts. This allows you to take proactive measures to protect your network and prevent further damage.

Malware sandbox analysis improves incident response and management

Malware sandbox analysis helps security teams quickly understand the nature of a threat and develop appropriate response strategies. This includes identifying the malware’s methods of propagation, its targets, and its impact on the system. 

You can save time with sandbox analysis

Manual cybersecurity analysis can take 30-40 minutes from analysts to examine code and find crucial information.  Yet, sandboxes like ANY.RUN can complete this task in as little as 40 seconds.

Conclusion

Sandboxes offer a great solution for anyone prioritizing cybersecurity and seeking insights into the behavior of emerging malicious threats. 

Create your free ANY.RUN account to enjoy unlimited sandbox analysis!