How can you identify the source of a malware attack without compromising your network security?

1 Collect and isolate malware samples

The first step is to collect and isolate any malware samples that you suspect are related to the attack. You can use antivirus software, network monitoring tools, or forensic tools to scan your devices and network for any suspicious files, processes, or activities. You should also check your logs, backups, and alerts for any anomalies or indicators of compromise. Once you have identified the malware samples, you should copy them to a secure location, such as a removable drive or a cloud storage, and disconnect them from your network. This will prevent the malware from spreading, communicating, or deleting itself.

2 Analyze and classify malware samples

The next step is to analyze and classify the malware samples to understand their behavior, functionality, and purpose. You can use static analysis tools, such as disassemblers, hex editors, or hash calculators, to examine the code, structure, and signatures of the malware. You can also use dynamic analysis tools, such as sandboxes, emulators, or debuggers, to run the malware in a controlled environment and observe its actions, network connections, and system changes. By analyzing and classifying the malware samples, you can determine their type, category, family, variant, and version.

3 Compare and correlate malware samples

The third step is to compare and correlate the malware samples with other known malware samples or attacks. You can use online databases, repositories, or platforms, such as VirusTotal, MalwareBazaar, or MITRE ATT&CK, to search for any matches or similarities with the malware samples you have collected. You can also use threat intelligence tools, such as Maltego, ThreatConnect, or AlienVault, to gather and visualize information about the malware sources, targets, campaigns, or actors. By comparing and correlating the malware samples, you can identify any patterns, trends, or links that can help you trace the attack.

4 Validate and verify malware sources

The fourth step is to validate and verify the malware sources that you have identified or suspected from the previous steps. You can use passive reconnaissance tools, such as WHOIS, DNS, or IP lookup, to gather information about the domains, servers, or IP addresses that are associated with the malware. You can also use active reconnaissance tools, such as Nmap, Traceroute, or Ping, to scan and probe the network infrastructure and devices that are involved in the malware delivery, execution, or communication. However, you should be careful and ethical when using active reconnaissance tools, as they can generate traffic, alerts, or responses that can reveal your identity or intentions.

5 Report and respond to malware sources

The final step is to report and respond to the malware sources that you have validated and verified. You can use incident reporting tools, such as AbuseIPDB, SpamCop, or CERT, to notify the relevant authorities, organizations, or providers about the malicious domains, servers, or IP addresses that you have discovered. You can also use incident response tools, such as Firewall, IDS, or IPS, to block, filter, or prevent any further communication or interaction with the malware sources. By reporting and responding to the malware sources, you can help reduce the impact, scope, or duration of the attack and protect your network security.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?