Malicious Office Document Malware Analysis Checklist

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Office documents remain a prime attack vector for cyber threats, often hiding malicious payloads and exploiting vulnerabilities. Follow this detailed checklist to uncover hidden threats efficiently.

You Should Know:

1. Verify Document Metadata

Use tools like exiftool or olevba to inspect metadata: 

exiftool suspicious.docx 
olevba -c malicious.doc

Look for:

  • Suspicious author names
  • Unusual creation/modification timestamps
  • Anomalies in software used (e.g., “Created with an older version”)

2. Inspect Macros and VBA Code

Use oleid and olevba from oletools:

oleid malicious.xlsm 
olevba --decode malicious.xlsm

Check for:

  • Obfuscated strings (StrReverse, Chr())
  • Suspicious API calls (Shell, WScript.Shell)
  • Auto-execution triggers (Auto_Open, Document_Open)

3. Analyze Embedded Objects & OLE Streams

Extract embedded files using 7z or binwalk:

binwalk -e malicious.doc 
7z l malicious.rtf

Check for:

  • Hidden executables (PE headers, .exe, .dll)
  • Malicious scripts (JavaScript, PowerShell)

4. Decode Base64/Hex Encoded Content

Use CyberChef or command-line tools:

echo "SGVsbG8gV29ybGQ=" | base64 -d 
echo "48656C6C6F" | xxd -r -p

5. Check for Exploits (DDE, Equation Editor)

Scan with YARA rules:

yara -r exploits.yar suspicious.doc

Common exploits:

  • CVE-2017-11882 (Equation Editor)
  • CVE-2017-0199 (RTF OLE)

6. Monitor Network Indicators

Run in a sandbox (Cuckoo, Any.Run) and capture traffic: 

tcpdump -i eth0 -w traffic.pcap

Look for:

  • Beaconing to C2 servers
  • DNS tunneling attempts

7. Use Sandbox for Runtime Analysis

Automate with Cuckoo Sandbox:

cuckoo submit --url malicious.doc 
cuckoo reports

What Undercode Say

Malicious Office documents continue evolving—stay ahead with automation. Use Python scripts to automate analysis: 

import oletools.olevba 
vba = oletools.olevba.VBA_Parser("malicious.xlsm") 
for code in vba.extract_macros(): 
print(code)

Always verify hashes:

sha256sum document.doc

Prediction

Attackers will increasingly use AI-generated decoys to bypass detection. Expect more fileless macro attacks leveraging PowerShell and WMI.

Expected Output:

  • Extracted VBA code
  • Network IOC logs
  • Sandbox behavioral report
  • YARA scan results

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Relevant tools:

IT/Security Reporter URL:

Reported By: Kaaviya Balaji – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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