Modern Malware Analysis: Tools and Techniques for Analyzing Rust, Go, and LNK Objects

The landscape of malware analysis has evolved significantly, with adversaries increasingly using modern programming languages like Rust and Go, as well as complex script abuse and LNK objects. Traditional resources like Practical Malware Analysis and The Malware Analyst’s Cookbook, while foundational, are outdated and lack coverage of these modern threats. Below are some tools, techniques, and commands to analyze these artifacts effectively.

Tools and Techniques

1. Rust and Go Malware Analysis

Ghidra: A powerful open-source reverse engineering tool. Use it to decompile Rust and Go binaries.
```
./ghidraRun
```
RetDec: A retargetable machine-code decompiler.
```
retdec-decompiler -o output.c target_binary
```

VirusTotal: Detect code reuse and analyze suspicious files.

curl -X POST --url 'https://www.virustotal.com/vtapi/v2/file/scan' --form 'apikey=YOUR_API_KEY' --form 'file=@malware_sample'

Intezer Analyze: Identify code similarities and reused components.
```
intezer-analyze -f malware_sample
```

2. LNK Object Analysis

LnkParser: Extract metadata from LNK files.
```
lnkparse -f malicious_shortcut.lnk
```
olevba: Analyze embedded scripts in LNK files.
```
olevba malicious_shortcut.lnk
```

3. Dynamic Analysis

ANY.RUN: Interactive malware sandbox.
```
anyrun submit malware_sample
```
Cuckoo Sandbox: Automated malware analysis.
```
cuckoo submit malware_sample
```

Practice Commands

Decompile a Go Binary with Ghidra:
```
./ghidraRun
```

Load the binary and analyze the decompiled code.

Extract LNK Metadata:
```
lnkparse -f malicious_shortcut.lnk
```

Submit a File to VirusTotal:

curl -X POST --url 'https://www.virustotal.com/vtapi/v2/file/scan' --form 'apikey=YOUR_API_KEY' --form 'file=@malware_sample'

What Undercode Say

The evolution of malware analysis demands a shift from traditional methods to modern techniques. As adversaries leverage Rust, Go, and LNK objects, analysts must adopt advanced tools like Ghidra, RetDec, and LnkParser. Dynamic analysis platforms such as ANY.RUN and Cuckoo Sandbox provide critical insights into malware behavior. Additionally, leveraging community resources like Malpedia and SentinelOne’s guides ensures analysts stay ahead of emerging threats. Commands like `lnkparse` and `olevba` are indispensable for dissecting LNK objects, while `curl` submissions to VirusTotal streamline threat detection. The integration of these tools and techniques into daily workflows is essential for effective malware analysis in today’s rapidly changing cyber landscape. For further reading, explore Malpedia and SentinelOne’s Go Malware Guide.

References:

Hackers Feeds, Undercode AI