Malware Analyst

Interview Questions
and Answers
 CONTENTS
TABLE OF
3 PRE-PREPARING

4 GENERAL MALWARE
ANALYST INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS

8 TECHNICAL MALWARE
ANALYST INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS
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PRE-PREPARING

First, make sure you fully understand the type of role you
are applying for. For example, if you're applying for a
position as a malware analyst, you should be aware of the
responsibilities and challenges a malware analyst faces.

Make sure you understand the organization you are

applying to. Will you be supporting multiple companies at
the same time, or is the company looking for an internal
SOC?

If you have a friend who works at the company to which you

are applying, talk to them about it. Find out what kind of
problems they have encountered in the past.

Do not share your salary expectations with the interviewer

during the interview. The following can be an example for
you to respond to such questions: "I think my salary
expectations are within your range. If things go well, I will be
open to your suggestions at the offer stage.”

Make sure you know the salary range for the job you're
applying for - you can ask for advice on the forums on
Reddit.
 letsdefend.io

GENERAL MALWARE ANALYST

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

What is malware analysis?

Malware analysis is the process of examining malicious
software (malware) with the objective of understanding its
functionality, behavior, and impact on computer systems,
networks, and users. Malware analysis plays a critical role in
cybersecurity by enabling organizations to understand, detect,
and effectively respond to malicious threats and protect their
systems and data from cyber-attacks.

What are the primary goals of malware analysis?

The primary goal of malware analysis is to gain insights into
how malware operates, its propagation mechanisms, and the
potential risks it poses. Malware analysis aims to uncover the
behavior and functionality of malicious software.
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What are the duties and responsibilities of a malware analyst?

The duties and responsibilities of a malware analyst are shared
below.
Malware Analysis: Perform in-depth analysis of malware
samples to understand their behavior, functionality, and
purpose.
Incident Response Support: Support incident response
teams during security incidents involving malware
infections. Support the containment, eradication, and
recovery phases of incident response activities.
Reporting and Documentation: Document findings,
analysis methods, and recommendations in detailed
reports. Communicate findings to technical and non-
technical stakeholders, including management, IT teams,
and law enforcement, as appropriate.
IOC Extraction: Extract indicators of compromise (IOCs)
from malware samples, including file hashes, registry keys,
IP addresses, domain names, and file paths. These IOCs are
used for threat detection, incident response, and threat
intelligence sharing.
Behavioral Analysis: Analyze malware behavior in
controlled environments such as virtual machines or
sandboxes. Monitor system changes, network traffic, and
process interactions to identify malicious activity and
payloads.
 letsdefend.io

What is your first step when detecting malware?

When detecting malware, the first step is typically to identify
and isolate the suspicious activity or file. Use security
monitoring tools (e.g., SIEM systems, IDS/IPS) to detect
unusual behavior such as unexpected network traffic, unusual
system processes, or abnormal file changes. Review alerts
generated by antivirus software, endpoint detection and
response (EDR) systems, or other security tools that flag
potentially malicious behavior. If a specific file is suspected,
perform a quick analysis to check for common malware
characteristics. This can include examining the file’s metadata,
and hash values as well as using basic static analysis
techniques.

How do you respond to a ransomware attack?

The response to a ransomware attack requires a structured
and methodical approach to mitigate damage, restore
systems, and prevent future incidents. Determine which
systems are affected and the type of ransomware involved.
Shut down infected computers to prevent further encryption
of files. Analyze the ransom note and any related artifacts to
identify the specific ransomware strain. Ensure that any
available backups are secure and not infected. Apply security
patches, update software, and ensure all systems are up to
date to prevent reinfection.
 letsdefend.io

What is the biggest challenge when analyzing a threat and

how do you manage it?
The biggest challenge in analyzing a threat is often the
complexity and sophistication of today's malware. Threats are
becoming more advanced, using obfuscation techniques and
encryption to evade detection and analysis. Zero-day exploits
take advantage of unknown vulnerabilities, making them
difficult to detect and analyze because there is no existing
signature or patch.

What's the most difficult malware analysis you've faced in your

career and how did you overcome it?
The most difficult malware analysis I faced in my career
involved a sophisticated piece of ransomware that employed
multiple layers of obfuscation and anti-analysis techniques.
This ransomware analysis was one of the most challenging
due to the sophisticated techniques used to evade detection
and analysis. Overcoming these challenges required a
combination of advanced static and dynamic analysis
techniques, reverse engineering skills, and collaboration with
the broader cybersecurity community.
 letsdefend.io

TECHNICAL MALWARE ANALYST

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

What are the common types of malware?

Malware, or malicious software, comes in many forms, each
designed to perform different types of malicious activity.
Viruses: A virus is a type of malware that attaches itself to a
legitimate program or file and spreads to other programs or files
when the host runs.
Worms: Worms are self-contained malicious programs that
replicate themselves to spread to other computers, usually over a
network.
Trojans: Trojans masquerade as legitimate software to trick users
into installing them. Once installed, they can perform different
malicious activities.
Ransomware: Ransomware encrypts the victim's files and
demands a ransom for the decryption key.
Spyware: Spyware is designed to secretly monitor and collect
information about users without their knowledge.
Adware: Adware displays unwanted advertisements on the
infected computer.
Rootkits: Rootkits are designed to gain illegal root or
administrative access to a system and conceal their presence.
Keyloggers: Keyloggers record users' keystrokes to capture
sensitive information such as passwords and credit card
numbers.
Botnets: A botnet is a network of infected computers (bots)
controlled by an attacker. The bots perform coordinated
activities.
Fileless Malware: Fileless malware resides in memory rather than
being installed on the hard drive, making it more difficult to
detect.
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What is the difference between Static and Dynamic malware

analysis?
Static and dynamic malware analysis are two fundamental
techniques used to examine and understand the behavior and
characteristics of malicious software. Each of these methods
has its own unique approach, benefits, and limitations. Both
static and dynamic malware analysis are essential to a
comprehensive understanding of malicious software. Static
analysis is useful for quickly identifying potential threats and
understanding the structure of the malware, while dynamic
analysis provides deeper insight into the behavior of the
malware and its impact on the system. Together, these
methods enable security professionals to effectively detect,
analyze, and respond to malware threats.

What tools do you use for malware analysis?

Different tools are used for static and dynamic analysis. Static
analysis tools focus on examining the malware's code and
structure without executing it. Tools such as IDA Pro, Ghidra,
PEiD, and YARA are used to disassemble, decompile, and
detect patterns within the malware. Dynamic analysis tools
run the malware in a controlled environment to observe its
real-time behavior. Tools such as Cuckoo Sandbox, Process
Monitor, Wireshark, and Regshot provide insight into how
malware interacts with the system and network. Using a
combination of these tools, malware analysts can effectively
detect, analyze, and understand the behavior and impact of
malicious software and develop strategies to mitigate and
respond to threats.
 letsdefend.io

What are common indicators of compromise (IOC)?

Indicators of compromise (IOCs) are artifacts or patterns that
indicate potential malicious activity within a system or
network. These indicators can vary widely depending on the
type of threat and the stage of the attack. Here are some
common types of IOCs:

File-based IOCs
Hash Values: MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-256 are hashes of known
malicious files.
File Names: Suspicious or known malicious file names.
File Paths: Unusual or suspicious file paths where malicious
files are located.
File Signatures: Digital signatures or certificates associated
with malware.
File Properties: Metadata such as file size,
creation/modification timestamps, and version information.

Network-based IOCs
IP Addresses: Known malicious IP addresses associated with
command and control (C2) servers or malicious hosts.
Domain Names: Suspicious or known malicious domain names
used for communication or hosting malware.
URLs: Malicious URLs embedded in phishing emails, malicious
websites, or exploit kits.
HTTP User Agents: Unusual or suspicious user agents used by
malware for HTTP communication.
Network Traffic Patterns: Anomalies in network traffic, such as
spikes in data volume or unusual protocols.
 letsdefend.io

Behavior-based IOCs
Registry Keys: Unusual or suspicious changes to system registry
keys, indicating malware persistence or configuration.
Process Names: Known malicious process names or unusual
process behavior, such as injection techniques.
Command and Scripting Activity: Unusual or suspicious
command-line activity, PowerShell commands, or batch scripts
executed by malware.
API Calls: Abnormal patterns of API calls indicative of malware
behavior, such as hooking or privilege escalation.
Anomalies in System Logs: Unusual entries or errors in system
logs, event logs, or application logs.

Email-based IOCs
Sender Addresses: Known malicious sender email addresses or
domains associated with phishing campaigns.
Email Subjects: Suspicious or known malicious email subjects
used in phishing or spam campaigns.
Email Attachments: Malicious file attachments such as
executables, scripts, or macro-enabled documents.
Email Headers: Anomalies or indicators of spoofing in email
headers indicate potential phishing attempts.