Behind C&C – even malware has its own backend
Many malware families use some sort of C&C server to receive updates or custom commands from the malicious actor or to exfiltrate stolen data. Getting access to these backend files can give researchers and law enforcement agencies a lot of information about how malware works and who the victims are. Sometimes, it can even lead to the actual people behind the attack! Therefore, properly and promptly analyzing the code obtained from the C&C is an important task that researchers have to face from time to time, so it’s better to be ready!
Things to focus on
So long as the analyst has access to the code, it makes sense to prepare and prioritize a list of questions to answer. Generally, the following knowledge can be obtained from the backend:
- Is it an actual backend code or a proxy redirecting messages to another location? What URI or port does the malware utilize?
- What is the format of the accepted...
