Reverse Engineering and Malware Analysis Roadmap

Welcome to the comprehensive roadmap for mastering reverse engineering and malware analysis. This roadmap is designed to guide individuals from beginner to expert level in the field of reverse engineering and malware analysis.

Foundations

0x00 Establishing a Secure Lab Environment

Build a Malware Analysis Lab (Self-Hosted & Cloud) - The Malware Analysis Project 101

0x01 Mastering Reverse Engineering Tools

Gathering Intelligence

0x02 Sourcing Malware Samples

0x03 Gathering Threat Intelligence

Analyzing Malware Families

0x04 Understanding Common Malware Families

Malpedia

Practical Exercises

0x05 Beginner Challenges and Writeups

First of all:

Understanding Low-Level Concepts

0x06 Assembly Language and PE Format

Video 1 and Video 2 for x86 assembly introduction
Intel official manual on assembly language (and free courses for other platforms)
An In-Depth Look Into The Win32 Portable Executable File Format
An In-Depth Look into the Win32 Portable Executable File Format (Part 2)
Peering Inside the PE: A Tour of the Win32 Portable Executable File Format
PE101 and PE102 by Ange Albertini
Introduction to the Portable Executable (PE) File Format
Win32 Portable Executable File Format (SANS)
Inside Windows PE
Windows Internals 7th Edition
Dynamic Linking and Windows PE
Understanding Windows PE Files
Binary Analysis Cookbooks
Windows PE Parsing with Python
Automation Techniques in C++ Reverse Engineering

Additional Assembly Resources

0x07 Programming for Reverse Engineering

Proficiency in C/C++, Python, and Assembly is highly recommended.

MalwareTech's article on programming for malware analysis
Recommended Learning:
- x86 Assembly: Iczelion's tutorial, Win32 Assembler for Crackers by Goppit
- C/C++: The C Programming language (K&R), The C++ Programming language, Linux Programming by example
Windows System Programming book
C/C++ Notes - Windows API Programming Win32

Start Now with These Books!

After all this learning, you can now start with these essential books on Reverse Engineering & Exploitation:

Reverse Engineering & Exploitation

Malware Unpacking

0x08 Manual Unpacking Techniques

Some ways...

Way one: Unpacking Malware (Medium Article)
Way two: Manually unpacking malware (Travis Mathison)

Advanced Techniques

0x09 Virtualization-based Protectors

0x0a Malware Injection and Hooking

0x0b Kernel-mode Malware

Before we dive into kernel-mode malware and rootkit techniques, it's important to understand the fundamentals of driver development and kernel programming. Below are some great starting points that will guide you through these concepts and provide a solid foundation.

Basic Driver Development Resources

Additional Resources

Memory Management in Kernel Mode

Handling IRPs (I/O Request Packets)

The Basics: Bugchecks Explained

Important Books for Kernel and Driver Development

Web Resources

Key Resources for Kernel-mode Malware and Rootkit Techniques

Kernel-mode Rootkit Techniques:

0x0c Going Deeper

Learning Resources

0x0d Courses and Tutorials

Obfuscation

0x0e YouTube Channels and Videos

0x0f Recommended Books

Tips and Advice

0x10 Staying Motivated and Advancing Your Career

Stay curious and eager to learn.
Practice, practice, practice.
Engage with the community.
Contribute and share your knowledge.
Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques.
Develop strong programming skills (C/C++, Python, Assembly).
Embrace failure as a learning opportunity.
Maintain a safe and controlled environment for your analysis.
Respect intellectual property and adhere to ethical guidelines.

0x11 Getting a Malware Analyst Job

Contribute to the community (research, blogs, open source).
Stay active (conferences, CTFs).
Build a solid online presence (GitHub, Twitter).
Network with industry professionals.
Continuously update your skills and knowledge.

Conclusion

This comprehensive roadmap provides a step-by-step guide for mastering reverse engineering and malware analysis. By following the suggested resources and engaging in practical exercises, you can build a strong foundation, develop advanced skills, and position yourself for a successful career in this field. Remember to stay motivated, curious, and always eager to learn. Good luck on your journey!

Additional Resources

Blogs and Websites

Forums and Communities

Tools and Software

Online Platforms and Challenges

Upcoming Resources

I will be adding some random books to the REbooks folder soon. Stay tuned for more resources!

Acknowledgments

A big thank you to all the researchers, authors, and contributors who have shared their knowledge and resources in the field of reverse engineering and malware analysis. This roadmap wouldn't have been possible without their valuable contributions.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you have any suggestions, resources, or improvements to this roadmap, please feel free to open an issue or submit a pull request.

Channel

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