Wednesday, June 3, 2026

OFFENSIVE SECURITY / MALWARE ANALYSIS / REVERSE ENGINEERING Concept Reference List — Complete Edition


================================================================
  RECOMMENDED LEARNING PATH
================================================================
  1.  C Programming
  2.  Assembly (x86/x64)
  3.  PE Format & Windows Internals
  4.  Debugging & Dynamic Analysis
  5.  Reverse Engineering
  6.  Shellcode Engineering
  7.  Exploit Development
  8.  Malware Internals & Code Injection
  9.  EDR Evasion Concepts
  10. Kernel Mode Programming
  11. Active Directory Tradecraft
  12. Firmware / Hypervisor Research

================================================================
  SECTION A — FOUNDATIONS
================================================================

----------------------------------------------------------------
A1. PE FILE INTERNALS
----------------------------------------------------------------
- DOS Header / NT Headers
  Every PE starts with IMAGE_DOS_HEADER (MZ magic), then IMAGE_NT_HEADERS
  containing the file and optional headers

- Section Headers & Alignment
  .text (code), .data, .rdata, .rsrc — each has raw vs virtual alignment

- Import Table (IAT / INT)
  List of DLLs and functions the binary needs; resolved by the loader at startup

- Export Table
  Functions a DLL exposes to callers; has name, ordinal, and address arrays

- Relocations
  Base relocation table used when image can't load at preferred base address

- TLS Callbacks
  Thread Local Storage callbacks run BEFORE the entry point — common anti-debug
  trick since many debuggers break at EP, not TLS

- Delayed Imports
  Imports resolved lazily at first call rather than at load time

- Forwarded Exports
  An export that redirects to a function in another DLL
  (e.g., kernel32!Beep -> kernelbase!Beep)

- Resource Section (.rsrc)
  Embedded resources: icons, strings, version info, and sometimes payloads

- Manual Mapping
  Parsing and loading a PE by hand: map sections, fix relocations, resolve IAT,
  call TLS callbacks, then call entry point — foundation of reflective loading

- Relocation Fixups
  Patching absolute addresses when image loads at a different base than preferred


----------------------------------------------------------------
A2. WINDOWS INTERNALS
----------------------------------------------------------------
- Object Manager
  Kernel subsystem managing all named/unnamed kernel objects
  (files, events, mutexes, processes, threads)

- Handle Tables
  Per-process table mapping handle values to kernel object pointers

- Access Tokens & Security Reference Monitor (SRM)
  Tokens carry user SID, group SIDs, privileges; SRM enforces access checks

- ALPC (Advanced Local Procedure Call)
  High-performance IPC mechanism used internally by Windows (replaces LPC)

- Executive & Kernel layers
  HAL -> Kernel -> Executive (Ob, Mm, Io, Se, Ps, etc.) -> Subsystems

- Virtual Memory Manager (VMM)
  Manages VADs, page tables, working sets, paged/non-paged pool

- I/O Manager & IRP
  Manages driver stack communication via I/O Request Packets

- Session & Desktop isolation
  Sessions separate user contexts; desktops isolate window stations


----------------------------------------------------------------
A3. SHELLCODE ENGINEERING
----------------------------------------------------------------
- Position-Independent Code (PIC)
  Code that works regardless of where it's loaded — no hardcoded addresses;
  uses delta offsets or GetPC techniques

- GetPC Techniques
  Getting the current instruction pointer value at runtime
  (e.g., CALL/POP trick, LEA RIP-relative on x64)

- Null-Byte Avoidance
  Many injection vectors treat 0x00 as string terminator; shellcode must
  avoid null bytes through instruction substitution

- Encoder / Decoder Stubs
  XOR, ROT, or custom encoders wrap shellcode; decoder runs first,
  decodes in-place, then jumps to payload

- Syscall Shellcode
  Shellcode that invokes syscalls directly without relying on API stubs

- Alphanumeric Shellcode
  Shellcode restricted to printable ASCII characters — bypasses filters
  that only allow text input

- Egg Hunters
  Small shellcode that searches process memory for a unique tag (egg)
  preceding the real payload — useful when injection space is limited

- Staged vs Stageless Payloads
  Stageless: entire payload in one blob
  Staged: small stager downloads and executes the real payload from a C2

- Stack Pivoting
  Redirect the stack pointer (RSP/ESP) to attacker-controlled memory
  to enable ROP chain execution

- ROP Chains (Return-Oriented Programming)
  Chain together existing code "gadgets" (ending in RET) to execute
  arbitrary logic without injecting new code — bypasses DEP/NX


================================================================
  SECTION B — EXPLOITATION
================================================================

----------------------------------------------------------------
B1. EXPLOIT DEVELOPMENT
----------------------------------------------------------------
- Buffer Overflow (Stack)
  Overwrite return address on the stack to redirect execution

- Buffer Overflow (Heap)
  Corrupt heap metadata or adjacent allocations to gain control

- Use-After-Free (UAF)
  Access memory after it has been freed; if reallocated with attacker
  data, leads to type confusion or code execution

- Heap Corruption
  Corrupt allocator metadata (free lists, chunk headers) to redirect writes

- Format String Vulnerabilities
  Uncontrolled format strings (%n, %x) allow arbitrary read/write

- Integer Overflows / Underflows
  Arithmetic wrapping leads to incorrect size calculations and
  exploitable allocations

- Race Conditions (TOCTOU)
  Time-of-check vs time-of-use: win a race between check and use
  to substitute a different resource

- DEP / NX Bypass
  Data Execution Prevention marks memory non-executable;
  bypassed via ROP, ret2libc, or JIT spraying

- ASLR Bypass
  Address Space Layout Randomization randomized base addresses;
  bypassed via info leaks, partial overwrites, heap spraying, or brute force

- ROP / JOP / COP
  Return/Jump/Call Oriented Programming — code reuse attack variants

- Heap Feng Shui
  Carefully shape heap layout to place attacker data adjacent to
  target structures before triggering a vulnerability

- SEH Exploitation (Windows)
  Overwrite Structured Exception Handler chain to redirect execution
  on exception

- Browser Exploitation Concepts
  JIT compiler abuse, sandbox escapes, type confusion in JS engines,
  renderer vs browser process privilege separation

- Kernel Exploitation Basics
  NULL pointer dereference, pool overflows, race conditions in drivers,
  token stealing shellcode to escalate to SYSTEM


================================================================
  SECTION C — MALWARE INTERNALS
================================================================

----------------------------------------------------------------
C1. PROCESS & MEMORY INTERNALS
----------------------------------------------------------------
- Process Hollowing
  Spawn a legit process suspended, hollow out its memory, replace with payload

- Process Doppelganging
  Use NTFS transactions to load a modified executable without touching disk

- Process Herpaderping
  Map an executable image, modify it on disk after mapping but before
  section validation — confuses scanners that scan from disk

- Process Ghosting
  Create a file, mark it for deletion, map it as an image, then run it —
  appears to run from an already-deleted file

- PEB Walking
  Manually find loaded modules via the Process Environment Block (no API calls)

- VAD Manipulation
  Tamper with Virtual Address Descriptors to hide memory regions

- Page Table Manipulation
  Directly manipulate page tables at a lower level than VAD tricks

- Heap Spraying
  Fill heap with shellcode to increase odds of hitting it on overflow

- Pool Spraying
  Kernel-mode equivalent of heap spraying; targets kernel pool allocations

- EXE Packing (Custom Packer)
  Compress/encrypt an executable; stub decompresses and runs it at runtime

- DLL Memory Loading (Reflective DLL Injection)
  Load a DLL from a byte buffer in memory instead of from disk

- Thread Hijacking
  Suspend an existing thread, redirect its instruction pointer, resume it

- Memory Patching
  Overwrite bytes in a running process to change its behavior


----------------------------------------------------------------
C2. HOOKING TECHNIQUES
----------------------------------------------------------------
- Inline Hooking
  Patch first 5 bytes of a function with a JMP to your handler

- Trampoline Hooks
  Inline hook that also preserves and calls the original function

- Detours-style Hook
  Microsoft Detours approach — robust inline hook with trampoline

- IAT Hooking
  Replace function pointers in the Import Address Table

- VTable Hooking
  Overwrite C++ virtual function table pointers

- GOT/PLT Hooking (Linux)
  Overwrite Global Offset Table entries to redirect function calls

- SSDT Hooking
  Hook the kernel's System Service Descriptor Table (kernel mode)

- Kernel Callback Hooking
  Tamper with PsSetCreateProcessNotifyRoutine and similar callbacks
  to blind EDR/AV kernel drivers

- IRP Hooking
  Hook I/O Request Packets in kernel drivers

- SYSENTER / SYSCALL Hooking
  Modify MSRs to intercept syscall entry point


----------------------------------------------------------------
C3. CODE INJECTION TECHNIQUES
----------------------------------------------------------------
- Classic DLL Injection
  WriteProcessMemory + CreateRemoteThread -> LoadLibrary

- APC Injection
  Queue an Async Procedure Call to a thread's APC queue

- Early Bird Injection
  Inject via APC before the process fully initializes

- SetThreadContext Injection
  Redirect a suspended thread's context registers to shellcode

- Fiber Injection
  Hijack user-mode fibers to execute code inside a target process

- Transacted Hollowing
  Variant of Doppelganging using TxF (Transactional NTFS)

- Heaven's Gate
  Switch from 32-bit to 64-bit mode mid-execution to bypass hooks

- Atom Bombing
  Use Windows global atom tables as a data smuggling channel

- ptrace Injection (Linux)
  Use ptrace() syscall to read/write memory and registers of a process

- LD_PRELOAD Hijacking (Linux)
  Force a process to load your shared library before all others


----------------------------------------------------------------
C4. EVASION & ANTI-ANALYSIS
----------------------------------------------------------------
- API Unhooking
  Restore ntdll from a clean copy to remove AV/EDR hooks

- Direct Syscalls
  Invoke syscalls by number, bypassing hooked user-mode API stubs

- Indirect Syscalls
  JMP into ntdll's syscall instruction to avoid non-module execution

- Syscall Stomping
  Overwrite an unused syscall stub with your own to blend in

- Unhooking via KnownDlls Cache
  Load clean ntdll from the KnownDlls section object

- ETW Patching
  Patch ETW to blind event logging and telemetry

- Call Stack Spoofing / Return Address Spoofing
  Fake the call stack to hide the real caller from EDR stack walking

- Sleep Obfuscation
  Encrypt shellcode in memory while sleeping to evade memory scanning

- Stack Encryption
  Encrypt the stack during sleep/wait periods

- Gargoyle Memory Hiding
  Mark shellcode as non-executable while not running; flip back on timer

- Timing Attacks / Sleep Skipping Detection
  Detect sandbox time acceleration; behave benignly when detected

- PPID Spoofing
  Fake the parent process ID of a spawned process

- Misleading Disassembly
  Insert junk bytes or overlapping instructions to fool disassemblers

- Hardware Breakpoint Detection
  Scan Dr0-Dr7 registers to detect hardware breakpoints

- AMSI Bypass
  Patch or tamper with the Antimalware Scan Interface to blind
  script-based detection


================================================================
  SECTION D — PRIVILEGE & CREDENTIALS
================================================================

----------------------------------------------------------------
D1. CREDENTIAL & PRIVILEGE TECHNIQUES
----------------------------------------------------------------
- Token Impersonation
  Steal/duplicate another process's access token

- Pass-the-Hash
  Authenticate using an NTLM hash without the plaintext password

- LSASS Dumping
  Extract credential material from LSASS process memory

- DPAPI Abuse
  Decrypt Chrome cookies, WiFi passwords, Windows credentials via
  CryptProtectData / CryptUnprotectData

- Kerberoasting
  Request TGS tickets for SPNs and crack service account passwords offline

- Golden Ticket
  Forge a Kerberos TGT using the KRBTGT hash — full domain access

- Silver Ticket
  Forge a TGS for a specific service without touching the DC

- Shadow Credentials
  Add key credentials to an AD object as a stealthy backdoor

- Skeleton Key
  Patch LSASS to accept a universal master password

- UAC Bypass
  Escalate to high-integrity without a UAC prompt

- ACL Abuse
  Exploit weak permissions on registry keys, services, or files


================================================================
  SECTION E — ACTIVE DIRECTORY TRADECRAFT
================================================================

----------------------------------------------------------------
E1. AD ATTACKS & ABUSE
----------------------------------------------------------------
- DCSync
  Impersonate a DC to request password hashes via MS-DRSR replication protocol

- DCShadow
  Register a rogue DC temporarily to push malicious AD changes

- BloodHound Graph Abuse
  Use BloodHound-collected AD relationship data to find attack paths
  to Domain Admin

- Constrained Delegation Abuse
  Abuse services allowed to delegate to specific targets to impersonate users

- Resource-Based Constrained Delegation (RBCD)
  Write msDS-AllowedToActOnBehalfOfOtherIdentity to gain impersonation rights

- NTLM Relay
  Capture and relay NTLM authentication to authenticate to other services

- PetitPotam
  Coerce a DC to authenticate to an attacker via MS-EFSRPC — feeds NTLM relay

- PrinterBug (SpoolSample)
  Abuse the Print Spooler to coerce DC authentication

- Zerologon (CVE-2020-1472)
  Cryptographic flaw in Netlogon — set DC machine account password to empty

- AdminSDHolder Abuse
  Modify AdminSDHolder ACL to propagate permissions to protected groups

- SID History Abuse
  Add high-priv SID to a user's SID history as a stealthy backdoor

- Kerberos Delegation (Unconstrained)
  Machines with unconstrained delegation store TGTs — coerce DC auth to steal it


================================================================
  SECTION F — DEFENSIVE INTERNALS & EDR CONCEPTS
================================================================

----------------------------------------------------------------
F1. EDR / DETECTION ENGINEERING INTERNALS
----------------------------------------------------------------
- AMSI (Antimalware Scan Interface)
  Windows API that allows AV/EDR to inspect script content
  (PowerShell, VBScript, JScript) before execution

- ETW (Event Tracing for Windows) Providers & Consumers
  Kernel and user-mode components emit structured events;
  EDRs subscribe to security-relevant providers for telemetry

- ETWTI (ETW Threat Intelligence)
  ETW provider specifically for kernel-level process/thread telemetry
  used by modern EDRs; harder to blind than user-mode hooks

- Sysmon Internals
  Sysinternals tool using kernel callbacks and ETW to log process
  creation, network, registry, file, and driver events

- Userland vs Kernel Telemetry
  Userland (IAT/inline hooks on ntdll) vs kernel (callbacks, ETW, minifilters)
  — kernel telemetry is far harder to evade

- Minifilter Drivers
  Kernel drivers that attach to the filter manager to intercept file I/O;
  used by AV/EDR to scan files on access

- Kernel Callbacks
  PsSetCreateProcessNotifyRoutine, PsSetLoadImageNotifyRoutine,
  CmRegisterCallback — EDRs use these for visibility; malware tries to remove them

- CFG (Control Flow Guard)
  Compiler+OS mitigation: validates indirect call targets against a bitmap
  of valid function entry points

- CET / Hardware Shadow Stack
  Intel CET pushes return addresses to a separate shadow stack protected
  by hardware; defeats ROP chains that corrupt the normal stack

- PatchGuard (KPP)
  Kernel Patch Protection: periodically checks integrity of SSDT, IDT,
  GDT, and other kernel structures; BSODs on tampering

- HVCI / VBS (Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity / Virtualization Based Security)
  Uses a hypervisor to isolate the kernel credential store and enforce
  code integrity — makes unsigned kernel code execution nearly impossible

- Protected Process Light (PPL)
  Restricts which processes can open handles to sensitive processes
  (like LSASS) with certain access rights

- LSASS Protection
  RunAsPPL registry key makes LSASS a protected process;
  requires a signed driver to dump it


================================================================
  SECTION G — REVERSE ENGINEERING
================================================================

----------------------------------------------------------------
G1. REVERSE ENGINEERING SKILLS
----------------------------------------------------------------
- Static Analysis
  Reading disassembly without running it (IDA Pro, Ghidra, Binary Ninja)

- Dynamic Analysis
  Running under a debugger (x64dbg, WinDbg)

- Anti-Debug Tricks
  IsDebuggerPresent, NtQueryInformationProcess, timing checks, TLS callbacks

- Hardware Breakpoint Detection
  Detect debuggers via debug register inspection (Dr0-Dr7)

- Unpacking
  Extracting real payload from a packed/compressed executable

- Deobfuscation
  Recovering readable code from obfuscated or encrypted samples

- Binary Patching
  Modifying compiled binaries to change behavior

- Binary Diffing
  Comparing two binary versions to find changes (Diaphora, BinDiff)
  — essential for patch analysis and 1-day research

- Emulation / Unicorn Engine
  Run shellcode in an emulated CPU without a full OS environment

- Taint Tracking / Symbolic Execution
  Track attacker-controlled data flow through a binary (Angr, Triton)

- Debugger Scripting
  Automate analysis with IDAPython, x64dbg's Python API, WinDbg JS


================================================================
  SECTION H — LINUX & CROSS-PLATFORM
================================================================

----------------------------------------------------------------
H1. LINUX TECHNIQUES
----------------------------------------------------------------
- ptrace Injection
  Linux syscall for process inspection/control; abuse for code injection

- LD_PRELOAD Hijacking
  Force a process to load your shared library before system libraries;
  override functions like read(), write(), getuid()

- GOT / PLT Hooking
  Overwrite Global Offset Table to redirect function calls in ELF binaries

- ELF Internals
  ELF header, program headers, section headers, dynamic segment,
  symbol tables — Linux equivalent of PE format knowledge

- /proc Manipulation
  /proc/[pid]/mem for reading/writing process memory;
  /proc/[pid]/maps for layout; used in Linux injection techniques

- eBPF Rootkits
  Extended Berkeley Packet Filter programs run in kernel context;
  can hook syscalls and hide processes/network connections

- Linux Capabilities Abuse
  Fine-grained privilege system (CAP_SYS_ADMIN, CAP_NET_RAW, etc.)
  — misconfigurations lead to container escapes and privilege escalation

- cron / systemd Persistence
  Classic persistence via crontab entries or malicious systemd units


================================================================
  SECTION I — PERSISTENCE MECHANISMS
================================================================

- Registry Run Keys
  HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

- Scheduled Tasks
  Via COM or XML; survive reboots

- COM Hijacking
  Replace a legitimate COM object with your own DLL

- DLL Proxying / DLL Side-Loading
  Malicious DLL named to match what a legit app expects; forward real exports

- WMI Subscriptions
  Trigger payloads on system events

- Boot/Login Scripts via GPO
  Scripts in SYSVOL executed at boot/login

- SID History Abuse
  Add high-priv SID to user's history as a stealthy backdoor

- SIH Abuse
  Abuse Windows maintenance scheduled tasks

- Boot/Pre-OS (Bootkit)
  MBR/VBR level persistence


================================================================
  SECTION J — FIRMWARE & HARDWARE
================================================================

- UEFI Bootkit
  Persist in SPI flash firmware (LoJax, CosmicStrand) — survives reinstalls

- SMM (System Management Mode) Rootkit
  Executes in SMRAM, invisible to OS; triggered by SMIs

- PCIe DMA Attacks
  Read/write host memory via PCIe/Thunderbolt without CPU (PCILeech)

- ACPI Table Tampering
  Embed malicious code in custom ACPI methods


================================================================
  SECTION K — HYPERVISOR & VM CONCEPTS
================================================================

- VM Exits
  Conditions that cause a guest VM to trap back to the hypervisor (VMM);
  hypervisors monitor sensitive instructions via VM exits

- EPT Hooking (Extended Page Tables)
  Hook guest physical memory mappings at the hypervisor level —
  invisible to the guest OS; used in stealth monitors and rootkits

- Blue Pill Rootkit Concept
  Transparently insert a hypervisor under a running OS; OS is unaware
  it's now a VM guest

- Hypervisor Introspection (VMI)
  Inspect guest VM memory and state from the hypervisor without
  touching the guest — powerful for transparent monitoring

- Intel VT-x Internals
  VMX root/non-root operation, VMCS fields, VMLAUNCH/VMRESUME,
  EPT, VPID — foundational for building a hypervisor

- CPUID Fingerprinting
  Detect virtualization via CPUID hypervisor bit and vendor strings

- Timing-Based VM Detection
  RDTSC delta differences between bare metal and VM environments

- SGX Enclaves
  Intel Software Guard Extensions — isolated encrypted memory regions
  even the OS/hypervisor can't read; used for secrets and anti-analysis

- TPM Abuse Concepts
  Trusted Platform Module sealing/unsealing secrets tied to platform state;
  research into PCR manipulation and TPM-based malware resilience


================================================================
  SECTION L — NETWORK, C2 & TRAFFIC EVASION
================================================================

- C2 Protocol Mimicry
  Disguise traffic as: HTTPS, DNS, MS Graph API, Telegram, Slack, OneDrive

- JA3 / JA3S Fingerprinting
  Fingerprint TLS clients/servers from handshake parameters;
  EDRs/NDRs use this to identify C2 tools

- JARM Fingerprint Spoofing
  Manipulate active TLS fingerprint to avoid C2 server identification

- HTTP/2 C2
  Use HTTP/2 multiplexing to blend C2 traffic into normal web traffic

- QUIC-Based Transport
  UDP-based protocol; harder to inspect than TCP/TLS streams

- Domain Fronting
  Route C2 through a CDN; largely mitigated, replaced by CDN impersonation

- Dead Drop Resolvers
  Store C2 address in a public service (Twitter, Pastebin, GitHub)
  so the real C2 IP never appears in the binary

- DGA (Domain Generation Algorithms)
  Algorithmically generate hundreds of domain names; only the attacker
  knows which one is registered today

- Fast Flux DNS
  Rapidly rotate IPs behind a C2 domain to evade IP blocklists

- Peer-to-Peer Botnets
  Decentralized C2 with no single point of failure; nodes relay commands

- Traffic Shaping
  Throttle and time C2 beacons to mimic normal user browser traffic

- Covert Channels
  Hide data in protocol fields not meant for data (DNS TXT, ICMP payload,
  HTTP headers, image steganography)

- C2 Over WebSocket / gRPC
  Modern protocol channels that blend naturally into enterprise traffic

- Living Off the Land (LOLBins)
  Use built-in Windows binaries to avoid dropping files:
  mshta, regsvr32, cscript, wmic, certutil, rundll32, msiexec, bitsadmin


================================================================
  SECTION M — ADVANCED RESEARCH TOPICS
================================================================

- DKOM (Direct Kernel Object Manipulation)
  Directly modify kernel structures (e.g., unlink a process from
  ActiveProcessLinks to hide it from task managers)

- Object Callbacks
  ObRegisterCallbacks — kernel mechanism for object open/duplicate
  notification; abused by anti-cheat and rootkits alike

- Heaven's Gate Variants
  Beyond 32->64 mode switch: variants for syscall table switching
  and wow64 layer abuse

- Gargoyle Memory Hiding
  Execute shellcode, then mark it non-executable and hide it in heap;
  re-arm via timer to re-execute later

- Sleep Obfuscation Techniques
  Encrypt implant in memory during sleep: Ekko, Foliage, Cronos variants

- Stack Encryption
  XOR or AES the stack during wait periods to evade memory scanning

- Return Address Spoofing
  Overwrite return addresses on the stack to fake call origin

- Intel VT-x Internals
  VMCS, EPT, VM exits — foundation for building custom hypervisors

- Kernel Patch Protection (PatchGuard) Internals
  How PatchGuard works: encrypted timer callbacks, integrity checks,
  randomized scheduling — and why bypassing it is extremely difficult

- ETWTI (ETW Threat Intelligence Provider)
  Kernel ETW provider emitting thread/process events used by modern EDRs;
  patching it requires kernel access and triggers PatchGuard


================================================================
  SECTION N — LEARNING RESOURCES
================================================================

Courses:
  - OSCP   (Offensive Security Certified Professional)
  - OSED   (Offensive Security Exploit Developer)
  - CRTO   (Certified Red Team Operator)
  - CRTE   (Certified Red Team Expert — AD focused)
  - Sektor7 Malware Development (intro + intermediate + rootkits)
  - SANS FOR610  (Reverse Engineering Malware)
  - SANS SEC760  (Advanced Exploit Development)
  - TCM Security Malware Analysis Courses

Books:
  - The Shellcoder's Handbook
  - Practical Malware Analysis (Sikorski & Honig)
  - Windows Internals Parts 1 & 2 (Russinovich et al.)
  - The Art of Memory Forensics
  - Rootkits: Subverting the Windows Kernel
  - Hacking: The Art of Exploitation (Erickson)
  - The Web Application Hacker's Handbook

Disassemblers / Decompilers:
  - IDA Pro            (industry standard)
  - Ghidra             (free, NSA open-source)
  - Binary Ninja       (scriptable, modern UI)
  - Cutter / Rizin     (free open-source)

Debuggers:
  - x64dbg             (Windows user-mode)
  - WinDbg / WinDbg Preview  (kernel + user-mode)
  - GDB + pwndbg/peda  (Linux)

Dynamic Instrumentation:
  - Frida              (scriptable, cross-platform)
  - DynamoRIO          (binary translation framework)
  - PIN (Intel)        (x86 instrumentation)

System Inspection:
  - Process Hacker / System Informer
  - Process Monitor (ProcMon)
  - API Monitor

Network Analysis:
  - Wireshark
  - Zeek / Bro
  - Fakenet-NG         (dynamic network analysis for malware)

Emulation / Symbolic Execution:
  - Unicorn Engine     (CPU emulation)
  - Angr               (symbolic execution)
  - Triton             (dynamic taint + symbolic)

Hardware / DMA:
  - PCILeech / MemProcFS

Practice Environments:
  - TryHackMe
  - HackTheBox
  - VulnHub
  - Any.run            (online sandbox)
  - MalwareBazaar      (real samples)
  - Flare-VM           (Windows RE environment)
  - REMnux             (Linux RE environment)
  - pwn.college        (exploit development)

================================================================
  NOTE: These concepts are for educational purposes —
  malware analysis, red teaming, CTFs, and security research.
  Always operate within legal boundaries and in authorized
  environments (your own lab, CTFs, bug bounty programs).
================================================================

No comments:

Post a Comment