GDB
LLDB
WinDbg
x64dbg
BREAKPOINT
STEP
WATCH
TRACE
EAX=
RIP=
ESP+
INT3
SYSCALL
API
DLL
VMM
EIP
HEAP
STACK
REGS
MEM
PEB
TEB
NtDll
Kernel32
academy$ gdb ./malware.exe
(gdb) break *main
Breakpoint 1 at 0x401000
(gdb) run
[LESSON_05][INTERMEDIATE]

[⚡ DYNAMIC ANALYSIS & DEBUGGING]

// Master the art of analyzing malware during execution. Learn debugging techniques, API monitoring, memory analysis, and behavioral observation to uncover runtime secrets that static analysis can't reveal.

academy$ cat learning_objectives.md

[🎯 LEARNING_OBJECTIVES]

> mastery_goals.list

  • [✓]Master debugging tools (GDB, x64dbg, WinDbg, LLDB)
  • [✓]Set effective breakpoints and trace execution flow
  • [✓]Monitor API calls and system interactions
  • [✓]Analyze memory dumps and heap/stack corruption
  • [✓]Bypass anti-debugging and evasion techniques

> prerequisites.cfg

  • - Completed Lesson 4: Static Analysis
  • - Assembly language proficiency
  • - Operating system internals knowledge
  • - Virtual machine setup experience
# Estimated completion time: 4 hours
academy$ man dynamic_analysis

[📚 DYNAMIC_ANALYSIS_FUNDAMENTALS]

⚡ What is Dynamic Analysis?

Dynamic analysis involves executing malware in a controlled environment while monitoring its behavior. It's like watching a suspect in action - observing every move, interaction, and side effect as the program runs.

✅ Advantages

  • • Reveals actual runtime behavior
  • • Bypasses some obfuscation techniques
  • • Shows network communications
  • • Captures file system modifications
  • • Reveals decrypted payloads

⚠️ Limitations

  • • Requires safe sandbox environment
  • • May not trigger all code paths
  • • Can be detected by anti-analysis
  • • Time-consuming setup and execution
  • • Risk of malware escape

🛠️ Dynamic Analysis Workflow

1. Environment Setup

VMware, VirtualBox, Cuckoo Sandbox

Isolated VM, snapshots, monitoring tools

2. Baseline Recording

Process Monitor, Registry Monitor

System state before malware execution

3. Execution & Monitoring

API Monitor, Wireshark, Procmon

Run malware with comprehensive logging

4. Interactive Debugging

x64dbg, GDB, WinDbg, OllyDbg

Step through code, examine memory

5. Behavioral Analysis

MITRE ATT&CK, Custom Scripts

Correlate observations, identify TTPs

🔧 Essential Debugging Tools

x64dbg

Windows

Modern Windows debugger with plugin support

Ring 3 debuggingScript engineMemory mapsPlugin ecosystem

GDB

Linux/macOS

GNU Debugger - powerful command-line debugging

Python scriptingRemote debuggingCore dump analysisMulti-threading

WinDbg

Windows

Microsoft's kernel and user-mode debugger

Kernel debuggingCrash dump analysisTime Travel DebuggingJavaScript scripting

LLDB

macOS/iOS

Apple's debugger for Xcode and command line

Swift/Obj-C supportiOS debuggingPython APIDWARF symbols
academy$ ls -la labs/dynamic-analysis/

[🧪 HANDS_ON_LABS]

Lab 1: Basic Debugging Workflow

BEGINNER⏱ 45 min

> objectives:

  • ├─ Set up x64dbg with a simple malware sample
  • ├─ Practice setting breakpoints at entry point and key functions
  • ├─ Step through execution and examine register values
  • ├─ Identify and trace function calls using call stack

> deliverables:

  • ├─ Screenshot of successful breakpoint hit
  • ├─ Register dump analysis
  • ├─ Function call trace
📁 Malware Samples:
📥 Windows📥 macOS📥 Linux
📝 [WALKTHROUGH]

Lab 2: API Monitoring & System Calls

INTERMEDIATE⏱ 60 min

> objectives:

  • ├─ Monitor Windows API calls using API Monitor
  • ├─ Trace file system operations with Process Monitor
  • ├─ Capture network traffic during malware execution
  • ├─ Correlate API calls with static analysis findings

> deliverables:

  • ├─ API call log with analysis
  • ├─ Network traffic PCAP
  • ├─ File system changes report
📁 Malware Samples:
📥 Windows📥 macOS📥 Linux
📝 [WALKTHROUGH]

Lab 3: Memory Analysis & Heap Inspection

INTERMEDIATE⏱ 75 min

> objectives:

  • ├─ Analyze heap allocations and memory layouts
  • ├─ Dump and examine process memory regions
  • ├─ Identify string decryption in memory
  • ├─ Track memory corruption and buffer overflows

> deliverables:

  • ├─ Memory dump analysis
  • ├─ Decrypted strings extraction
  • ├─ Heap corruption evidence
📁 Malware Samples:
📥 Windows📥 macOS📥 Linux
📝 [WALKTHROUGH]

Lab 4: Anti-Debugging Bypass

ADVANCED⏱ 90 min

> objectives:

  • ├─ Identify common anti-debugging techniques
  • ├─ Bypass IsDebuggerPresent() and PEB checks
  • ├─ Handle timing-based detection mechanisms
  • ├─ Use ScyllaHide or similar evasion tools

> deliverables:

  • ├─ Anti-debug technique documentation
  • ├─ Successful bypass demonstration
  • ├─ Evasion tool configuration
📁 Malware Samples:
📥 Windows📥 macOS📥 Linux
📝 [WALKTHROUGH]
academy$ cat advanced_techniques.md

[🚀 ADVANCED_TECHNIQUES]

🎯 Code Coverage Analysis

Maximize analysis coverage by ensuring all code paths are executed during dynamic analysis.

  • • DynamoRIO: Dynamic instrumentation framework
  • • Intel Pin: Binary instrumentation tool
  • • Frida: JavaScript-based instrumentation
  • • Custom harnesses: Trigger specific behaviors

🧠 Behavioral Modeling

Create comprehensive behavioral profiles by correlating multiple analysis dimensions.

  • • MITRE ATT&CK: Map techniques to framework
  • • Kill chain analysis: Identify attack phases
  • • IOC extraction: Generate detection signatures
  • • Family clustering: Group related samples

🛡️ Evasion Detection

Identify and bypass sophisticated anti-analysis techniques employed by modern malware.

  • • VM detection: Hardware fingerprinting bypass
  • • Timing attacks: Performance-based detection
  • • Debugger detection: PEB, API hooks, exceptions
  • • Environmental keying: Context-aware execution

⚙️ Automation & Scaling

Scale dynamic analysis using automated frameworks and distributed analysis systems.

  • • Cuckoo Sandbox: Automated malware analysis
  • • CAPE Sandbox: Configuration extraction
  • • Joe Sandbox: Commercial analysis platform
  • • Custom pipelines: Tailored analysis workflows
academy$ cat resources.txt

[📚 RESOURCES_&_TOOLS]

> debuggers.list

  • x64dbg
    Modern Windows debugger
  • GDB
    GNU Debugger (Linux/macOS)
  • WinDbg
    Microsoft kernel debugger
  • LLDB
    LLVM debugger (macOS/iOS)
  • OllyDbg
    Classic 32-bit debugger

> monitoring.tools

  • Process Monitor
    File/Registry monitoring
  • API Monitor
    API call tracking
  • Wireshark
    Network traffic analysis
  • Sysmon
    System activity logging
  • Regshot
    Registry change detection

> sandboxes.env

  • Cuckoo Sandbox
    Open-source automation
  • CAPE
    Configuration extraction
  • VMware
    Virtual machine platform
  • VirtualBox
    Free virtualization
  • FlareVM
    Malware analysis VM
academy$ ./assessment.sh --lesson=5

[📊 ASSESSMENT_&_NEXT_STEPS]

✅ Knowledge Check

  • • Can you set breakpoints and trace execution in multiple debuggers?
  • • Do you understand different types of breakpoints (software, hardware, conditional)?
  • • Can you monitor API calls and correlate them with malware behavior?
  • • Are you comfortable analyzing memory dumps and heap structures?
  • • Can you identify and bypass basic anti-debugging techniques?
  • • Do you understand the integration between static and dynamic analysis?

🚀 Continue Learning

Next: Lesson 6 - Advanced Static Analysis
Master sophisticated reverse engineering techniques with professional tools
Practice: Real Malware Samples
Apply skills to actual malware families
Advanced: Tool Integration
Combine static and dynamic analysis for comprehensive research
✅ Dynamic Analysis Complete!
Use the navigation below to continue to Lesson 6 or return to the lesson overview.