Course 20 - Malware Analysis: Identifying and Defeating Code Obfuscation | Episode 2: Analyzing and Defeating Obfuscation in VBA

In this lesson, you’ll learn about:Obfuscation in Interpreted Code:Why interpreted languages like VBA and PowerShell are still heavily obfuscated despite being easier to access than native binaries.Common tactics such as junk instructions, string and object obfuscation, and nonsensical naming designed to slow analysis rather than prevent it.Analyzing Malicious VBA Macros:Extracting macro code from Office documents using stream-analysis tools.Identifying execution entry points such as AutoOpen to understand how and when malicious logic is triggered.Tracing string operations to uncover indicators of compromise, including URLs, dropped file names, and execution paths.PowerShell Obfuscation and “Living off the Land”:Understanding why attackers favor PowerShell for in-memory execution and stealth.Capturing and decoding obfuscated commands, including Base64 payloads that rely on UTF-16 encoding.Decompressing embedded payloads and inspecting runtime values as scripts de-obfuscate themselves.Dynamic Analysis Techniques:Using process and script inspection tools to observe PowerShell behavior at runtime.Leveraging debugging environments to set breakpoints and examine variables at the exact moment hidden data is revealed.Efficient Analysis Strategies:Refactoring obfuscated scripts by renaming variables and functions for clarity.Filtering out dead or irrelevant code to reduce noise.Allowing malware to execute in a controlled environment so it reveals its own logic, saving significant analysis time.You can listen and download our episodes for free on more than 10 different platforms:https://linktr.ee/cybercode_academy