Malware & Virus Analysis Resources

Introduction

When you’re investigating potentially malicious activity on a system, identifying whether a file, registry key, process, or domain is trustworthy is critical. Malicious code often hides in plain sight—masquerading as legitimate system components or using clever disguises to avoid detection. That’s why having the right tools and trusted resources is essential for anyone engaged in malware analysis, threat hunting, or incident response.

This guide provides a categorized list of top malware & virus analysis resources to help you verify files, analyze processes, research registry entries, and investigate suspicious network indicators.

1. Online File & URL Scanners

These platforms allow you to scan files, URLs, and hashes using multiple antivirus engines and sandbox environments. They’re typically your first stop when evaluating suspicious samples.

VirusTotal – Scans files, URLs, IPs, and hashes with 70+ antivirus engines and provides community-based feedback.
Hybrid Analysis – Offers deep behavioral analysis using sandbox tech, including process trees and IOCs.
OPSWAT MetaDefender – Multi-scanner for files, IPs, and domains with rich metadata.
Joe Sandbox – Performs in-depth behavioral analysis for Windows, Android, Linux, and macOS malware.
Kaspersky Threat Intelligence Portal – Free tool for scanning files, hashes, and URLs with context from Kaspersky’s global threat intel.
URLScan.io – Visualizes website behavior and resources loaded during page visits.
Jotti’s Malware Scan – Simple online scanner that checks files against multiple AV engines.
ANY.RUN – Interactive sandbox that lets you manually interact with malware in real time.
Fortinet Web Filter Lookup – Determines whether a URL is considered malicious or categorized as risky.

2. Malware Analysis and Threat Intelligence Databases

These platforms help you dig deeper. Use them to research malware hashes, download samples, explore TTPs (tactics, techniques, and procedures), and share threat data.

MalwareBazaar – A malware repository where you can search, analyze, and download samples by hash or tag.
ThreatFox – A collection of IOCs (indicators of compromise) like malicious domains, IPs, and URLs.
AlienVault OTX – A collaborative threat intelligence platform for sharing IOCs and malware reports.
Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence – Access Microsoft’s threat database, including detailed info on known threat actors and campaigns.
MISP – The Malware Information Sharing Platform enables structured sharing of threat intelligence.
Threat Intelligence Platform – Evaluate domains, IPs, and files for malicious behavior or abuse history.
ThreatMiner – Research malware families, actor infrastructure, and campaign patterns.
URLHaus – Tracks and lists known malicious URLs used to distribute malware.
Cisco Talos Intelligence – Provides in-depth IP/domain reputation reports and security blogs.
ANY.RUN Threat Analysis – Access public sandbox reports and threat insights from interactive analysis sessions.

3. Windows Registry and File Reputation Research

Suspicious registry keys and unfamiliar system files often raise red flags. These malware and virus analysis resources help distinguish legitimate Windows components from malicious or unnecessary entries.

SystemLookup – Comprehensive lists of startup items, toolbars, and browser helper objects.
File.net – Detailed explanations of thousands of Windows files and background processes.
WinHelpOnline – Registry tips, troubleshooting guides, and system repair info.
PC Pitstop Process Library – Information on hundreds of known Windows processes.
BleepingComputer Startup Database – Crowd-sourced research on startup items and registry keys.
Should I Remove It? – Identifies bloatware and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs).
WinPatrol – Helps detect unauthorized changes to startup programs and registry entries.
Microsoft Security Portal – Official documentation on malware and PUPs from Microsoft.
LifeWire Windows Registry Guide – Educational resources on understanding and editing the Windows registry.

4. Process and Task Manager Analysis

Understanding which processes are running on a machine—and whether they’re legitimate—is a core skill in malware analysis. These tools offer real-time process inspection and rootkit detection.

Process Explorer – An advanced alternative to Task Manager, part of Microsoft Sysinternals.
CurrProcess – Displays detailed information on running processes.
Who’s Locking This File? – Use Sysinternals’ Handle to find which processes are locking files.
GMER – Specialized tool for detecting rootkits and unauthorized kernel modifications.
WhatInStartup – Shows all startup entries, including hidden or user-specific ones.
Sysinternals Suite – A powerful collection of tools for deep Windows inspection, including Autoruns, TCPView, and more.

5. Network and IP Analysis Tools

When investigating command-and-control servers, suspicious traffic, or potential data exfiltration, these tools help profile domains and IPs for malicious activity.

IPQualityScore – Evaluates IPs for fraud risk, malware association, and abuse reports.
Shodan – Search engine for internet-connected devices; useful for scanning exposed services and ports.
VirusTotal Domain Info – Check domain reputations, related malware, and hosting infrastructure.
DomainTools WHOIS – Provides detailed registration data and domain history.
AbuseIPDB – A community-driven project that reports IPs involved in spam, abuse, or malicious activity.
Team Cymru IP Lookup – Offers IP-to-ASN mapping and threat intelligence support.
Robtex – Visual network intelligence for IPs, domains, and routing.
DNSDumpster – Free online tool for discovering domain infrastructure and subdomains.

Conclusion

Whether you’re triaging a suspicious executable, tracing registry tampering, or analyzing a rogue process, access to the right tools is essential. By combining sandbox testing, malware & virus analysis resources, threat intelligence feeds, process analysis utilities, and network research tools, you can confidently determine whether an object is safe or malicious.

Using multiple sources not only improves accuracy but also helps you see the bigger picture—whether you’re responding to a live threat or proactively hardening a system.

Stay vigilant, stay curious, and always double-check suspicious indicators before taking action.

Additional Resources for Virus and Malware Analysis

For further learning, practical walkthroughs, and in-depth threat removal strategies, explore these trusted guides from SM-U.com:

🔍 Free Virus and Malware Removal Guide – A complete starting point for identifying and eliminating infections.
🧬 File Infector Virus 101: How to Remove Them – Understand how these viruses work and why they’re tricky to clean.
🧪 Setting Up a Virtual Machine for Malware Testing and Analysis – Learn how to safely analyze malware in an isolated environment.
📦 File Padding Removal: How Hackers Use This and How to Spot It – Explore techniques attackers use to disguise malicious files.
🛡 How to Fix a Hosts File Infection – A step-by-step guide to cleaning one of the most commonly targeted system files.
👤 Rootkits 101: Detecting and Removing Rootkits – Dive into one of the stealthiest forms of malware and how to get rid of it.

Use these resources to strengthen your malware analysis workflow, whether you’re responding to a live threat or building proactive defenses.