Certified Incident Handler (CIH) Practice Ecam

Which type of tool is essential for dynamic analysis in a malware analysis lab?

1. Firewall

2. Sandbox

3. Proxy server

4. Network scanner

The correct answer is: Sandbox

Dynamic analysis in a malware analysis lab involves executing the malware in a controlled environment to observe its behavior in real-time. A sandbox is specifically designed for this purpose, as it provides an isolated environment where the malware can be run without risk to other systems or networks. The sandbox allows analysts to monitor various aspects of the malware's activity, such as file modifications, network traffic, and system changes. This visibility is essential to understand the full scope of the malware's capabilities and intent. By using a sandbox, analysts can gather intelligence on how the malware interacts with the operating system and other applications, which is often critical for developing effective mitigation strategies. In contrast, while tools like firewalls, proxy servers, and network scanners serve important roles in cybersecurity, they do not provide the same level of functionality for executing and observing malware behavior in a dynamic context. Firewalls are primarily used to control traffic and enforce security policies; proxy servers help manage network requests and can log activity, but they do not execute malware; and network scanners are designed to discover devices and services on a network rather than analyze malware. Therefore, the sandbox stands out as the essential tool for dynamic analysis in a malware analysis lab.