Comparing Malware Evasion Theory with Practice - Results from Expert Analyst Interviews

Explore a 13-minute conference talk from USENIX SOUPS 2024 examining the disconnect between academic research and real-world practice in malware analysis. Dive into findings from a comprehensive study involving 24 expert malware analysts across 15 companies, investigating how theoretical countermeasures align with practical challenges in the field. Learn about the systematic mapping of published research on evasion techniques, understand which evasive behaviors pose the greatest challenges to analysts, and discover common methodologies used to counter these threats. Gain insights into the barriers preventing research solutions from being implemented in practice and understand the limitations of current automated malware analysis systems from practitioners' perspectives. Particularly valuable for cybersecurity researchers and malware analysts seeking to bridge the gap between academic theory and industry practice.