What is Portable Executable and how can do malware analysis on it?

 In the context of PE (Portable Executable) file analysis, the Imports window serves a vital purpose for malware analysts. It lists all of the functions (and potentially variables) that a program calls from external libraries (DLLs).

Here's a breakdown of why this information is crucial for malware analysis:

Understanding Dependencies: By analyzing the imported functions, you can identify the external libraries a program relies on. In the case of malware, this can reveal suspicious dependencies on libraries not typically used by legitimate programs.

Identifying Malicious Functionalities: Certain functions imported by malware might be red flags, indicating specific malicious capabilities. For instance, functions related to network communication, file system manipulation, or process injection could be cause for concern.

Cross-referencing with Known Malware: Malware analysts can compare the imported functions list against databases of known malware to identify similarities. This can help in classifying the malware and potentially identify its lineage or functionality.

Overall, the Imports window provides a valuable insight into a program's external dependencies, which is especially important for understanding the potential malicious behavior of malware.

Here are some additional points to consider:

The Imports window might also display information about the imported variables in some PE analysis tools.

While the Imports window is a key component, malware analysis often involves a combination of techniques, including static analysis of the code itself and dynamic analysis to observe the program's behavior during execution.