Abstract:
Over the years reliance on digital technologies, networked systems, internet and information
technology solutions has consistently increased. The increased dependency has
expanded cyber threat spectrum by creating more opportunities for the execution of
malicious software. The diversity and complexity of cyber threats continue to evolve,
posing challenges for cyber security professionals. Malware is a constant and enduring
component of the cyber threat spectrum. It is one of the malicious tools that are
used by attackers to achieve their agendas. Malware can be categorised as traditional
malware e.g., virus, worm, or RAT, and unconventional such as fileless malware. Traditional
malware rely on executables and thus can be detected through signature-based or
heuristic techniques. Anti malware solutions are capable to detect traditional malware
more effectively through traditional detection techniques like signature-based detection
etc. Attackers prefer malware that do not require files or executable but they rely on
tools and programs already running in the system. This type of malware is known as
Fileless malware. Being fileless in nature, it easily evades traditional detection mechanisms.
Microsoft Windows with a promising GUI is most widely used OS. Thus it is
mostly targeted by the fileless malware. This study considers the detection of fileless
malware using windows artifacts with a focus on scenarios in which third-party tools
are either not available or effective for a specific fileless threat. Proposed detection technique
forms the basis for the development of more effective security solutions to detect
and mitigate fileless malware attacks.
