Fundamentals of InfoSecintermediate
Compare basic and advanced static analysis, and explain one limitation of each.
Answer
Basic static analysis examines file characteristics without inspecting program instructions. It is quick and easy but can miss behaviour. Advanced static analysis uses a disassembler to inspect instructions and can reveal what the program does, but it is complex and requires knowledge of programming or assembly.
Explanation
### What a good answer covers
- Basic static analysis inspects a file without examining its instructions and can be quick to perform.
- It may miss behaviour that is not apparent from simple file inspection.
- Advanced static analysis uses a disassembler to inspect program instructions.
- It can provide detailed information but requires programming or assembly knowledge and is more complex.
### The concept
Both approaches avoid executing the suspicious program. The difference is depth: basic checks are accessible but limited, while instruction-level examination is more informative and demanding.
### Terms
- **Disassembler**: Software that converts machine code into instructions analysts can inspect.
- **Assembly language**: A low-level programming representation closely related to machine instructions.
### Remember
Static analysis ranges from quick file inspection to detailed instruction-level reverse engineering.
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