Malware Analysis Fundamentals with Assembly — PickAClass
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★ 3.5 (4) ⏱ 3h 📚 30 lessons 🎧 Audio version

Malware Analysis Fundamentals with Assembly

Develop the skills to dissect malicious software and interpret assembly code to identify system threats and security vulnerabilities through comprehensive written instruction.

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About this course

Cybersecurity professionals must understand how malicious software operates at a low level to effectively defend modern networks. This course provides a foundational understanding of malware behavior and the assembly language required to analyze it, moving from basic definitions to practical analysis techniques. You will learn to: Understand the core concepts of malware types and their delivery mechanisms; Learn the fundamentals of x86-64 assembly language to read and interpret low-level code; Practice static analysis techniques to examine files without execution; Apply basic dynamic analysis methods using safe, isolated environments; Identify common malware patterns, such as persistence and network communication; Explore modern anti-analysis and obfuscation tactics used by attackers today. The material begins with essential terminology and security concepts before progressing through assembly basics and structured analysis workflows. This course is designed for beginners in cybersecurity with no prior experience in reverse engineering or low-level programming. Start building your foundation in malware research and security analysis today.

Course contents

6 modules · 30 lessons · 3h

1 Malware Foundations & Safety
Understand what malware is and how to set up a safe environment for analysis. 5 lessons · 30 min
  1. The Malware Landscape
    Differentiate between viruses, worms, trojans, and ransomware.    6 min
  2. Delivery Vectors
    Explain how malware enters a system via phishing, exploits, and social engineering.    6 min
  3. Key Terminology
    Define IOCs, TTPs, and the difference between static and dynamic analysis.    6 min
  4. The Analysis Lab
    Set up a safe, isolated virtual machine environment for handling threats.    6 min
  5. The Analysis Lifecycle
    Overview of the structured workflow from initial triage to final report.    6 min
2 Assembly Language for Analysts
Learn to read and interpret x86-64 assembly code to understand program logic. 5 lessons · 30 min
  1. CPU Architecture Basics
    Understand how the CPU interacts with memory and registers.    6 min
  2. The x86-64 Register Set
    Identify the purpose of general-purpose registers like RAX, RBX, and RIP.    6 min
  3. Moving Data
    Interpret the MOV instruction and how data travels between registers and memory.    6 min
  4. Arithmetic and Logic
    Read instructions like ADD, SUB, XOR, and AND in a malware context.    6 min
  5. Control Flow Instructions
    Analyze JMP, CMP, and CALL to follow the execution path of a program.    6 min
3 Static Analysis Techniques
Examine malware files without executing them to gather initial intelligence. 5 lessons · 30 min
  1. Fingerprinting with Hashes
    Use MD5 and SHA256 to identify and search for known malware samples.    6 min
  2. Extracting Strings
    Find embedded URLs, IP addresses, and file paths using string analysis tools.    6 min
  3. The PE File Header
    Understand the structure of Windows executables and what headers reveal.    6 min
  4. Imports and Exports
    Identify malicious capabilities by looking at the functions a program requests.    6 min
  5. Detecting Packed Files
    Recognize signs that a file is compressed or protected to hide its code.    6 min
4 Basic Dynamic Analysis
Observe malware behavior in real-time within a controlled environment. 5 lessons · 30 min
  1. Sandbox Analysis
    Use automated sandboxes to get a quick behavioral overview.    6 min
  2. Process Monitoring
    Use tools like Process Hacker to see what a malware process does when running.    6 min
  3. File System Changes
    Track files created, modified, or deleted by the malware.    6 min
  4. Registry Activity
    Monitor how malware alters the Windows Registry for configuration.    6 min
  5. Introduction to Debugging
    Briefly use a debugger to pause execution and inspect the program state.    6 min
5 Identifying Malware Patterns
Recognize common behaviors like staying on the system and communicating with servers. 5 lessons · 30 min
  1. Persistence: Run Keys
    Identify how malware uses Registry Run keys to start automatically.    6 min
  2. Persistence: Scheduled Tasks
    Detect malware that hides within the Windows Task Scheduler.    6 min
  3. Network Beacons
    Recognize the repetitive 'heartbeat' signals sent to Command & Control servers.    6 min
  4. Domain Generation (DGA)
    Understand how malware dynamically creates new domains to avoid blocking.    6 min
  5. Data Exfiltration
    Identify patterns of sensitive data being prepared and sent out of the network.    6 min
6 Evasion and Advanced Tactics
Learn how attackers hide their malware and how to bypass these protections. 5 lessons · 30 min
  1. Obfuscation: Encoding
    Recognize Base64 and XOR encoding used to hide malicious strings.    6 min
  2. Packing and Crypters
    Understand how malware authors wrap their code in protective layers.    6 min
  3. Anti-VM Techniques
    Identify code that checks if it is running inside a virtual machine.    6 min
  4. Anti-Debugging Tricks
    Spot techniques used to crash or confuse analysis tools.    6 min
  5. Final Analysis Workflow
    Synthesize all techniques into a cohesive step-by-step analysis report.    6 min
Final project

The First Responder’s Malware Report

You will be given a set of static and dynamic analysis data from a simulated malware sample. You must interpret the assembly code snippets, identify the persistence mechanism, and document the network behavior.

What you'll get

  • 📜 Certificate of completion
    Add it to your LinkedIn profile
  • 💬 Personal AI tutor
    Stuck on a lesson? Ask your built-in tutor anything, any time.
  • 🎧 Audio version included
    Learn on the go — no screen needed
  • ♾️ Lifetime access
    Come back anytime, no expiry
  • 📱 Phone or computer
    Works anywhere, any device
  • 💸 14-day refund
    No questions asked
  • ⚡ Short & focused
    3h of practical content

Certificate of completion

Every course you complete on PickAClass issues a credential like this — original, with its own code, verifiable by URL, and detailed about what was actually demonstrated.

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Certificate of Mastery
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Name Surname
has successfully demonstrated mastery of
Malware Analysis Fundamentals with Assembly
Skills demonstrated
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Foundational
1.2 hrs
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Decision-architecture frameworks
Proficient
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Malware Analysis Fundamentals with Assembly
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Performance detail
Coursework summary
Lessons completed 14 / 14
Practice questions 26 / 28
Assignments submitted 4 (avg 4.5 / 5)
Capstone project Reviewed — 4.6 / 5
Total practice 6.2 hrs
Performance benchmark
Cohort rank Top 12% of 1,625
Time to completion 11 days (median: 22)
Mastery score 91 / 100
Practice-question score 94%
Skill verification Verified Skill Path
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pickaclass.com/certificates/PCC-2026-X4F7-AP19
Issued under the academic standards of PickAClass. Skill levels reflect assessed performance against the course's competency rubric. This is an original credential of this platform.

Reviews (4)

Amelia Santos PH
★ 3 · September 8, 2026

It provides a good starting point. My main issue was with the clarity of a couple of the later modules.

أحمد الزاوي TN Verified learner
★ 3 · August 28, 2026

Really enjoyed the flow of this. The practical applications discussed were spot on. Great course!

محمد علي AE Verified learner
★ 3 · August 10, 2026

Found it useful for a refresher. Not sure it would be the best starting point for a complete beginner, tbh.

Lars Pettersen NO Verified learner
★ 5 · August 2, 2026

Couldn't have asked for a better learning experience. The structure flowed perfectly, and the examples were incredibly relevant. Highly recommend!

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Just a phone or computer with internet. No installs, no special hardware.

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Yes — full refund within 14 days, no questions asked.

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Forever. Once you purchase, the course is yours to revisit anytime.

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Yes. On completion you'll receive a certificate you can add to your LinkedIn profile.

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