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Automatic linux malware detection using binary inspection and runtime opcode tracing☆

delete2025-12-01
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PRE
AI
M
Martí Alonso
A
Andreu Gironés
J
Juan José Costa *
E
Enric Morancho
S
Stefano Di Carlo
R
Ramón Canal
DOI:10.1016/j.micpro.2025.105237delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
The fast-paced evolution of cyberattacks to digital infrastructures requires new protection mechanisms to counterattack them. Malware attacks, a type of cyberattacks ranging from viruses and worms to ransomware and spyware, have been traditionally detected using signature-based methods. But with new versions of malware, this approach is not good enough, and new machine learning tools look promising. In this paper we present two methods to detect Linux malware using machine learning models: (1) a dynamic approach, that tracks the application executed instructions (opcodes) while they are being executed; and (2) a static approach, that inspects the binary application files before execution. We evaluate (1) five machine learning models (Support Vector Machine, k-Nearest Neighbor, Naive Bayes, Decision Tree and Random Forest) and (2) a deep neural network using a Long Short-Term Memory architecture with word embedding. We show the methodology, the initial dataset preparation, the infrastructure used to obtain the traces of executed instructions, and the evaluation of the results for the different models used. The obtained results show that the dynamic approach with a Random Forest classifier gets a 90% accuracy or higher, while the static approach obtains a 98% accuracy.
Keywords:
Linux malware detection
Static analysis
Dynamic analysis
Opcodes
Machine learning

Journal

M
Microprocessors and Microsystems
IF:
2.6
Papers:
103
Citations:
3.2K

Organization

P
polytechnic university of turin
Scholars:
488
Papers: 224
Citations: 0
U
universitat politecnica de catalunya
Scholars:
1.9W
Papers: 1.6W
Citations: 17