A Comparative Study of Metamorphic Malware Detection Techniques

Abstract

Malware is a major threat in the evolving global cyber space. The different detection techniques that currently exist are insufficient at detecting metamorphic malware, as they can change the internal structure of their code, thus keeping the flow of the programme equivalent to the virus. Commercial antivirus software depends on signature detection algorithms to identify viruses, however, code obfuscation techniques can successfully circumvent these algorithms. The objective of this research is to analyse the various detection techniques of such metamorphic malware used over the years and to unearth the strengths, weaknesses and advance research directions possible in the field of the detection of metamorphic malware.