Malware Analyst

Part of the Cybersecurity Career Guide — This article is one deep-dive in our complete guide series.

By HADESS Team | February 28, 2026 | Updated: February 28, 2026 | 5 min read

You take apart malicious software to understand what it does, how it works, and who might have built it. When a new piece of malware hits an organization, you are the one who reverse engineers it, extracts indicators, and provides the intelligence that incident responders and detection engineers need to contain the threat.

What You Will Do

Malware analysis is a mix of reverse engineering, programming, and detective work. You work with executables, scripts, documents, and other file types that have been weaponized.

Your work includes:

• Performing static analysis — examining file properties, strings, imports, and metadata without executing the sample
• Running dynamic analysis — executing malware in sandboxes and monitoring behavior (process creation, file changes, network connections, registry modifications)
• Reverse engineering binaries with disassemblers (IDA Pro, Ghidra) and debuggers (x64dbg, WinDbg)
• Analyzing obfuscated scripts — PowerShell, JavaScript, VBA macros
• Identifying command-and-control communication protocols and infrastructure
• Extracting configuration data, encryption keys, and IOCs from malware samples
• Writing YARA rules to detect malware families across the environment
• Classifying malware into families and tracking evolution over time
• Producing technical analysis reports for incident response and threat intelligence teams
• Analyzing exploit payloads and understanding vulnerability triggers
• Supporting incident response by answering “what did this malware do on our systems?”

You may also contribute to threat intelligence by attributing malware to specific threat groups based on code similarities, infrastructure reuse, and operational patterns.

Skills You Need

Malware analysis requires deep low-level technical skills and a systematic analytical approach.

Core skills:

• Reverse engineering — IDA Pro, Ghidra, x64dbg for binary analysis
• Assembly language — x86/x64 reading proficiency
• Programming — Python for automation, C for understanding compiled code
• Windows internals — API calls, process injection, registry, services
• Sandbox analysis — Cuckoo, ANY.RUN, Joe Sandbox, custom sandboxes
• Network protocol analysis — understanding C2 communication patterns
• Scripting deobfuscation — unpacking and deobfuscating PowerShell, JS, VBA
• YARA rule development — writing effective detection signatures

Build these skills in the skills library and see how malware analysis connects to other career paths in the career path explorer.

Certifications

Malware analysis certifications are technical and respected:

• GREM — GIAC Reverse Engineering Malware, the primary certification for this role
• GCFA — forensic analysis skills that complement malware investigation
• GCTI — threat intelligence context for malware attribution

Map your certification path with the certification roadmap planner.

Salary Range

Malware analysts earn between $55K and $130K. Senior analysts at threat intelligence companies, government agencies, and large enterprises earn at the top. Analysts who can reverse engineer complex malware (rootkits, bootkits, firmware implants) and produce detailed technical reports are consistently in high demand.

Check your market value with the salary calculator.

How to Get Started

1. Learn to program in Python and C — you need to understand compiled code at the source level 2. Study x86 assembly — you will read it every day on the job 3. Take the skills assessment to benchmark your reverse engineering skills 4. Practice with crackmes and malware analysis challenges in the labs 5. Set up a malware analysis lab — isolated VM with REMnux, Flare-VM, and sandbox tools 6. Analyze real malware samples from MalwareBazaar — start with simpler samples and work up 7. Learn to write YARA rules — they are the detection output of your analysis 8. Work toward GREM — plan your certification path with the certification planner 9. Write analysis reports for your practice samples and add them to your resume 10. Search for malware analyst or reverse engineering roles on the job board

If you are not sure whether malware analysis or incident response is the right path for you, talk to the career coach — both roles work with the same data from different angles.

Related Guides in This Series

• Threat Hunter: Find What Automated Defenses Miss
• Threat Intelligence Analyst: Know the Enemy Before They Strike

Take the Next Step

Start your career assessment. Go to the start your career assessment on HADESS.

Explore career paths. Check out the explore career paths.

Get started free — Create your HADESS account and access all career tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

What certifications do I need for this role?

Certification requirements vary by employer and seniority level. Use the certification roadmap planner to build a sequence based on your target role and current qualifications.

What is the salary range for this role?

Salaries vary significantly by location, experience, and employer type. Use the salary calculator for your specific market rate.

How do I transition into this career path?

Take the skills assessment to identify your current strengths and gaps relative to this role. The assessment generates a personalized learning plan to close the gap.

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HADESS Team consists of cybersecurity practitioners, hiring managers, and career strategists who have collectively spent 50+ years in the field.