How to Learn Encryption for Malware Dev and Red Teaming (Without Wasting Time)
1. Practical Malware Analysis (Chapters 15–17)
- 🔑 Covers how malware uses encryption for C2, packing, etc.
- 🧠 Teaches reversing of XOR, RC4, AES
- 📥 https://nerdgigs.blog/learn-malware-re
2. The Art of Memory Forensics (Cryptographic Obfuscation in Memory)
- Good for reversing malware that stores decrypted payloads in RAM.
- Focus on memory-based decryption.
- Get The Art of Memory Forensics on Amazon.
3. Malware Unicorn’s RE101
- 🔥 One of the best intro-to-malware courses.
- https://malwareunicorn.org
- Covers XOR, shellcode encryption, static/dynamic analysis.
- Includes labs with encrypted payloads.
🎓 Courses & Training
5. Open Security Training – Introduction to Reverse Engineering
- https://opensecuritytraining.info/IntroRE.html
- Covers how crypto is used by malware.
- Shows how to identify custom encryption and recover keys.
6. Zero2Automated (Z2A) Blog Posts
- Some free blog posts go deep into reversing malware with custom encryption.
- https://www.0ffset.net/blog/
- Look for posts with “decryption routine”, “config decrypt”, “RC4” in title.
7. Maldev Academy
Cross-reference what you’re learning with live samples from Malpedia.
🔬 Learn Crypto Itself (Focus on Code and Reversing)
8. Crypto101
- Free, modern introduction to applied cryptography.
- https://crypto101.io/
- Not malware-focused, but great foundation.
9. CTFs: picoCTF + Cryptopals
- Solve crypto challenges to practice breaking XOR, base64, ECB, CBC, etc.
- https://cryptopals.com/
- https://picoctf.org/
10. HackTheBox
- Crypto challenges
- Sherlocks
- standalone boxes
- Sign up for free at https://hackthebox.com
🧠 Specific Algorithms to Learn for MalDev
| Algorithm | Why it matters in MalDev & Red Teaming |
|---|---|
| XOR | Most common payload obfuscation |
| RC4 | Lightweight stream cipher, often seen in droppers |
| AES | Used in ransomware and advanced malware |
| Base64 | For evading AV, simple obfuscation |
| Custom ROT/Shift Ciphers | Easy to implement, bypasses static sigs |
| Windows DPAPI | Some malware abuses it to store creds locally |
