: Take a "clean" snapshot before starting so you can revert the machine to a safe state after the analysis.

: Disable the VM's internet connection (Host-Only mode) to prevent the malware from communicating with its Command & Control (C2) server. 2. Basic Static Analysis

To prevent accidental infection of your main system, you must use a .

: Generate a SHA-256 or MD5 hash of the ZIP file and its contents.

: Use tools like Strings or PEstudio to look for human-readable text within the code, such as IP addresses, URLs, or suspicious registry keys. 3. Basic Dynamic Analysis

Static analysis involves examining the file without actually running it.

TRY HACK ME: Basic Static Analysis Write-Up | by Shefali Kumari

: Extract the ZIP (carefully) to see the actual files inside. Common malicious payloads include .exe , .vbs , .js , .lnk , or heavily obfuscated .iso / .img files designed to trick users.