Expanded to cover cross-platform malware, mobile threats, rootkits, and malware analysis with practical, lab-based exercises.
Key Features
- Build malware for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS using hands-on PoCs.
- Master shellcode, injection, persistence, stealth, and anti-analysis techniques.
- Analyze modern malware and emulate APT tradecraft for red and blue team operations.
Book Description
Malware Development for Ethical Hackers is a practical guide to understanding and developing modern malware in a safe, ethical, and controlled environment. This fully updated second edition explores malware development across Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS, reflecting today's evolving threat landscape. Through hands-on labs, you'll build proof-of-concept malware components, including droppers, keyloggers, infostealers, ransomware, backdoors, Remote Access Trojans (RATs), and rootkits, while learning techniques such as shellcode development, process injection, persistence, API hooking, kernel programming, stealth, anti-analysis, and command-and-control communications. Drawing on techniques observed in real-world malware and APT campaigns, the book emphasizes ethical security research, red team simulation, and controlled laboratory exercises. Dedicated chapters on malware analysis across desktop and mobile platforms also help blue team professionals understand how modern threats operate, persist, and evade detection. By the end of this book, you'll have the practical skills to develop, analyze, and simulate advanced malware across multiple platforms, enabling you to perform realistic security testing, strengthen defensive capabilities, and better understand today's sophisticated cyber threats.
What you will learn
- Create droppers, RATs, ransomware, and infostealers
- Master shellcode, injection, and process manipulation
- Implement stealth, persistence, and anti-analysis techniques
- Build rootkits and explore kernel-level malware concepts
- Analyze desktop and mobile malware using modern tools
- Simulate APT techniques for red team engagements
- Investigate malware behavior to improve threat detection
Who this book is for
This book is for penetration testers, red teamers, exploit developers, malware analysts, reverse engineers, and offensive security researchers who want to understand and simulate modern malware across desktop and mobile platforms. Blue team professionals, incident responders, and threat hunters looking to deepen their understanding of adversary techniques and malware analysis will also benefit. Familiarity with C/C++ programming, operating system fundamentals, and core ethical hacking concepts will help you get the most out of this book.
