What is the main goal of malware analysis?

The main goal of malware analysis is to characterize information gathered from affected systems. This process involves understanding the behavior and characteristics of malware, identifying its impact on systems, and determining how it spreads or operates. By analyzing malware, security professionals can uncover details such as the methods of infection, the system vulnerabilities exploited, and the data or resources targeted by the malware. This information is crucial for developing effective defenses against future attacks and mitigating the current threat.

While enhancing user experience, developing software patches, and securing data on persistent storage are important aspects of cybersecurity, they are not the primary focus of malware analysis. Enhancing user experience typically relates to improving user interfaces or performance of software, which is separate from the analysis of malicious software. Developing software patches is a result of analysis but not the main goal itself. Lastly, securing data on persistent storage pertains to data protection strategies rather than the analysis component focused on understanding malware behavior and impact.