One of the most interesting aspects for those approaching malware analysis, is learning to distinguish, for example, legitimate binary files from those that are potentially dangerous for the integrity of the machines and the data they contain. We refer generically to binary files rather than to executable files (that is, files with extensions such as .exe or .dll), since malware can even hide in apparently innocuous files such as image files (files with extensions such as .jpg or .png).
In the same way, even text documents (such as .docx or .pdf) can turn out to be healthy carriers or vehicles of software infections, despite their non-executable file format. Moreover, the first stage of the spread of a malware (in both the cases of a home PC and a company LAN) often happens by compromising the integrity of the files residing within the machines being...