Table of Contents
FireEye - CAPA 2.0
Introduction to CAPA 2.0
Mandiant has recently released version 2.0 of their open-source tool called CAPA (Cyber Autopsy Platform for Analysis). CAPA is designed to automatically identify capabilities in programs using an extensible rule set, supporting both malware triage and deep dive reverse engineering. This new version brings a host of exciting features and enhancements that make it easier for anyone to contribute rules, resulting in a more vibrant and effective ecosystem for analyzing malware.
What is CAPA 2.0?
CAPA 2.0 is a significant upgrade to the original CAPA tool, which was first introduced by Mandiant. This new version focuses on improving the user experience and expanding the tool's capabilities. Some of the key improvements include:
Enhanced CAPA Explorer IDA Pro plugin, allowing interactive exploration of capabilities and rule writing without switching windows
More concise and relevant results through identification of library functions using FLIRT and accompanying open-source FLIRT signatures
Hundreds of new rules describing additional malware capabilities, with over half associated with ATT&CK techniques
Migration to Python 3 for easier integration with other projects
These enhancements make CAPA 2.0 an even more powerful tool for analyzing malware and understanding its capabilities.
Key Features
CAPA 2.0 offers several key features that make it stand out from other malware analysis tools:
CAPA Explorer: An improved IDAPython plugin that allows users to interactively explore capabilities and write new rules directly within IDA Pro, streamlining the rule creation process.
Library Function Identification: CAPA 2.0 uses Fast Library Identification and Recognition Technology (FLIRT) to differentiate between a programmer's code and library code, resulting in more focused and relevant analysis results.
Extensive Rule Set: The new version includes over 570 capability detection rules, more than doubling the number of rules since the initial release. These rules cover a wide range of malware capabilities, with more than half associated with MITRE ATT&CK techniques.
Python 3 Support: CAPA 2.0 has been migrated to Python 3, making it easier to integrate with other projects and ensuring future compatibility.
Who Can Use CAPA 2.0?
CAPA 2.0 is designed to be accessible to a wide range of users, including:
Malware analysts looking to quickly triage and understand the capabilities of malicious programs
Reverse engineers conducting deep dive analyses of complex malware samples
Researchers interested in contributing to the growing rule set and improving the tool's detection capabilities
Organizations seeking to integrate CAPA 2.0 into their existing malware analysis workflows and tools
The tool's open-source nature and extensive documentation make it easy for anyone to get started with CAPA 2.0, regardless of their level of expertise.
Supported Platforms
CAPA 2.0 is a versatile tool that supports multiple platforms, including:
Windows
macOS
Linux
Standalone binaries for each platform are available on the CAPA Releases page, making it easy to install and use the tool on your preferred operating system.
How to Install CAPA 2.0?
To install CAPA 2.0, follow these step-by-step instructions:
Option 1: Installing from Standalone Binaries
Visit the CAPA Releases page on GitHub: https://github.com/mandiant/capa/releases
Scroll down to the latest release and locate the "Assets" section
Download the appropriate standalone binary for your operating system:
For Windows:
capa-windows.zipFor macOS:
capa-macos.zipFor Linux:
capa-linux.zip
Extract the downloaded ZIP file to a location of your choice
Open a terminal or command prompt and navigate to the extracted directory
You can now run CAPA 2.0 using the appropriate command for your operating system:
For Windows:
capa.exeFor macOS and Linux:
./capa
Option 2: Installing from PyPI
Open a terminal or command prompt
Ensure that you have Python 3 and pip installed on your system
Run the following command to install CAPA 2.0 from PyPI:
pip install flare-capaWait for the installation process to complete
Once installed, you can run CAPA 2.0 using the
capacommand in your terminal or command prompt
Additional Resources
For detailed installation instructions, including prerequisites and troubleshooting steps, refer to the CAPA GitHub page: https://github.com/mandiant/capa
If you encounter any issues during the installation process, consult the project's documentation or open an issue on the GitHub repository for assistance
How to Use CAPA 2.0?
To use CAPA 2.0, follow these steps:
Prepare Your Sample:
Ensure that you have a malware sample you wish to analyze using CAPA 2.0.
Save the malware sample to a location accessible by CAPA 2.0.
Run CAPA 2.0:
Open a terminal or command prompt.
Navigate to the directory where CAPA 2.0 is installed.
Run the following command to analyze your malware sample:
capa /path/to/your/malware/sampleReplace
/path/to/your/malware/samplewith the actual path to your malware sample file.Press Enter to execute the command.
Review the Results:
After running the command, CAPA 2.0 will analyze the malware sample and generate a report.
The report will be displayed in the terminal or command prompt.
Examine the report to understand the capabilities identified within the malware sample.
Look for sections highlighting detected ATT&CK techniques, MBC identifiers, and other relevant information.
Utilize CAPA Explorer (Optional):
If you have IDA Pro installed, you can use the CAPA Explorer plugin for interactive analysis.
Open your malware sample in IDA Pro.
Navigate to the CAPA Explorer plugin within IDA Pro.
Use the plugin to explore the malware's capabilities and create new rules directly within the IDA Pro interface.
Refer to the CAPA Explorer documentation for detailed usage instructions.
Additional Commands:
To display the help message and see available options, run:
capa --helpTo specify a specific format for the output report (e.g., JSON), use the
-for--formatoption:capa /path/to/your/malware/sample -f jsonTo save the output report to a file, use the
-oor--outputoption:Copy codecapa /path/to/your/malware/sample -o report.txt
For more advanced usage instructions, examples, and additional command-line options, refer to the CAPA GitHub page and the tool's documentation.
Bottom Line
CAPA 2.0 is a powerful and user-friendly tool that greatly enhances the capabilities of malware analysts, reverse engineers, and researchers. With its improved CAPA Explorer plugin, library function identification, extensive rule set, and Python 3 support, CAPA 2.0 streamlines the process of understanding and identifying malware capabilities.
By making it easier for anyone to contribute rules and integrate the tool into their workflows, CAPA 2.0 fosters a collaborative and ever-growing ecosystem for combating malicious software. As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, tools like CAPA 2.0 will play an increasingly crucial role in defending against emerging threats.
Ref:
FireEye - CAPA 2.0
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March 16, 2024
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Sysdig is a comprehensive cloud-native security platform that offers end-to-end protection for containerized environments and cloud infrastructure.
Enterprise
Datadog Log Management is a powerful solution to centralize, analyze and monitor logs from all sources in real-time.
Enterprise
CrushFTP is a powerful, easy-to-use file transfer server supporting SFTP, FTPS, HTTPS, and more. Secure, cross-platform, and feature-rich.
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