Norman Shark updates Malware Analyzer G2

Norman Shark announced Malware Analyzer G2 (MAG2) 4.0, which provides hybrid analysis, and Network Threat Discovery (NTD) 5.1, a cyberattack discovery system that automatically collects and detects malicious files that have slipped past traditional security nodes.

With this new release, MAG2 leads the malware forensics market by offering Windows 8 support as well as both 32-bit and 64-bit support for Windows 7 and 8. Embedded in MAG2 is a seventh-generation Norman SandBox engine.

The engine features performance improvements and detection-in-the-wild capabilities over previous versions:

• MAG2’s new user emulation feature imitates user behavior by clicking dialog boxes and stepping through installers commonly used by malware looking to install fake anti-virus products, unwanted applications or Trojans, enabling IT security teams to study stealthy malware behavior.
• MAG2’s improved autonomous runtime capabilities improve stability and minimize the need for maintenance. IT security teams can run the appliance longer without user intervention.

MAG2’s new features are also reflected in Norman Shark’s Network Threat Discovery system version 5.1. New NTD features facilitate integration with MAG2 to provide a unified solution for IT security teams. These include collective intelligence, where malware data is shared across installations, plus command-and-control server blocking providing the ability to shut down connections to malicious remote servers.

A streamlined user interface includes integrated dashboard views, plus easy sorting, searching and incident status monitoring.

“Norman Shark continues to improve the performance of its MAG2 malware forensic solution, it remains the industry standard for organizations eager for the most comprehensive approach for detecting today’s myriad malware threats,” said Christophe Birkeland, Norman Shark’s chief technology officer. “A single MAG2 v4.0 appliance is capable of analyzing over 50,000 samples per day, meeting the needs of any corporation, utility or government entity.”