Malware Development for Ethical Hackers - Second Edition

5

Linux Malware Capabilities

While Windows has historically dominated the malware landscape, the rapid expansion of Linux-based infrastructure has made Unix-like systems a primary target for sophisticated threat actors. This chapter focuses on the fundamental technical capabilities of Linux malware, moving from high-level categorization to low-level binary manipulation.

Instead of relying on a complex API ecosystem like Windows, Linux malware operates closer to the "metal," leveraging direct system calls and the core philosophy that "everything is a file." We will explore how these unique characteristics are weaponized to create backdoors, surveillance tools, and data harvesters.

In this chapter, we're going to cover the following main topics: ...