Ever wanted to know the basics of building a program that can detect malware?

Ever intrigued by how malware detection applications like Malwarebytes & McAfee work?

Well, in this post, we will explain the purpose of a malware detection system, introduce 3 frameworks for you to build your own prototype malware detection system & the reason for the frameworks.

Purpose

Malware detection systems improve cybersecurity & protect against cyber attacks.

Frameworks & Algorithms

Frameworks

• React: This framework is used for building the client-side user interface. This is what is shown to the user.
• Express.js & Node.js: This framework is used for building the logic for the server-side.
• MongoDB: This framework is used for database management & data storage. In this database, we will need to store the result of the malware scans, metadata & signatures of the software. That way, we can easily distinguish which software is malware & which ones are not. A database management system is used to improve the effectiveness of the program.

Algorithms

• Signature-based Detection: Using MongoDB, you can scan the signature of the program in question against the entire database. Flag known codes as malware. The efficacy of this algorithm will depend on how sophisticated the malware in question, is.
• Heuristic Detection: Using React, Node.js & Express.js, you can look for patterns & behaviors in a file which indicate whether or not it is malware. Key malware tell-tale signs include whether it attempts to hide itself or modify system files. This is slightly more accurate than the signature-based algorithm, however, it can flag non-malware software as malware.
• Behavioral Detection: Using React, Node.js, Express.js & MongoDB, network traffic & system resources are monitored to detect whether a certain software is malware or not.

It is advisable to use a combination of at least one or more of the above three algorithms to build the most effective malware detection system.

You may use resources like ChatGPT to learn these frameworks more quickly.

Here are five reasons why you should consider completing independent programming projects to showcase on your resume:

1. Skills & Experience: You will show employers that you have hands-on experiences in the programming languages & frameworks they expect you to know for the job description.
2. Creativity & Problem-Solving: As projects consist of a solution which requires creative thinking & problem solving to devise, your ability to think outside the box & devise innovative solutions will be shown in your projects.
3. Teamwork & Collaboration: Some projects require work to be delegated across a team of people to get the job done more efficiently. Projects can tell the employer you have what it takes to work with clients or stakeholders on the job.
4. Initiative & Passion: Employers will see that you have a love for programming & a passion for being challenged. They will see your perseverance as you work through problems, making you a top candidate for the job.
5. Examples: Projects are examples of your accomplishments throughout your programming career or your computer science studies. They show employers what you've been able to achieve so far & what you're capable of achieving.

Here are five ways a student can use ChatGPT to improve their programming skills:

1. ChatGPT gives you instant feedback on your coding assignments (with a bit of prompt engineering), which allows you to identify & correct errors efficiently. This feature is useful when the tracebacks in your integrated development environment of choice fail to give you enough information on why your code isn't working properly.
2. ChatGPT can give you personalized resources & guidance, which can then be used to improve your programming skills by focusing on your individual needs.
3. You can develop problem-solving skills & practice interactive coding by prompt engineering ChatGPT to give you challenging exercises.
4. As ChatGPT gives you timely & relevant feedback, it allows you to stay motivated & engaged with your coding assignments.
5. ChatGPT can help you improve your coding skills by giving you copious coding resources & tutorials, which are a prompt away.