Why Practice Is Key to Training Top Malware Analysts and How ANY.RUN Supports It

While developing our Security Training Lab educational program, we at ANY.RUN have turned to well-established theories of education, cognitive skill development, and the psychology of learning. Their foundational principles emphasize one critical truth: practice is indispensable for mastering complex skills.  

In the field of cybersecurity—especially in malware analysis—the ability to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios is what separates competent professionals from novices. Inspired by this understanding, we designed the Security Training Lab to bridge the gap between classroom theory and the practical demands of the cybersecurity industry. Students, we believe, are to be equipped to tackle real threats from day one. 

As a malware analysis solutions developer, ANY.RUN has all the resources and capabilities to provide the audience of its educational program with as much practice as it’s ready to digest.  

How Security Training Lab Offers Practice-Oriented Training 

Of course, nobody is going to toss future malware analysts in at the deep end unprepared and watch them flounder in a lake of real cyber threats. Security Training Lab is based on 30 hours of academic content including texts and video lectures.

The program includes modules on:

• Advanced static and dynamic malware analysis
• Study of malware behavior, malicious scripts, files, and macros
• The basics of encryption  

Interactive tasks and tests appear at the end of each module and in the final exam. But real-world examples of detonated, dissected, and analyzed malware run through the entirety of learning material encouraging trainees to find an example or perform a task of their own, to practice their newly acquired skills.

How Security Training Lab Benefits Universities

The emphasis on applicable knowledge and practical experience are not the only features of the Security Training Lab valuable for educational organizations. As a ready-made, expert-supported solution, it offers universities the following benefits:  

• No setup hassle: full access to ANY.RUN’s Interactive Sandbox for instructors and students. The course is available and ready for use on the Seturon platform. There is no need to set up complex environments or worry about local security.

• Up-to-date: based on the latest malware samples, techniques, and real-world scenarios, keeping the curriculum relevant. 

• Scalable for classrooms and remote learners: supports self-paced, instructor-led, and hybrid learning formats. 

• Built-in analytics: instructors can track progress and assess students’ practical skills. 

The Key to Effective Learning: Interactive Sandbox 

Students don’t just read about malicious scripts, ransomware, or phishing kits—they dissect them. Through ANY.RUN’s Interactive Sandbox, they gain full access to a virtualized environment where they can upload, execute, and analyze live threats. 

They also gain access to a repository of malware samples submitted by ANY.RUN’s user community of more than 500,000 cybersecurity professionals. These users (including 15,000 corporate SOC teams that face the most current and dangerous threats) leave public reports on their analysis sessions that students can explore and analyze of their own.

All students of the Security Training Lab have an unlimited access to the Sandbox, so they can go far beyond examples and tasks in the program. 

For example, a student might analyze a phishing link disguised as a legitimate URL, interact with it in the sandbox, and observe how it attempts to steal credentials or deploy secondary malware. Another might de-obfuscate a malicious script, uncovering its hidden payload step-by-step.

These exercises simulate the real-life scenarios analysts face — whether it’s investigating a targeted attack on a corporate network or responding to a widespread malware campaign. By engaging with authentic samples, students learn to recognize patterns, anticipate attacker tactics, and develop effective mitigation strategies. 

A Dive into Practice: Full Scope of Tools 

Of course, the hands-on part of the Security Training Lab curriculum is not based solely on ANY.RUN’s tools.

A malware analysis expert is to employ an arsenal of instruments, so it’s vital for the students to start acquainting with them early and intensely.

Conclusion  

The cybersecurity industry is experiencing a global talent shortage, particularly in skilled threat researchers and malware analysts. With the Security Training Lab, we help to address this gap by providing a practice-first, job-relevant learning experience. 

Through hands-on training with real malware samples and simulations of workplace challenges, we’re preparing students not just to understand cyber threats, but to defeat them.  

By integrating ANY.RUN’s course into the academic program, universities meet the challenges of offering a competitive educational product, answering to the market urges, and providing their students with the most promising career opportunities.  

For Universities: Contact ANY.RUN to integrate Security Training Lab in your curriculum 

About ANY.RUN

ANY.RUN supports over 15,000 organizations across numerous industries, including banking, manufacturing, and healthcare. Our interactive malware analysis and threat intelligence tools allow companies and SOC teams to speed up their threat investigations, ensure proactive security, and build stronger and more resilient operations.

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