{"id":"https://openalex.org/W4408357886","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2025.3550781","title":"From Static to AI-Driven Detection: A Comprehensive Review of Obfuscated Malware Techniques","display_name":"From Static to AI-Driven Detection: A Comprehensive Review of Obfuscated Malware Techniques","publication_year":2025,"publication_date":"2025-01-01","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W4408357886","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2025.3550781"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/access.2025.3550781","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2025.3550781","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2485537415","display_name":"IEEE Access","issn_l":"2169-3536","issn":["2169-3536"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319808","host_organization_name":"Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Access","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"review","indexed_in":["crossref","doaj"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"gold","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2025.3550781","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":null,"display_name":"Saranya Chandran","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4396-4921"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I81556334","display_name":"Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham","ror":"https://ror.org/03am10p12","country_code":"IN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I81556334"]}],"countries":["IN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Saranya Chandran","raw_affiliation_strings":["Center for Cybersecurity Systems and Networks, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4396-4921","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Center for Cybersecurity Systems and Networks, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I81556334"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5093327530","display_name":"Sreelakshmi R Syam","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I81556334","display_name":"Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham","ror":"https://ror.org/03am10p12","country_code":"IN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I81556334"]}],"countries":["IN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Sreelakshmi R. Syam","raw_affiliation_strings":["Center for Cybersecurity Systems and Networks, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Center for Cybersecurity Systems and Networks, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I81556334"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5049396814","display_name":"Sriram Sankaran","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7395-9242"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I81556334","display_name":"Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham","ror":"https://ror.org/03am10p12","country_code":"IN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I81556334"]}],"countries":["IN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Sriram Sankaran","raw_affiliation_strings":["Center for Cybersecurity Systems and Networks, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Center for Cybersecurity Systems and Networks, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I81556334"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5020488083","display_name":"Tulika Pandey","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I2799351866","display_name":"Government of India","ror":"https://ror.org/036h6g940","country_code":"IN","type":"government","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I2799351866"]},{"id":"https://openalex.org/I4210121746","display_name":"Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology","ror":"https://ror.org/02z31cn83","country_code":"IN","type":"government","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I4210121746"]}],"countries":["IN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Tulika Pandey","raw_affiliation_strings":["National E-Governance Division, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, New Delhi, India","National eGovernance Division, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, India"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"National E-Governance Division, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, New Delhi, India","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I2799351866","https://openalex.org/I4210121746"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"National eGovernance Division, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, India","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I2799351866"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5077599897","display_name":"Krishnashree Achuthan","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2618-0882"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I81556334","display_name":"Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham","ror":"https://ror.org/03am10p12","country_code":"IN","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I81556334"]}],"countries":["IN"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Krishnashree Achuthan","raw_affiliation_strings":["Center for Cybersecurity Systems and Networks, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2618-0882","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Center for Cybersecurity Systems and Networks, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I81556334"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":3,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":{"value":1850,"currency":"USD","value_usd":1850},"apc_paid":{"value":1850,"currency":"USD","value_usd":1850},"fwci":28.3276,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":31,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.99812824,"is_in_top_1_percent":true,"is_in_top_10_percent":true},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":90,"max":100},"biblio":{"volume":"13","issue":null,"first_page":"74335","last_page":"74358"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11241","display_name":"Advanced Malware Detection Techniques","score":0.9998999834060669,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1711","display_name":"Signal Processing"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11241","display_name":"Advanced Malware Detection Techniques","score":0.9998999834060669,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1711","display_name":"Signal Processing"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11689","display_name":"Adversarial Robustness in Machine Learning","score":0.9925000071525574,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10951","display_name":"Cryptographic Implementations and Security","score":0.9908999800682068,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/computer-science","display_name":"Computer science","score":0.8251901865005493},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/malware","display_name":"Malware","score":0.825034499168396},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/obfuscation","display_name":"Obfuscation","score":0.5258363485336304},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/artificial-intelligence","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","score":0.4407844841480255},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/computer-security","display_name":"Computer security","score":0.4062441885471344},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/machine-learning","display_name":"Machine learning","score":0.39554113149642944}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.8251901865005493},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C541664917","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14001","display_name":"Malware","level":2,"score":0.825034499168396},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C40305131","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2616305","display_name":"Obfuscation","level":2,"score":0.5258363485336304},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.4407844841480255},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C38652104","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3510521","display_name":"Computer security","level":1,"score":0.4062441885471344},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.39554113149642944}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1109/access.2025.3550781","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2025.3550781","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2485537415","display_name":"IEEE Access","issn_l":"2169-3536","issn":["2169-3536"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319808","host_organization_name":"Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Access","raw_type":"journal-article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:doaj.org/article:98f1e2c7db0e4bdfbd9609bc39ddbfdf","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doaj.org/article/98f1e2c7db0e4bdfbd9609bc39ddbfdf","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306401280","display_name":"DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by-sa","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-sa","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Access, Vol 13, Pp 74335-74358 (2025)","raw_type":"article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/access.2025.3550781","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2025.3550781","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2485537415","display_name":"IEEE Access","issn_l":"2169-3536","issn":["2169-3536"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319808","host_organization_name":"Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Access","raw_type":"journal-article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":109,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W1573526548","https://openalex.org/W1792275236","https://openalex.org/W1984124567","https://openalex.org/W2000052253","https://openalex.org/W2018382289","https://openalex.org/W2065709228","https://openalex.org/W2154529672","https://openalex.org/W2204544304","https://openalex.org/W2307930854","https://openalex.org/W2323197016","https://openalex.org/W2464274269","https://openalex.org/W2515404375","https://openalex.org/W2557513839","https://openalex.org/W2563273224","https://openalex.org/W2608581974","https://openalex.org/W2610659201","https://openalex.org/W2620652965","https://openalex.org/W2670925489","https://openalex.org/W2742235880","https://openalex.org/W2744896416","https://openalex.org/W2766662076","https://openalex.org/W2794482868","https://openalex.org/W2799784398","https://openalex.org/W2807671950","https://openalex.org/W2849849680","https://openalex.org/W2886402095","https://openalex.org/W2890850111","https://openalex.org/W2895892359","https://openalex.org/W2899250976","https://openalex.org/W2902662365","https://openalex.org/W2904792378","https://openalex.org/W2940752008","https://openalex.org/W2949719129","https://openalex.org/W2950754826","https://openalex.org/W2955343150","https://openalex.org/W2959221393","https://openalex.org/W2968146306","https://openalex.org/W2968263527","https://openalex.org/W2972262359","https://openalex.org/W2973070188","https://openalex.org/W2995520742","https://openalex.org/W2996806689","https://openalex.org/W2998074434","https://openalex.org/W2998233014","https://openalex.org/W3006334803","https://openalex.org/W3009677746","https://openalex.org/W3015605314","https://openalex.org/W3027431742","https://openalex.org/W3037478407","https://openalex.org/W3082575476","https://openalex.org/W3082603384","https://openalex.org/W3095563611","https://openalex.org/W3105429705","https://openalex.org/W3112173953","https://openalex.org/W3114468998","https://openalex.org/W3137539372","https://openalex.org/W3157814027","https://openalex.org/W3176174600","https://openalex.org/W3183826413","https://openalex.org/W3186080995","https://openalex.org/W3187102702","https://openalex.org/W3199416276","https://openalex.org/W3201761398","https://openalex.org/W3205886849","https://openalex.org/W3206526518","https://openalex.org/W3212159646","https://openalex.org/W3212800749","https://openalex.org/W3215132138","https://openalex.org/W4200518437","https://openalex.org/W4200569302","https://openalex.org/W4210802791","https://openalex.org/W4214835142","https://openalex.org/W4221098431","https://openalex.org/W4293192140","https://openalex.org/W4297183620","https://openalex.org/W4300772840","https://openalex.org/W4312330404","https://openalex.org/W4313472261","https://openalex.org/W4320009754","https://openalex.org/W4321481948","https://openalex.org/W4353055408","https://openalex.org/W4367181633","https://openalex.org/W4378587134","https://openalex.org/W4379514871","https://openalex.org/W4385336663","https://openalex.org/W4388562958","https://openalex.org/W4390974969","https://openalex.org/W4392590719","https://openalex.org/W4392854681","https://openalex.org/W4394713055","https://openalex.org/W4396644540","https://openalex.org/W4399913870","https://openalex.org/W4400306003","https://openalex.org/W4400306165","https://openalex.org/W4400812610","https://openalex.org/W4400894209","https://openalex.org/W4401171110","https://openalex.org/W4401454511","https://openalex.org/W4402642609","https://openalex.org/W4403606026","https://openalex.org/W4404180395","https://openalex.org/W4404844947","https://openalex.org/W4405595424","https://openalex.org/W4406662706","https://openalex.org/W4408072713","https://openalex.org/W6723622400","https://openalex.org/W6744444321","https://openalex.org/W6810267176","https://openalex.org/W6870531134"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W2620652965","https://openalex.org/W2024170198","https://openalex.org/W4296272594","https://openalex.org/W2900526031","https://openalex.org/W2128507946","https://openalex.org/W2728713145","https://openalex.org/W2131332603","https://openalex.org/W2470502009","https://openalex.org/W2072617132","https://openalex.org/W2465235098"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"The":[0,16,130],"frequency":[1],"of":[2,18,55,69,75,99,108,118,132,184,190],"cyber":[3],"attacks":[4],"targeting":[5],"individuals,":[6],"businesses,":[7],"and":[8,30,39,72,83,105,139,146,166,171,196,209],"organizations":[9],"globally":[10],"has":[11,25],"escalated":[12],"in":[13,87,134,220],"recent":[14],"years.":[15],"evolution":[17],"obfuscated":[19,47,110,127,191,221],"malware,":[20,192],"designed":[21],"to":[22,33,169,216],"evade":[23],"detection,":[24],"been":[26],"unprecedented,":[27],"employing":[28],"new":[29],"sophisticated":[31],"mechanisms":[32],"breach":[34],"systems,":[35],"steal":[36],"sensitive":[37],"data,":[38],"disrupt":[40],"operations.":[41],"This":[42,179],"work":[43],"advances":[44],"research":[45,199],"on":[46,62],"malware":[48,128,141,173,222],"detection":[49,76,107,145,177,189],"by":[50,142],"offering":[51,175],"a":[52,88,123,158],"comprehensive":[53],"review":[54],"studies":[56],"conducted":[57],"over":[58],"the":[59,67,73,106,116,182,188],"past":[60],"decade":[61],"multiple":[63],"platforms.":[64],"In":[65,156],"addition,":[66,157],"diversity":[68],"obfuscation":[70],"techniques":[71],"effectiveness":[74],"methods,":[77],"such":[78,201],"as":[79,122,202],"static,":[80],"dynamic,":[81],"hybrid,":[82],"AI,":[84],"are":[85],"presented":[86],"comparative":[89],"manner.":[90],"Furthermore,":[91],"memory":[92],"forensics,":[93],"an":[94],"often":[95],"underexplored":[96],"area,":[97],"is":[98,154,161],"paramount":[100],"importance":[101],"for":[102,187,213],"real-time":[103,144],"analysis":[104],"advanced":[109,136],"malware.":[111],"Hybrid":[112],"analysis,":[113],"which":[114],"amalgamates":[115],"strengths":[117],"various":[119],"approaches,":[120],"emerges":[121],"robust":[124],"solution":[125],"against":[126,149],"detection.":[129,223],"role":[131],"AI":[133,165],"detecting":[135],"ransomware,":[137],"spyware,":[138],"fileless":[140],"enabling":[143],"adaptive":[147],"defenses":[148],"these":[150],"increasingly":[151],"prevalent":[152],"threats":[153],"presented.":[155],"novel":[159],"framework":[160],"proposed,":[162],"combining":[163],"Generative":[164],"digital":[167],"twins":[168],"simulate":[170],"predict":[172],"behavior,":[174],"enhanced":[176],"capabilities.":[178],"study":[180],"synthesizes":[181],"findings":[183],"76":[185],"approaches":[186],"incorporates":[193],"cutting-edge":[194],"technologies,":[195],"identifies":[197],"open":[198],"challenges,":[200],"ensuring":[203],"scalability,":[204],"enhancing":[205],"generalization":[206],"across":[207],"platforms,":[208],"reducing":[210],"resource":[211],"requirements":[212],"constrained":[214],"environments":[215],"guide":[217],"future":[218],"advancements":[219]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2026,"cited_by_count":15},{"year":2025,"cited_by_count":15},{"year":2024,"cited_by_count":1}],"updated_date":"2026-07-01T08:55:40.977307","created_date":"2025-10-10T00:00:00"}
