During my work experience at BAE Systems at the age of 15, I undertook a challenging project involving the analysis and reverse engineering of the Ryuk ransomware. The objective was to create a controlled virtual box environment for testing the behaviour of the Ryuk ransomware and subsequently analyse its impact on the virtual system.

To achieve this, I meticulously set up a virtual box environment in linux with restrictions on its networking abilities to simulate a real-world scenario for the ransomware whilst ensuring the malware did not spread to other devices on my network through SMB. This environment allowed me to observe and document the actions of the Ryuk ransomware, including its encryption techniques, file system modifications, and any other malicious behaviours.

Following the testing phase, I engaged in the intricate process of reverse engineering the Ryuk ransomware using a variety of specialised tools and techniques. Through careful examination of its code and behaviour, I began to not only understand how the malware encrypted the users files, but how it spread to other devices.

The culmination of this project was the creation of a comprehensive report detailing my findings and analysis of the Ryuk ransomware. This report was received very well and praised by my higher ups.

Overall, this project equipped me with valuable skills in malware analysis, reverse engineering, and cybersecurity research, demonstrating my ability to tackle complex challenges in the field of cybersecurity.