Pro-Series: The Entropy Lens – Detecting Hidden Payloads
Entropy is the ultimate enemy of the obfuscator. Learn how the VFP Entropy Lens reveals encrypted or compressed blocks inside clean files.
In the world of binary data, entropy is a measure of randomness. The Entropy Lens is our most powerful tool for detecting what attackers try hardest to hide.
The Signal in the Noise
Most executable files have a predictable entropy signature. Code sections have moderate entropy, while resource sections (icons, strings) have low entropy. When an attacker injects an encrypted payload, they create a cluster of extremely high entropy.
The Entropy Lens visualizes this as a "mountain" of high-frequency data. Even if the malware is hidden in the padding of a DLL, its entropy footprint will make it stand out like a flare in the dark.