The MAL: A Malware Analysis Lexicon
• Technical Note
Publisher
Software Engineering Institute
CMU/SEI Report Number
CMU/SEI-2013-TN-010DOI (Digital Object Identifier)
10.1184/R1/6585167.v1Topic or Tag
Abstract
The lack of a controlled vocabulary for malware analysis is a symptom of the field's immaturity and an impediment to its growth. Malware analysis is a splintered discipline, with many small teams that for cultural reasons do not, or cannot, readily communicate among themselves; this condition encourages the growth of many local dialects. This report presents the results of the Malware Analysis Lexicon (MAL) initiative, a small project to develop the discipline's first common vocabulary.
Cite This Technical Note
Mundie, D., & McIntire, D. (2013, February 1). The MAL: A Malware Analysis Lexicon. (Technical Note CMU/SEI-2013-TN-010). Retrieved July 15, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585167.v1.
@techreport{mundie_2013,
author={Mundie, David and McIntire, David},
title={The MAL: A Malware Analysis Lexicon},
month={Feb},
year={2013},
number={{CMU/SEI-2013-TN-010},
institution={Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University},
doi={10.1184/R1/6585167.v1},
url={https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585167.v1},
note={Accessed: 2026-Jul-15}
}
Mundie, David, and David McIntire. "The MAL: A Malware Analysis Lexicon." (CMU/SEI-2013-TN-010). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, February 1, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585167.v1.
D. Mundie, and D. McIntire, "The MAL: A Malware Analysis Lexicon," Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Software Engineering Institute, Technical Note CMU/SEI-2013-TN-010, 1-Feb-2013 [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585167.v1. [Accessed: 15-Jul-2026].
Mundie, David, and David McIntire. "The MAL: A Malware Analysis Lexicon." (Technical Note CMU/SEI-2013-TN-010). Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute, 1 Feb. 2013. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585167.v1. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.
Mundie, David; & McIntire, David. The MAL: A Malware Analysis Lexicon. CMU/SEI-2013-TN-010. Software Engineering Institute. 2013. DOI: 10.1184/R1/6585167.v1. https://doi.org/10.1184/R1/6585167.v1