The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will offer its malware analysis tool up to academics and security researchers, in a bid to tackle cybercrime.
An outsider portal for Malware Investigator will be spun off following the police launch of the tool in August, with the software able to scan files for antivirus detection rates, source IP addresses, and network connections attempts, among other data.
Jonathan Burns, supervisory special agent with the FBI, told the Virus Bulletin conference: "We are essentially in this to collect samples.
"The more we can provide tools out to law enforcement and industry to fight cybercrime, the more we’re helping the government fight cybercrime."
The tool can analyse Windows executables and Adobe PDF files, both of which are common formats for dropping malware, but the bureau has plans to expand into Android files in the near future.
Seeking to reassure researchers, Burns said that personal information will only be shared on request. "No one will know who you are unless you want them to," he added.
