Behavioral threat detection virtual machine

Abstract

Examples of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for a behavioral threat detection virtual machine. In examples, the virtual machine executes a rule comprising rule instructions. A rule may comprise one or more wait rule instructions that causes the virtual machine to pause execution. As events are added to an event queue for the rule virtual machine, the behavioral threat detection virtual machine evaluates such events in order to identify a positive or, in some instances, a negative match. When a matching event is identified, rule execution resumes. Eventually, a determination is made as a result of processing events and wait packets, thereby indicating the presence or absence of a malicious or potentially malicious behavior, among other examples. Thus, among other things, the behavioral threat detection virtual machine maintains a state associated with rule execution and processes events to identify behaviors accordingly.