A security analyst receives an alert that there was an attempt to download known malware. Which of the following actions would allow the best chance to analyze the malware?

Executing the malware in a sandbox environment allows for safe observation of its behavior without risking the production network. Packet captures during execution provide detailed information on network communication, including command-and-control (C2) servers, data exfiltration attempts, and other network-based actions. This combination offers the most comprehensive analysis of the malware's functionality. Reviewing IPS logs only shows blocked C2 IPs, not the malware's full behavior. Analyzing application logs might reveal persistence attempts but won't show the initial infection vector or network activity. Running vulnerability scans identifies potential weaknesses but doesn't analyze the specific malware in question.