Detecting executable machine instructions in a data is accomplished by accessing a plurality of values representing data contained within a memory of a computer system and performing pre-processing on the plurality of values to produce a candidate data subset. The pre-processing may include determining whether the plurality of values meets (a) a randomness condition, (b) a length condition, and/or (c) a string ratio condition. The candidate data subset is inspected for computer instructions, characteristics of the computer instructions are determined, and a predetermined action taken based on the characteristics of the computer instructions.