diff --git a/capa/features/extractors/base_extractor.py b/capa/features/extractors/base_extractor.py
index 3be983ed..e3b780d1 100644
--- a/capa/features/extractors/base_extractor.py
+++ b/capa/features/extractors/base_extractor.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 import abc
 import dataclasses
-from typing import Any, Dict, Tuple, Union, Iterator
+from typing import Any, Dict, Tuple, Union, Iterator, TextIO, BinaryIO
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
 import capa.features.address
@@ -262,3 +262,105 @@ class FeatureExtractor:
           Tuple[Feature, Address]: feature and its location
         """
         raise NotImplementedError()
+
+
+@dataclass
+class ProcessHandle:
+    """
+    reference to a process extracted by the sandbox.
+
+    Attributes:
+        pid: process id
+        inner: sandbox-specific data
+    """
+
+    pid: int
+    inner: Any
+
+
+@dataclass
+class ThreadHandle:
+    """
+    reference to a thread extracted by the sandbox.
+
+    Attributes:
+        tid: thread id
+        inner: sandbox-specific data
+    """
+
+    tid: int
+    inner: Any
+
+
+class DynamicExtractor(FeatureExtractor):
+    """
+    DynamicExtractor defines the interface for fetching features from a sandbox' analysis of a sample.
+
+    Features are grouped mainly into threads that alongside their meta-features are also grouped into 
+    processes (that also have their own features). Other scopes (such as function and file) may also apply 
+    for a specific sandbox.
+
+    This class is not instantiated directly; it is the base class for other implementations.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__()
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def get_processes(self) -> Iterator[ProcessHandle]:
+        """
+        Yields all the child-processes of a parent one.
+
+        Attributes:
+            ph: parent process
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def extract_process_features(self, ph: ProcessHandle) -> Iterator[Tuple[Feature, Address]]:
+        """
+        Yields all the features of a process. These include:
+        - file features of the process' image
+        - inter-process injection
+        - detected dynamic DLL loading
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def get_threads(self, ph: ProcessHandle) -> Iterator[ProcessHandle]:
+        """
+        Yields all the threads that a process created.
+
+        Attributes:
+            ph: parent process
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def extract_thread_features(self, ph: ProcessHandle, th: ThreadHandle) -> Iterator[Tuple[Feature, Address]]:
+        """
+        Yields all the features of a thread. These include:
+        - sequenced api traces
+        - files/registris interacted with
+        - network activity
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    @abc.abstractclassmethod
+    def from_trace(cls, trace: TextIO) -> "DynamicExtractor":
+        """
+        Most sandboxes provide reports in a serialized text format (i.e. JSON for Cuckoo and CAPE).
+        This routine takes a file descriptor of such report (analysis trace) and returns a corresponding DynamicExtractor object.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+    
+    @abc.abstractclassmethod
+    def submit_sample(cls, sample: BinaryIO, api: Dict[str, str]) -> "DynamicExtractor":
+        """
+        This routine takes a sample and submits it for analysis to the provided api. The trace should then ideally be passed to the from_trace() method.
+
+        Attributes:
+            sample: file descriptor of the sample
+            api: contains information such as the uri, api key, etc.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()