Reverse Engineering
Analyzing software and systems to understand their function
Reverse Engineering is the process of analyzing software, hardware, or systems to understand their design, functionality, and behavior without access to source code or documentation.
Applications in Security
- Malware Analysis - Understanding malicious software behavior
- Vulnerability Research - Finding security flaws in software
- Exploit Development - Creating proof-of-concept exploits
- Protocol Analysis - Understanding communication protocols
- Forensics - Analyzing artifacts and evidence
Techniques
- Static analysis (without execution)
- Dynamic analysis (runtime observation)
- Code flow analysis
- Data structure recovery
- API and library identification
Tools
- Disassemblers - IDA Pro, Ghidra, Binary Ninja
- Debuggers - x64dbg, WinDbg, GDB
- Decompilers - Hex-Rays, Ghidra decompiler
- Dynamic Analysis - Process Monitor, API Monitor, strace
Skills Required
- Assembly language knowledge
- Understanding of operating systems internals
- Programming proficiency
- Patience and analytical thinking
- Documentation skills
