Questions tagged [pe]
a file format for Windows executables, object code, DLLs, and more. Commonly found extensions of PE files include .exe, .dll, .ocx, .sys, and .scr.
246
questions
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2
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259
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Inspect executable binary similarity
I've found a company in China selling a software that is clearly a copy of my own work. For context, this is actually a physical product that comes with a Ubuntu computer and the software pre-...
0
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1
answer
67
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How to convert variable to struct member in IDA?
I'm working on a windows program which is walking PEB Ldr list. the related types are as follows:
struct LDR_DATA_TABLE_ENTRY {
LIST_ENTRY InLoadOrderLinks; // offset = 0, size = 0x10
...
0
votes
0
answers
34
views
Exe self-modifies strings searched in debugger
I'm studying a Windows binary file and while searching for some string I noticed the EXE modifies the searched string, e.g., if I search "This is a string", it's modified to "his is a ...
2
votes
2
answers
164
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How can I extract *.c file hidden in an executable file (SkiFree)
I am a person interested of old games (MS DOS and 16 bit Windows only) and programming. In 2020, I saw an article about hacking SkiFree somewhere on the internet and soon as I followed the ...
0
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0
answers
54
views
Pe file import binding
I'm learning a bit about PE files. The thing I've struggling a bit now it the First Thunk and Original First Thunk fields. To understand the difference between them I've read this post and that ...
1
vote
0
answers
80
views
Inject a MessageBox to the PE file
I'd like to patch some Windows PE file to show just simple MessageBox. Taking into account that the PE in question doesn't import the MessageBoxA function if I'm right that all i need to do is to add ...
0
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0
answers
40
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How to change playing music behavior in a game from playing music through cd-player to playing music through mp3 files?
I have an old game from the 2000s, and as we know the old games were playing the background music through the CD which means the music files were tracks in the game CD instead of MP3 files as usual ...
0
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1
answer
96
views
Create exe that jumps directly into main()-function from C
I am using x64dbg to explore image files on Windows. After the computer finishes prowling ntdll.dll it jumps to OptionalHeader.AddressOfEntryPoint.
But this is not my main()-function.
What is this ...
4
votes
1
answer
87
views
PE ImageBase presence in PDB
Is ImageBase of a PE binary present in its PDB or can it only be retrieved from the binary?
I have studied both Microsoft's PDB sources and LLVM docs without much luck finding it.
In the DBI stream ...
4
votes
1
answer
90
views
Unexpected value present in IMAGE_THUNK_DATA array
I am attempting to understand the PE File Format and I have come across an unexpected value in the IMAGE_THUNK_DATA Array.
Here are the file details:
MD5: d82d3e003eb5c728d584e22ce7f36fbf
File Name: ...
1
vote
0
answers
140
views
Editing the name table in the PE file import directory
There are a lot of dll-files compiled using wchar types.
On the other hand - there is an exe file compiled using unsigned char types.
My idea is to rename the mangled names in the exe file's import ...
2
votes
0
answers
65
views
The execution is not at AddressOfEntryPoint after patching .text section bytes
I have a shellcode and want to inject my shellcode into a PE file (a simple compiled c program that prints Hello World on the screen) . My shellcode size is 0x2a1 and the .text section of my PE file ...
1
vote
0
answers
21
views
How to find executable code in PE-file [duplicate]
Please help me to find out how to locate the start and the end of executable code in Windows PE-file.
Which adresses in header of PE can tell me to locate what I find? Thanks!
2
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0
answers
119
views
List of unsolved problems of reverse engineering
Decided to write out a list of still unsolved fundamental problems in the field of reverse engineering.
This means that today - there is no easy solution to these problems, or problems that can only ...
2
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0
answers
101
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statically placing hooks on PE file's IAT
recently I started writing my own PE library for C++, and wanted to implement static IAT/EAT hooking, (basically hooking by patching the file instead of hooking at runtime), I managed to successfully ...
2
votes
1
answer
144
views
What are latest research in reverse engineering?
I am searching research papers related to reverse engineering between 2020 and 2022 but did not found good papers with latest research in the direction of reverse engineering.
So, what are the latest ...
2
votes
0
answers
48
views
How to obtain import name from disassembled assembly
I'm trying to create my own tools for reverse engineering PE. I have some assembly codes that I fetched from a clone of objdump for a program. Sometimes I see call instructions such as :
callq *...
1
vote
0
answers
18
views
How to use IDA pro to convert a batch of binary PE files into assembly code? [duplicate]
I have a batch of binary PE files, and I want to convert them into assembly code using IDA pro. Do you know IDA command/plugin to automatically convert all of them?
1
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0
answers
40
views
Is it possible for different dynamic memory addresses to share the same offset value?
I am currently using cheat engine to hack a game. I used the pointer scanner to find some pointers to the pistol ammo memory location. I then went to look for pointers to the shotgun ammo memory ...
0
votes
1
answer
572
views
PE FILE section read in C
I need to read PE file. I need to search word in PE file. Search is required to cover only the sections with the “executable” flag. And I need to specify the section where the word found. How can I do ...
0
votes
1
answer
154
views
What is the size of a security cookie in PE file?
I know that pointer to the security cookie in Load Configuration Directory is 4 bytes long for 32-bit exe and 8 bytes long for 64-bit one (source), but what is the size of the security cookie itself?
...
2
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0
answers
75
views
Where can I find these compilers given in the Rich Header of a system BIOS file?
I am working on a project which deals with the BIOS file of a well known manufacturer.
I recovered the file from the disk partition which stores and uses the file in case BIOS is corrupted or its ...
1
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0
answers
63
views
Wrong access .data segment
Preface
I'm a PHP programmer, in my spare time I've been doing reverse work. Achieved good progress in the analysis game. But there was a big problem on my way. And now, more than ever, i need the ...
1
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0
answers
77
views
In IDA is there a way to load the PE headers after the initial loading?
This question is loosely related to this one. So I know of manual loading and how to achieve loading the PE headers using it.
But suppose I have already worked on an IDB for a while and realize that ...
1
vote
1
answer
241
views
Why is Visual Studio compiling my EXE file with an entry point that is not in the file?
So I am trying to open my test app EXE file in ollydbg to study the assembly, the stack, registers and all that stuff for educational purposes and it gives me this message saying that the entry point ...
1
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0
answers
173
views
What does the "Hint" entry in the PE import section mean?
In a ctf there was a rev PE challenge where it appeared in the deassembly as if the programm was calling functions from the ADVAPI32 but instead called some different code because the import table was ...
1
vote
0
answers
121
views
How to locate executable section
How to locate executable section in PE file?
Is there any of typical way to locate executable section in any PE file?
0
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0
answers
219
views
How can i reconstruct a full PE from a memory injected PE that only has IAT + sections content?
I have a injected PE (kernel mode rootkit to be exact) that only has the IAT table, which basically only stores the addresses of some kernel functions in an array which is referenced inside its code, ...
1
vote
2
answers
345
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How do I find where in the code a particular Windows Resource is used?
I'm trying to reverse engineer a Windows program. Using PE Editor, I find that the string in question - which I'm interested in - has got id 2820. The string is in this format: "Some text, some ...
-1
votes
2
answers
735
views
Parse offset to PE struct
Im trying make my idb beautier. I want to parse the offset to PE structure. Here is some example:
I want to parse (module + 60) to (module_base->e_lfanew) but when i change the type of module_base ...
0
votes
2
answers
700
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What is the data on the start of .rdata segment?
I've been doing some reverse engineering lately trying to improve my skills and came across the following bytes on the start of .rdata segment.
Filename: C:/cygwin64/bin/xkbcomp.exe
Bytes:
70 D3 FD FF ...
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How to check for a valid PE file?
How can I check if a file is a valid PE file? What programs I should use for such a check? Can I use PEiD or DiE tool to check it? Also, do I need to unpack the sample prior to checking?
0
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2
answers
786
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Why are certain functions from kernel32.dll always imported?
I've been noticing this for a while. Functions like IsDebuggerPresent and GetModuleHandle are always present in a binary's import directory structure. I assume is the Window's dynamic linker, but ...
2
votes
1
answer
1k
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Change manifest file using ResourceHacker CLI
I want to automate some manifest file changes (change requestedExecutionLevel level to requireAdministator from asInvoker) so I have to use ResourceHacker CLI.
I have managed to extract the resources ...
0
votes
1
answer
167
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What is imagebase word means used in Lena151 RE tutorial?
In part 3 of lena RE tutorial, i see a word : imagebase
Can anyone tell me more about this and better meaning of this word?
1
vote
1
answer
645
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Disassembly call function offset from RIP
I am writing a program where I map an .exe PE file in memory and I "dissect" it.
I am disassembling the .text section of the target executable, using the distorm disassembler.
CALL ...
0
votes
1
answer
138
views
Why a single "nop" crashed the game?
I hope answer to my question is not game/app specific and can be answered in communities like this.
So, I tried to use some internal functions of a game, like pick a target. No malicious intentions, ...
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votes
1
answer
162
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PE Self Injection Not Working
I'm working on different PE Injection technique. I want to inject PE file into virtual memory of the current executable. After that, I want to execute the injected PE file, I wrote an injection code, ...
0
votes
2
answers
77
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how do i use the text like in pe files?
I extracted pe file from another pe file and I saved it.
I want it execute but when I saved file computer sees it like text file. Altough my actual file starting with "4d 5a" computer sees ...
0
votes
1
answer
69
views
Expanding .data section at particular area
I have a program which creates a hard-coded number of objects. I patched the binary so that now it can attempt to create more objects than the limit allows, however when it does it allocates them to ...
0
votes
1
answer
2k
views
idb file and IDA
I've just received from a friend a *.idb file concerning the pe file i'd like to disassemble in IDA. What the file is and how can i load/use it with the exe linked with it in IDA?
0
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0
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54
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IDAPython NtCreateFile
Let's say I want to print the filenames on every call to NtCreateFile
(With %any% exe loaded in IDA )
The first problem is to get the ntdll!NtCreateFile address
Tried to do it like this ...
0
votes
2
answers
571
views
Pe file code starting address
When i load an exe in the IDA the assembled code always starts at 00401000 address. Does it mean that in pe files the code always starts at that specific address?
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2
answers
2k
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Hex-Rays not properly showing strings
Here's the difference between Hex_Rays and the debugger:
Note that I've synchronized the views, so they are showing the same operations in both the debugger and the decompiler. I've tried Edit -> ...
0
votes
1
answer
149
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IDAPython, parse IDA DB as PE file [duplicate]
I have buffer loaded into IDA with IDAPython in a costume loader script, I want to now to be parsed as a PE, or in fact, it would be better if IDA will try to reparse it as a PE, is it possible ...
1
vote
2
answers
213
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Lifting exported function instructions in PE files
I am trying to automate analysis of instructions within exported functions for a .DLL and need to be able to lift the first few instructions for the entry point of each exported function statically ...
2
votes
1
answer
358
views
Import Address Table in Process Hollowing
I know that the PE loader is the one that is responsible for assigning addresses in a PE Import Address Table, so why when we inject code using process hollowing we don't build the IAT?
We just copy ...
1
vote
1
answer
62
views
What is the role of PAGE section in windows Drivers?
I have seen many drivers with a section named PAGE, but couldn't find good enough information on it, what is the role of this section?
1
vote
1
answer
175
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Try to parse buffer as PE with IDAPython
file_buffer = requests.get(file_url)
buf_size = len(file_buffer)
pe_file = pefile.PE(data=file_buffer)
print("This is really a pe imphash %s." % pe_file.get_imphash())
addr = hex(id(...
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vote
1
answer
106
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Name other than ".text" for the main code section
Is it safe to assume that, in the general case, the name of the section containing the user code (not the compiler generated code) is .text? I spot-checked several ARM, x86 and MIPS binaries (PE and ...