CTF Reverse Engineering
Quick reference for RE challenges. For detailed techniques, see supporting files.
Prerequisites
Python packages (all platforms):
pip install frida-tools angr qiling uncompyle6 capstone lief z3-solver
git clone https://github.com/zrax/pycdc && cd pycdc && cmake . && make
Linux (apt):
apt install gdb radare2 binutils strace ltrace apktool upx
macOS (Homebrew):
brew install gdb radare2 binutils apktool upx ghidra
radare2 plugins:
r2pm -ci r2ghidra
Manual install:
- pwndbg — Linux: GitHub, macOS:
brew install pwndbg/tap/pwndbg-gdb
Additional Resources
- tools.md - Static analysis tools (GDB, Ghidra, radare2, IDA, Binary Ninja, dogbolt.org, RISC-V with Capstone, Unicorn emulation, Python bytecode, WASM, Android APK, .NET, packed binaries)
- tools-dynamic.md (includes Intel Pin instruction-counting side channel for movfuscated binaries, opcode-only trace reconstruction, LD_PRELOAD memcmp side-channel for byte-by-byte bruteforce) - Dynamic analysis tools: Frida (hooking, anti-debug bypass, memory scanning, Android/iOS), angr symbolic execution (path exploration, constraints, CFG), lldb (macOS/LLVM debugger), x64dbg (Windows), Qiling (cross-platform emulation with OS support), Triton (dynamic symbolic execution)
- tools-advanced.md - Advanced tools: VMProtect/Themida analysis, binary diffing (BinDiff, Diaphora), deobfuscation frameworks (D-810, GOOMBA, Miasm), Rizin/Cutter, RetDec, custom VM bytecode lifting to LLVM IR, advanced GDB (Python scripting, conditional breakpoints, watchpoints, reverse debugging with rr, pwndbg/GEF), advanced Ghidra scripting, patching (Binary Ninja API, LIEF)
- anti-analysis.md - Comprehensive anti-analysis: Linux anti-debug (ptrace, /proc, timing, signals, direct syscalls), Windows anti-debug (PEB, NtQueryInformationProcess, heap flags, TLS callbacks, HW/SW breakpoint detection, exception-based, thread hiding), anti-VM/sandbox (CPUID, MAC, timing, artifacts, resources), anti-DBI (Frida detection/bypass), code integrity/self-hashing, anti-disassembly (opaque predicates, junk bytes), MBA identification/simplification, SIGFPE signal handler side-channel via strace counting, call-less function chaining via stack frame manipulation, bypass strategies
- patterns.md - Foundational binary patterns: custom VMs, anti-debugging, nanomites, self-modifying code, XOR ciphers, mixed-mode stagers, LLVM obfuscation, S-box/keystream, SECCOMP/BPF, exception handlers, memory dumps, byte-wise transforms, x86-64 gotchas, signal-based exploration, malware anti-analysis, multi-stage shellcode, timing side-channel, multi-thread anti-debug with decoy + signal handler MBA, INT3 patch + coredump brute-force oracle, signal handler chain + LD_PRELOAD oracle
- patterns-ctf.md - Competition-specific patterns (Part 1): hidden emulator opcodes, LD_PRELOAD key extraction, SPN static extraction, image XOR smoothness, byte-at-a-time cipher, mathematical convergence bitmap, Windows PE XOR bitmap OCR, two-stage RC4+VM loaders, GBA ROM meet-in-the-middle, Sprague-Grundy game theory, kernel module maze solving, multi-threaded VM channels, backdoored shared library detection via string diffing, custom binfmt kernel module with RC4 flat binaries, hash-resolved imports / no-import ransomware, ELF section header corruption for anti-analysis
- patterns-ctf-2.md - Competition-specific patterns (Part 2): multi-layer self-decrypting brute-force, embedded ZIP+XOR license, stack string deobfuscation, prefix hash brute-force, CVP/LLL lattice for integer validation, decision tree function obfuscation, GF(2^8) Gaussian elimination, ROP chain obfuscation analysis (ROPfuscation)
- patterns-ctf-3.md - Competition-specific patterns (Part 3): Z3 single-line Python circuit, sliding window popcount, keyboard LED Morse code via ioctl, C++ destructor-hidden validation, syscall side-effect memory corruption, MFC dialog event handlers, VM sequential key-chain brute-force, Burrows-Wheeler transform inversion, OpenType font ligature exploitation, GLSL shader VM with self-modifying code, instruction counter as cryptographic state, batch crackme automation via objdump, fork+pipe+dead branch anti-analysis, TensorFlow DNN inversion via sigmoid layer inversion, BPF filter analysis via kernel JIT to x64 assembly
- languages.md - Language-specific: Python bytecode & opcode remapping, Python version-specific bytecode, Pyarmor static unpack, DOS stubs, Unity IL2CPP, HarmonyOS HAP/ABC, Brainfuck/esolangs (+ BF character-by-character static analysis, BF side-channel read count oracle, BF comparison idiom detection), UEFI, transpilation to C, code coverage side-channel, OPAL functional reversing, non-bijective substitution, FRACTRAN program inversion
- languages-platforms.md - Platform/framework-specific: Roblox place file analysis, Godot game asset extraction, Rust serde_json schema recovery, Android JNI RegisterNatives obfuscation, Android DEX runtime bytecode patching via /proc/self/maps, Android native .so loading bypass via new project, Frida Firebase Cloud Functions bypass, Verilog/hardware RE, prefix-by-prefix hash reversal, Ruby/Perl polyglot constraint satisfaction, Electron ASAR extraction + native binary analysis, Node.js npm runtime introspection
- languages-compiled.md - Go binary reversing (GoReSym, goroutines, memory layout, channel ops, embed.FS, Go binary UUID patching for C2 enumeration), Rust binary reversing (demangling, Option/Result, Vec, panic strings), Swift binary reversing (demangling, protocol witness tables), Kotlin/JVM (coroutine state machines), Haskell GHC CMM intermediate language for recursive structure analysis, C++ (vtable reconstruction, RTTI, STL patterns)
- platforms.md - Platform-specific RE: macOS/iOS (Mach-O, code signing, Objective-C runtime, Swift, dyld, jailbreak bypass), embedded/IoT firmware (binwalk, UART/JTAG/SPI extraction, ARM/MIPS, RTOS), kernel drivers (Linux .ko, eBPF, Windows .sys), game engines (Unreal Engine, Unity, anti-cheat, Lua), automotive CAN bus
- platforms-hardware.md - Hardware and advanced architecture RE: HD44780 LCD controller GPIO reconstruction, RISC-V advanced (custom extensions, privileged modes, debugging), ARM64/AArch64 reversing and exploitation (calling convention, ROP gadgets, qemu-aarch64-static emulation)
- field-notes.md - Quick reference notes: binary types, anti-debugging bypass, specialized patterns, CTF case notes
When to Pivot
- If you already understand the binary and now need heap, ROP, or kernel exploitation, switch to
/ctf-pwn.
- If the challenge is really about recovering deleted files, PCAP data, or disk artifacts, switch to
/ctf-forensics.
- If the target is a web app and you are only reversing a small client-side helper script, switch to
/ctf-web.
- If the binary implements a machine learning model and the challenge is about model attacks or adversarial inputs, switch to
/ctf-ai-ml.
- If the reversed binary's core logic is a cryptographic algorithm or math problem, switch to
/ctf-crypto.
- If the binary is a real malware sample with C2, packing, or evasion behavior, switch to
/ctf-malware.
- If the challenge is a toy VM, encoding puzzle, or pyjail rather than a real binary, switch to
/ctf-misc.
Problem-Solving Workflow
- Start with strings extraction - many easy challenges have plaintext flags
- Try ltrace/strace - dynamic analysis often reveals flags without reversing
- Try Frida hooking - hook strcmp/memcmp to capture expected values without reversing
- Try angr - symbolic execution solves many flag-checkers automatically
- Try Qiling - emulate foreign-arch binaries or bypass heavy anti-debug without artifacts
- Map control flow before modifying execution
- Automate manual processes via scripting (r2pipe, Frida, angr, Python)
- Validate assumptions by comparing decompiler outputs (dogbolt.org for side-by-side)
Quick Wins (Try First!)
strings binary | grep -E "flag\{|CTF\{|pico"
strings binary | grep -iE "flag|secret|password"
rabin2 -z binary | grep -i "flag"
ltrace ./binary
strace -f -s 500 ./binary
xxd binary | grep -i flag
./binary AAAA
echo "test" | ./binary
Initial Analysis
file binary
checksec --file=binary
chmod +x binary
Memory Dumping Strategy
Key insight: Let the program compute the answer, then dump it. Break at final comparison (b *main+OFFSET), enter any input of correct length, then x/s $rsi to dump computed flag.
Decoy Flag Detection
Pattern: Multiple fake targets before real check. Look for multiple comparison targets in sequence with different success messages. Set breakpoint at FINAL comparison, not earlier ones.
GDB PIE Debugging
PIE binaries randomize base address. Use relative breakpoints:
gdb ./binary
start
b *main+0xca
run
Comparison Direction (Critical!)
Two patterns: (1) transform(flag) == stored_target — reverse the transform. (2) transform(stored_target) == flag — flag IS the transformed data, just apply transform to stored target.
Common Encryption Patterns
- XOR with single byte - try all 256 values
- XOR with known plaintext (
flag{, CTF{)
- RC4 with hardcoded key
- Custom permutation + XOR
- XOR with position index (
^ i or ^ (i & 0xff)) layered with a repeating key
Quick Tool Reference
r2 -d ./binary
aaa
afl
pdf @ main
analyzeHeadless project/ tmp -import binary -postScript script.py
ida64 binary
Deep-Dive Notes
Use field-notes.md after the first round of triage when you know what kind of target you have.
- Target formats: Python bytecode, WASM, Android, Flutter, .NET, UPX, Tauri
- Technique notes: anti-debug bypass, VM analysis, x86-64 gotchas, iterative solvers, Unicorn, timing side channels
- Platform notes: Godot, Roblox, macOS/iOS, embedded firmware, kernel drivers, game engines, Swift, Kotlin, Go, Rust, D
- Case notes: modern CTF-specific reversing patterns and older classic challenge patterns
