Static Analysis Challenges

For any nontrivial binary, generally several challenges must be overcome to make analysis of that binary less difficult. Examples of challenges you might encounter include

  • Binaries that have been stripped of some or all of their symbol information

  • Binaries that have been linked with static libraries

  • Binaries that make use of complex, user-defined data structures

  • Compiled C++ programs that make use of polymorphism

  • Binaries that have been obfuscated in some manner to hinder analysis

  • Binaries that use instruction sets with which IDA is not familiar

  • Binaries that use file formats with which IDA is not familiar

IDA is equipped to deal with all of these challenges to varying degrees, though its documentation may not indicate that. ...

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