ctf-reverse

name	ctf-reverse
description	Reverse engineering: ELF/PE/Mach-O, WASM, .NET, APK (Flutter/Dart), Python bytecode, Go/Rust/Swift/Kotlin, custom VMs, anti-debug/anti-VM, VMProtect/Themida, eBPF, Ghidra/IDA/radare2/Frida/angr/Qiling. Dispatch on file magic + loader signature.

CTF Reverse Engineering

Quick reference for RE challenges. For detailed techniques, see supporting files.

Additional Resources

• tools.md — GDB, Ghidra, radare2, IDA, Binary Ninja, Unicorn, WASM, pyc, packed
• tools-dynamic.md — Frida, angr, lldb, x64dbg, Qiling, Triton, Pin instruction-counting
• tools-advanced.md — VMProtect/Themida, BinDiff, D-810/GOOMBA, TTF GSUB, AVX2 Z3 lift
• tools-advanced-2.md — 2025-26: GB-scale PE Unicorn+angr hybrid (VirtualProtect-gated unpackers)
• anti-analysis.md — Linux/Windows anti-debug, anti-VM, anti-DBI, MBA, self-hashing
• patterns.md — custom VMs, nanomites, LLVM obfuscation, S-box, SECCOMP/BPF, multi-thread
• patterns-ctf.md — comp patterns part 1: hidden opcodes, LD_PRELOAD, GBA MITM, maze kmod
• patterns-ctf-2.md — part 2: multi-layer brute, CVP integer, decision-tree, perf oracle, VM misident
• patterns-ctf-3.md — 2025-26: genetic algorithm / hill-climb over opaque additive scoring
• languages.md — Python bytecode, pyarmor, UEFI, esolangs, HarmonyOS, Godot, Electron
• languages-compiled.md — Go (GoReSym), Rust, Swift, Kotlin/JVM, C++ vtables, .pyc forgery
• platforms.md — Mach-O, iOS jailbreak, embedded firmware, kernel drivers, game engines, CAN

---

Pattern Recognition Index

Dispatch on observable binary features, not challenge titles.

Signal (from file, readelf, strings, nm)	Technique → file
ELF with __libc_start_main, small main, direct syscalls	Basic RE patterns → patterns.md
ELF with large unrecognised opcode-dispatch loop (switch on byte → handler)	Custom VM reversing → patterns.md
readelf -l shows RWX segment + self-writes to .text	Self-modifying / multi-layer decryption → patterns-ctf-2.md
Binary that modifies its round constants and re-encrypts output	Binary-as-keystream-oracle (patch I/O boundary) → patterns-ctf-2.md
ptrace(PTRACE_TRACEME) / /proc/self/status TracerPid / rdtsc timing	Anti-debug detection → anti-analysis.md
__Py_* or PyMarshal strings	Python bytecode / pyc reversing → languages.md
runtime. prefix in strings, go.buildinfo	Go reversing (GoReSym) → languages-compiled.md
Rust demangling (_ZN/_RN), core::panicking	Rust reversing → languages-compiled.md
Mach-O header FEEDFACE/FEEDFACF	macOS/iOS RE → platforms.md
.wasm magic (00 61 73 6D)	WASM → languages.md, ctf-misc/games-and-vms.md
.apk/classes.dex, libflutter.so, kernel.dill	APK / Flutter reversing → languages.md
Unicorn/QEMU used as a sandbox with host-side memory read helpers	Host/guest hook divergence → patterns-ctf-2.md (and ctf-pwn/advanced-exploits-2.md)
.rodata blob + XOR loop with known constants / stored expected bytes	Stack-string deobfuscation → patterns-ctf-2.md
SHA-NI instructions, per-layer key read from stdin	Multi-layer brute-force JIT → patterns-ctf-2.md
Per-char early-exit compare loop + local execution allowed	perf_event_open instruction-count oracle → patterns-ctf-2.md
Custom VM whose handlers are pop/push but docs claim "register-based" + banned bytes	Arch misidentification + banned-byte synthesis → patterns-ctf-2.md
.pyc with loader that checks only first 16 bytes	PEP-552 magic-header forgery → languages-compiled.md
Go binary with runtime.itab symbols intact but stripped strings	GoReSym/typelinks restore → languages-compiled.md
bpftool prog list shows non-standard eBPF prog	eBPF FSM syscall-sequence decomp → languages-compiled.md (+ ctf-pwn/sandbox-escape.md)
TTF/OTF with abnormally dense GSUB; glyphs named hex_*/one/zero	GSUB ligature stego DAG reverse → tools-advanced.md
AVX2 vpaddb/vpshufb in tight loop over input	Lane-wise Z3 lifting → tools-advanced.md
PE ≥ 500 MB, multiple VirtualProtect(...,RWX) + inline decrypt + call/jmp rax after each	Unicorn layer-graph + per-layer angr solve → tools-advanced-2.md
Flat chain of hundreds of if (input[i] op const) score += kN; win if score >= THR	Separability probe → hill-climb → GA → patterns-ctf-3.md

Recognize the artefact or opcode pattern. The title is noise.

---

For inline code/cheatsheet quick references (grep patterns, one-liners, common payloads), see quickref.md. The Pattern Recognition Index above is the dispatch table — always consult it first; load quickref.md only if you need a concrete snippet after dispatch.