semantic-recovery-campaign

name	semantic-recovery-campaign
description	Recover subsystem meaning through disciplined decompilation, xref analysis, renaming, typing, and evidence tracking. Use when a binary is partly mapped and you want durable semantic cleanup instead of ad hoc notes.
aliases	["semantic-recovery","naming-campaign","retype-campaign","decompiler-cleanup"]
category	Developer Tools
tags	["reverse-engineering","ghidra","decompiler","types","xrefs","naming"]
version	1.0.0
resolutionHints	["rename and retype a subsystem","turn decompiler output into real semantics","recover data structures and function roles"]
metadata	{"source":"evokore","derived_from":["Ghidra","Pharos","GhidraMCP"]}

Semantic Recovery Campaign

Use this skill when the goal is no longer "find something interesting" but "make a subsystem understandable and durable for future analysis."

Campaign Rules

1. Work subsystem-first, not function-random.
2. Promote names and types only when evidence can defend them.
3. Keep confidence levels explicit: confirmed, likely, speculative.
4. Batch related renames and type updates so the codebase becomes more coherent with each pass.
5. Stop and escalate to dynamic validation if the same uncertainty keeps blocking semantic cleanup.

Workflow

1. Define the subsystem scope: networking, config, crypto, installer, UI bridge, anti-analysis, and so on.
2. Pick representative functions and recover their real role using:
   • callers / callees
   • xrefs to and from
   • strings and constants
   • structure and API evidence
3. Create a local glossary:
   • subsystem terms
   • recovered struct or class names
   • prefixes or naming conventions
4. Apply durable edits:
   • function names
   • variable names
   • prototypes
   • local types
   • comments for branch purpose, not narration
5. Record what is still blocking confidence.

Best Pairings

• ghidra-function-analysis for each representative routine
• ghidra-rename-and-retype for durable semantic edits
• debugger-driven-analysis when runtime proof is required
• orch-panel re in semantic-recovery mode for high-stakes conclusions

Deliverable Format

• subsystem summary
• naming glossary
• confirmed edits
• speculative edges
• next proof steps