bof-dev

name	bof-dev
description	BOF (Beacon Object File) engineering for C and C++. DFR (Dynamic Function Resolution), linker limits, runtime safety, and COFF constraints.

bof-dev

Goal: Write stealthy, production-ready Beacon Object Files (BOFs) in C or C++ for Cobalt Strike, Sliver, Havoc, or custom COFF loaders.

Cognitive Stance

A BOF is just an unlinked object file (.o / .obj). The loader maps sections into memory and links it at runtime. It has no OS loader, no runtime (CRT/STL), and exits via go().

Strict Rules

1. No Standard Library / Runtime: No printf, malloc, new, std::string, try/catch.
2. DFR (Dynamic Function Resolution): You must declare DECLSPEC_IMPORT and use KERNEL32$VirtualAlloc format so the loader can resolve Win32 APIs statically. Do not link against kernel32.lib.
3. Global State: Global initialized variables (int x = 5;) are mapped but remain persistent across BOF executions in the same process. Use them cautiously. Global C++ constructors (Foo f;) will fail to link.
4. C++ Specifics: Strip all C++ features that require runtime support. Disable RTTI (-fno-rtti) and exceptions (-fno-exceptions). The entry point go must be declared extern "C".
5. Memory Safety: You are executing inside the C2 agent's process. A segfault kills the payload. Check all pointers. Use BeaconPrintf for output.

Framework Constraints (Mingw-w64)

# Compilation for C
x86_64-w64-mingw32-gcc -c bof.c -o bof.o -Os -Wl,--exclude-libs,msvcrt.a

# Compilation for C++
x86_64-w64-mingw32-g++ -c bof.cpp -o bof.o -Os -fno-exceptions -fno-rtti -fno-threadsafe-statics

References

• references/dfr-strategies.md — Load when building Win32 API calls manually or fighting linker errors like __imp_.
• references/anti-patterns.md — Load when troubleshooting BOF crashes or unexplained C2 disconnects.