gdb-pwndbg

name	gdb-pwndbg
description	Use gdb and pwndbg for authorized binary debugging, crash triage, exploit development, and runtime inspection.

gdb-pwndbg

Use system gdb for stock debugging. Pwndbg is installed through uv against /usr/bin/python3, and /root/.gdbinit sources the installed Pwndbg gdbinit.py so the normal gdb entrypoint has Pwndbg available without bundling another debugger.

Help First

Before constructing commands, confirm the debugger entrypoints and Pwndbg integration:

gdb --help
command -v pwndbg
gdb -batch -ex 'python import pwndbg'

Usage Rules

• Work only on provided binaries, task-scoped builds, or explicitly authorized targets.
• Do not execute unknown or untrusted samples unless runtime execution is explicitly in scope.
• Prefer batch commands for quick inspection and task-scoped output files for long sessions.
• Use gdb for the system debugger entrypoint; use pwndbg when the wrapper command is more convenient.
• Do not install another GDB or Pwndbg runtime; use the bundled system gdb, pwndbg, and /root/.gdbinit integration.
• Record binary path, hash when relevant, architecture, protections, crash inputs, and debugger commands used.
• Use checksec for the static mitigation baseline, strace/ltrace for runtime call traces, and pwntools for repeatable interaction or exploit scripts; do not treat them as debugger replacements.

Common Workflows

Open an interactive Pwndbg-enhanced GDB session:

gdb -q ./binary

Run a bounded crash triage in batch mode:

gdb -q ./binary -ex 'set pagination off' -ex 'run' -ex 'bt' -ex 'info registers' -batch

Use a command file for repeatable sessions:

gdb -q ./binary -x gdb-commands.txt

Attach only to authorized local processes:

gdb -q -p 1234

Pair debugger observations with checksec --file=./binary, controlled inputs, and saved crash artifacts.

Output

Report the debugger used, command file or command line, binary path, key observations, crash state, registers/backtrace when relevant, and output paths.