Binary Triage
Instructions
We are triaging a binary to quickly understand what it does. This is an initial survey, not deep analysis. Our goal is to:
- Identify key components and behaviors
- Flag suspicious or interesting areas
- Create a task list of next steps for deeper investigation
Binary triage with ReVa
Follow this systematic workflow using ReVa's MCP tools:
1. Identify the Program
- Use
get-current-programto see the active program - Or use
list-project-filesto see available programs in the project - Note the
programPath(e.g., "/Hatchery.exe") for use in subsequent tools
2. Survey Memory Layout
- Use
get-memory-blocksto understand the binary structure - Examine key sections:
- .text - executable code - .data - initialized data - .rodata - read-only data (strings, constants) - .bss - uninitialized data
- Flag unusual characteristics:
- Unusually large sections - Packed/encrypted sections - Executable data sections - Writable code sections
3. Survey Strings
- Use
get-strings-countto see total string count - Use
get-stringswith pagination (100-200 strings at a time) - Look for indicators of functionality or malicious behavior:
- Network: URLs, IP addresses, domain names, API endpoints - File System: File paths, registry keys, configuration files - APIs: Function names, library references - Messages: Error messages, debug strings, log messages - Suspicious Keywords: admin, password, credential, token, crypto, encrypt, decrypt, download, execute, inject, shellcode, payload
4. Survey Symbols and Imports
- Use
get-symbols-countwithincludeExternal=trueto count imports - Use
get-symbolswithincludeExternal=trueandfilterDefaultNames=true - Focus on external symbols (imports from libraries)
- Flag interesting/suspicious imports by category:
- Network APIs: connect, send, recv, WSAStartup, getaddrinfo, curl_*, socket - File I/O: CreateFile, WriteFile, ReadFile, fopen, fwrite, fread - Process Manipulation: CreateProcess, exec, fork, system, WinExec, ShellExecute - Memory Operations: VirtualAlloc, VirtualProtect, mmap, mprotect - Crypto: CryptEncrypt, CryptDecrypt, EVP_*, AES_*, bcrypt, RC4 - Anti-Analysis: IsDebuggerPresent, CheckRemoteDebuggerPresent, ptrace - Registry: RegOpenKey, RegSetValue, RegQueryValue
- Note the ratio of imports to total symbols (heavy import usage may indicate reliance on libraries)
5. Survey Functions
- Use
get-function-countwithfilterDefaultNames=trueto count named functions - Use
get-function-countwithfilterDefaultNames=falseto count all functions - Calculate ratio of named vs unnamed functions (high unnamed ratio = stripped binary)
- Use
get-functionswithfilterDefaultNames=trueto list named functions - Identify key functions:
- Entry points: entry, start, _start - Main functions: main, WinMain, DllMain, _main - Suspicious names: If not stripped, look for revealing function names
6. Cross-Reference Analysis for Key Findings
- For interesting strings found in Step 3:
- Use find-cross-references with direction="to" and includeContext=true - Identify which functions reference suspicious strings
- For suspicious imports found in Step 4:
- Use find-cross-references with direction="to" and includeContext=true - Identify which functions call suspicious APIs
- This helps prioritize which functions need detailed examination
7. Selective Initial Decompilation
- Use
get-decompilationon entry point or main function
- Set limit=30 to get ~30 lines initially - Set includeIncomingReferences=true to see callers - Set includeReferenceContext=true for context snippets
- Use
get-decompilationon 1-2 suspicious functions identified in Step 6
- Set limit=20-30 for quick overview
- Look for high-level patterns:
- Loops (encryption/decryption routines) - Network operations - File operations - Process creation - Suspicious control flow (obfuscation indicators)
- Do not do deep analysis yet - this is just to understand general behavior
8. Document Findings and Create Task List
- Use the
TodoWritetool to create an actionable task list with items like:
- "Investigate string 'http://malicious-c2.com' (referenced at 0x00401234)" - "Decompile function sub_401000 (calls VirtualAlloc + memcpy + CreateThread)" - "Analyze crypto usage in function encrypt_payload (uses CryptEncrypt)" - "Trace anti-debugging checks (IsDebuggerPresent at 0x00402000)" - "Examine packed section.UPX0 for unpacking routine"
- Each todo should be:
- Specific (include addresses, function names, strings) - Actionable (what needs to be investigated) - Prioritized (most suspicious first)
Output Format
Present triage findings to the user in this structured format:
Program Overview
- Name: [Program name from programPath]
- Type: [Executable type - PE, ELF, Mach-O, etc.]
- Platform: [Windows, Linux, macOS, etc.]
Memory Layout
- Total Size: [Size in bytes/KB/MB]
- Key Sections: [List main sections with sizes and permissions]
- Unusual Characteristics: [Any packed/encrypted/suspicious sections]
String Analysis
- Total Strings: [Count from get-strings-count]
- Notable Findings: [Bullet list of interesting strings with context]
- Suspicious Indicators: [URLs, IPs, suspicious keywords found]
Import Analysis
- Total Symbols: [Count from get-symbols-count]
- External Imports: [Count of external symbols]
- Key Libraries: [Main libraries imported]
- Suspicious APIs: [Categorized list of concerning imports]
Function Analysis
- Total Functions: [Count with filterDefaultNames=false]
- Named Functions: [Count with filterDefaultNames=true]
- Stripped Status: [Yes/No based on ratio]
- Entry Point: [Address and name]
- Main Function: [Address and name]
- Key Functions: [List of important functions identified]
Suspicious Indicators
[Bulleted list of red flags discovered, prioritized by severity]
Recommended Next Steps
[Present the task list created in Step 8]
- Each item should be specific and actionable
- Prioritize by severity/importance
- Include addresses, function names, and context
Important Notes
- Speed over depth: This is triage, not full analysis. Move quickly through steps.
- Use pagination: Don't request thousands of strings/functions at once. Use chunks of 100-200.
- Focus on anomalies: Flag things that are unusual, suspicious, or interesting.
- Context is key: When using cross-references, enable
includeContext=truefor code snippets. - Create actionable todos: Each next step should be specific enough for another agent to execute.
- Be systematic: Follow all 8 steps in order for comprehensive coverage.