The Other Kind of Patch



IDAPython is an IDA plugin which allows Python scripts to access IDA’s API, IDC, and all the modules already in Python. Most importantly, IDAPython allows us to manipulate IDA’s disassembly programmatically without leaving the familiarity of Python.

During capture the flags and throughout the process of reverse engineering, simple, easy binary patching is desired. A common approach is to search through a file in a hex editor for a given set of bytes and modify them for the desired effect. This is very often guess work and can become unnecessarily complicated. OllyDbg allows you to assemble an instruction at a given address. Slightly better, but OllyDbg has only recently begun supporting x86_64. Reverse engineers shouldn’t be limited by the supported architectures of their tools.

We at the ISIS lab have written what we call Fentanyl. Fentanyl is ISIS’s IDA patching plugin. With it, patches can be applied to IDA’s disassembly straight from its console window, from keyboard shortcuts, or with an optional context menu. Basically, right click to patch. Save. Done.

Demonstrating some patching in Fentanyl Using Fentanyl to patch out the CMU bomb lab’s explode_bomb function

Fentanyl exposes shortcuts for nopping out instructions, xrefs to a given address, inverting jumps, saving the binary, and assembling instructions. Since binary modification is often a tricky business, Fentanyl also allows a user to undo and redo modifications to the idb.

Assembling new instructions into a binary is easy with Fentanyl Assembling new instructions into a binary is easy with Fentanyl

In addition to patching using the aforementioned methods, Fentanyl also exposes other functionality to automate tasks.

The first of which is “binary neutering.” This involves automatically patching out functions which make debugging binaries annoying. At the moment neutering removes calls to fork, alarm, setuid, setgid, getpwnam, setgroups, and chdir.

Demonstrating Fentanyl's binary neutering feature Demonstrating Fentanyl’s binary neutering feature

A slightly less patching oriented feature, Fentanyl features a code cave finder. Code caves are sections of a binary which are executable in which we can add our own assembly without heavily disturbing the original assembly.

Spelunky makes it easy to find code caves in a binary Spelunky makes it easy to find code caves in a binary

We’ve been making great use of Fentanyl and while it’s not a cure-all it’s been very helpful in certain scenarios. We’d love for you to submit feature requests and let us know what you think about Fentanyl!

Github: https://github.com/osirislab/Fentanyl