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Examples

IDAPython examples

This collection of examples organizes all IDAPython sample code into categories for easy reference. Each example demonstrates practical implementation for the IDAPython API, complementing the reference documentation with a real-world usage scenario.

How to run the examples?

Load the script via File Loader

  1. Navigate to File -> Script file….
  2. In the new dialog, select the .py script you want to run and click Open.

Load the script via Script command

  1. Navigate to File -> Script command….
  2. Paste the code into Please enter script body field and click Run.

Load the script via output window/console

  1. In the output window/IDAPython console, type the following command: exec(open("path/to/your_script.py").read()) to execute the script.

Example Categories: Overview

User interfaceCreating & manipulating user-interface widgets, prompting the user with forms, enriching existing widgets, or creating your own UI through Python Qt bindings.
DisassemblyVarious ways to query, or modify the disassembly listing, alter the way analysis is performed, or be notified of changes made to the IDB.
DecompilationQuerying the decompiler, manipulating the decompilation trees (either at the microcode level, or the C-tree), and examples showing how to intervene in the decompilation output.
DebuggersDriving debugging sessions, be notified of debugging events.
Working with typesThese samples utilize our Type APIs, which allow you to manage the types and perform various operations on them, like creating the structures or enums and adding their members programmatically.
MiscellaneousMiscellaneous examples that don't quite fall into another category, but don't really justify one of their own.

User interface

LevelExamples
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

Disassembly

LevelExamples
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

Decompilation

LevelExamples
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

Debuggers

LevelExamples
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

Working with types

LevelExamples
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

Miscellaneous

LevelExamples
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced

Examples list

Assign a shortcut to a custom function

ida_kernwin.add_hotkey is a simpler, but much less flexible alternative to ida_kernwin.register_action (though it does use the same mechanism under the hood.)

It’s particularly useful during prototyping, but note that the actions that are created cannot be inserted in menus, toolbars or cannot provide a custom ida_kernwin.action_handler_t.update callback.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
add_hotkey.pyactionsBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.add_hotkey
  • ida_kernwin.del_hotkey

Add custom menus to IDA

It is possible to add custom menus to IDA, either at the toplevel (i.e., into the menubar), or as submenus of existing menus.

Notes:

  • the same action can be present in more than 1 menu
  • this example does not deal with context menus
Source codeKeywordsLevel
add_menus.pyactionsBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_ALWAYS
  • ida_kernwin.SETMENU_INS
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_menu
  • ida_kernwin.create_menu
  • ida_kernwin.register_action

Assign a background color to an address, function & segment

This illustrates the setting/retrieval of background colours using the IDC wrappers

In order to do so, we’ll be assigning colors to specific ranges (item, function, or segment). Those will be persisted in the database.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
colorize_disassembly.pycoloring idcBeginner

APIs Used:

  • idc.CIC_FUNC
  • idc.CIC_ITEM
  • idc.CIC_SEGM
  • idc.get_color
  • idc.here
  • idc.set_color

Override the default “Functions” chooser colors

Color the function in the Function window according to its size. The larger the function, the darker the color.

The key, is overriding ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks.get_chooser_item_attrs

Source codeKeywordsLevel
func_chooser_coloring.pyUI_HooksBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.enable_chooser_item_attrs

Create a dockable container, and populate it with Qt widgets

Using ida_kernwin.PluginForm.FormToPyQtWidget, this script converts IDA’s own dockable widget into a type that is recognized by PyQt5, which then enables populating it with regular Qt widgets.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
populate_pluginform_with_pyqt_widgets.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.PluginForm

Prevent an action from being triggered

Using ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks.preprocess_action, it is possible to respond to a command instead of the action that would otherwise do it.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
prevent_jump.pyUI_HooksBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks

Use timers for delayed execution

Register (possibly repeating) timers.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
register_timer.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.register_timer

Show, update & hide the progress dialog

Using the progress dialog (aka ‘wait box’) primitives.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
show_and_hide_waitbox.pyactionsBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_hexrays.decompile
  • ida_kernwin.hide_wait_box
  • ida_kernwin.replace_wait_box
  • ida_kernwin.show_wait_box
  • ida_kernwin.user_cancelled
  • idautils.Functions

Custom actions, with icons & tooltips

How to create user actions, that once created can be inserted in menus, toolbars, context menus, …

Those actions, when triggered, will be passed a ‘context’ that contains some of the most frequently needed bits of information.

In addition, custom actions can determine when they want to be available (through their ida_kernwin.action_handler_t.update callback)

Source codeKeywordsLevel
actions.pyactions ctxmenu UI_HooksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_DISASM
  • ida_kernwin.SETMENU_APP
  • ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_menu
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_popup
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_toolbar
  • ida_kernwin.get_widget_type
  • ida_kernwin.load_custom_icon
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_kernwin.unregister_action

Show tabular data

Shows how to subclass the ida_kernwin.Choose class to show data organized in a simple table. In addition, registers a couple actions that can be applied to it.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
choose.pyactions chooser ctxmenuIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • Choose
  • Choose.ALL_CHANGED
  • Choose.CH_CAN_DEL
  • Choose.CH_CAN_EDIT
  • Choose.CH_CAN_INS
  • Choose.CH_CAN_REFRESH
  • Choose.CH_RESTORE
  • Choose.NOTHING_CHANGED
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_popup
  • ida_kernwin.is_chooser_widget
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_kernwin.unregister_action

Show tabular data, with multiple selection

Similar to choose, but with multiple selection

Source codeKeywordsLevel
choose_multi.pyactions chooserIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • Choose
  • Choose.ALL_CHANGED
  • Choose.CHCOL_HEX
  • Choose.CH_MULTI
  • Choose.NOTHING_CHANGED

Create custom listings in IDA

How to create simple listings, that will share many of the features as the built-in IDA widgets (highlighting, copy & paste, notifications, …)

In addition, creates actions that will be bound to the freshly-created widget (using ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_popup.)

Source codeKeywordsLevel
custom_viewer.pyactions ctxmenu listingIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_ALWAYS
  • ida_kernwin.IK_DELETE
  • ida_kernwin.IK_ESCAPE
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.ask_long
  • ida_kernwin.ask_str
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_popup
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_kernwin.simplecustviewer_t
  • ida_kernwin.simplecustviewer_t.Create
  • ida_kernwin.simplecustviewer_t.Show
  • ida_kernwin.unregister_action
  • ida_lines.COLOR_DEFAULT
  • ida_lines.COLOR_DNAME
  • ida_lines.COLSTR
  • ida_lines.SCOLOR_PREFIX
  • ida_lines.SCOLOR_VOIDOP

Implement an alternative “Functions” window

Partially re-implements the “Functions” widget present in IDA, with a custom widget.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
func_chooser.pychooser functionsIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func_name
  • ida_kernwin.Choose
  • ida_kernwin.Choose.ALL_CHANGED
  • ida_kernwin.Choose.CHCOL_FNAME
  • ida_kernwin.Choose.CHCOL_HEX
  • ida_kernwin.Choose.CHCOL_PLAIN
  • ida_kernwin.get_icon_id_by_name
  • idautils.Functions
  • idc.del_func

Implement a “jump to next comment” action within IDA’s listing

We want our action not only to find the next line containing a comment, but to also place the cursor at the right horizontal position.

To find that position, we will have to inspect the text that IDA generates, looking for the start of a comment. However, we won’t be looking for a comment “prefix” (e.g., “; “), as that would be too fragile.

Instead, we will look for special “tags” that IDA injects into textual lines, and that bear semantic information.

Those tags are primarily used for rendering (i.e., switching colors), but can also be very handy for spotting tokens of interest (registers, addresses, comments, prefixes, instruction mnemonics, …)

Source codeKeywordsLevel
jump_next_comment.pyactions idaviewIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.next_head
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_DISASM
  • ida_kernwin.CVNF_LAZY
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.custom_viewer_jump
  • ida_kernwin.get_custom_viewer_location
  • ida_kernwin.place_t_as_idaplace_t
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_kernwin.unregister_action
  • ida_lines.SCOLOR_AUTOCMT
  • ida_lines.SCOLOR_ON
  • ida_lines.SCOLOR_REGCMT
  • ida_lines.SCOLOR_RPTCMT
  • ida_lines.generate_disassembly
  • ida_lines.tag_strlen
  • ida_moves.lochist_entry_t

Dynamically colorize [parts of] lines

Shows how one can dynamically alter the lines background rendering (as opposed to, say, using ida_nalt.set_item_color()), and also shows how that rendering can be limited to just a few glyphs, not the whole line.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
lines_rendering.pyUI_HooksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.next_head
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA1
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA10
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA11
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA12
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA13
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA14
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA15
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA16
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA2
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA3
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA4
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA5
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA6
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA7
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA8
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA9
  • ida_kernwin.CK_TRACE
  • ida_kernwin.CK_TRACE_OVL
  • ida_kernwin.LROEF_CPS_RANGE
  • ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_kernwin.line_rendering_output_entry_t
  • ida_kernwin.refresh_idaview_anyway

React to UI events/notifications

Hooks to be notified about certain UI events, and dump their information to the “Output” window

Source codeKeywordsLevel
log_misc_events.pyUI_HooksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks

Paint on top of the navigation band

Using an “event filter”, we will intercept paint events targeted at the navigation band widget, let it paint itself, and then add our own markers on top.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
paint_over_navbar.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.PluginForm.FormToPyQtWidget
  • ida_kernwin.get_navband_pixel
  • ida_kernwin.open_navband_window
  • ida_segment.get_segm_qty
  • ida_segment.getnseg
  • idc.here

Save, and then restore, positions in a listing

Shows how it is possible re-implement IDA’s bookmark capability, using 2 custom actions: one action saves the current location, and the other restores it.

Note that, contrary to actual bookmarks, this example:

  • remembers only 1 saved position
  • doesn’t save that position in the IDB (and therefore cannot be restored if IDA is closed & reopened.)
Source codeKeywordsLevel
save_and_restore_listing_pos.pyactions listingIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_CUSTVIEW
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_DISASM
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_PSEUDOCODE
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_TILVIEW
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.custom_viewer_jump
  • ida_kernwin.find_widget
  • ida_kernwin.get_custom_viewer_location
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_kernwin.unregister_action
  • ida_moves.lochist_entry_t

Retrieve the selection from the “Strings” window

In IDA it’s possible to write actions that can be applied even to core (i.e., “standard”) widgets. The actions in this example use the action “context” to know what the current selection is.

This example shows how you can either retrieve string literals data directly from the chooser (ida_kernwin.get_chooser_data), or by querying the IDB (ida_bytes.get_strlit_contents)

Source codeKeywordsLevel
show_selected_strings.pyactions ctxmenuIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.get_strlit_contents
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_STRINGS
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_popup
  • ida_kernwin.find_widget
  • ida_kernwin.get_chooser_data
  • ida_kernwin.open_strings_window
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_kernwin.unregister_action
  • ida_strlist.get_strlist_item
  • ida_strlist.string_info_t

Follow the movements of one graph, in another

Since it is possible to be notified of movements that happen take place in a widget, it’s possible to “replay” those movements in another.

In this case, “IDA View-B” (will be opened if necessary) will show the same contents as “IDA View-A”, slightly zoomed out.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
sync_two_graphs.pygraph idaviewIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_graph.GLICTL_CENTER
  • ida_graph.viewer_fit_window
  • ida_graph.viewer_get_gli
  • ida_graph.viewer_set_gli
  • ida_kernwin.DP_RIGHT
  • ida_kernwin.IDAViewWrapper
  • ida_kernwin.MFF_FAST
  • ida_kernwin.TCCRT_GRAPH
  • ida_kernwin.execute_sync
  • ida_kernwin.find_widget
  • ida_kernwin.get_custom_viewer_place
  • ida_kernwin.jumpto
  • ida_kernwin.open_disasm_window
  • ida_kernwin.set_dock_pos
  • ida_kernwin.set_view_renderer_type
  • ida_moves.graph_location_info_t

Trigger actions programmatically

It’s possible to invoke any action programmatically, by using either of those two:

  • ida_kernwin.execute_ui_requests()
  • ida_kernwin.process_ui_action()

Ideally, this script should be run through the “File > Script file…” menu, so as to keep focus on “IDA View-A” and have the ‘ProcessUiActions’ part work as intended.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
trigger_actions_programmatically.pyactionsIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.ask_yn
  • ida_kernwin.execute_ui_requests
  • ida_kernwin.msg
  • ida_kernwin.process_ui_action

Advanced usage of the form API

How to query for complex user input, using IDA’s built-in forms.

Note: while this example produces full-fledged forms for complex input, simpler types of inputs might can be retrieved by using ida_kernwin.ask_str and similar functions.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
askusingform.pyformsAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.Choose
  • ida_kernwin.Choose.CH_MULTI
  • ida_kernwin.Form
  • ida_kernwin.PluginForm.FORM_TAB
  • ida_kernwin.ask_str

Restore custom widgets across sessions

This is an example demonstrating how one can create widgets from a plugin, and have them re-created automatically at IDA startup-time or at desktop load-time.

This example should be placed in the ‘plugins’ directory of the IDA installation, for it to work.

There are 2 ways to use this example:

  1. reloading an IDB, where the widget was opened
    • open the widget (‘View > Open subview > …’)
    • save this IDB, and close IDA
    • restart IDA with this IDB => the widget will be visible
  2. reloading a desktop, where the widget was opened
    • open the widget (‘View > Open subview > …’)
    • save the desktop (‘Windows > Save desktop…’) under, say, the name ‘with_auto’
    • start another IDA instance with some IDB, and load that desktop => the widget will be visible
Source codeKeywordsLevel
auto_instantiate_widget_plugin.pydesktop plugin UI_HooksAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_idaapi.plugin_t
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_ALWAYS
  • ida_kernwin.SETMENU_APP
  • ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_menu
  • ida_kernwin.find_widget
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_kernwin.simplecustviewer_t
  • ida_kernwin.simplecustviewer_t.Create

Showing tabular data in a flat, or tree-like fashion

By adding the necessary bits to a ida_kernwin.Choose subclass, IDA can show the otherwise tabular data, in a tree-like fashion.

The important bits to enable this are:

  • ida_dirtree.dirspec_t (and my_dirspec_t)
  • ida_kernwin.CH_HAS_DIRTREE
  • ida_kernwin.Choose.OnGetDirTree
  • ida_kernwin.Choose.OnIndexToInode
Source codeKeywordsLevel
chooser_with_folders.pyactions chooser foldersAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_dirtree.DTE_OK
  • ida_dirtree.direntry_t
  • ida_dirtree.direntry_t.BADIDX
  • ida_dirtree.dirspec_t
  • ida_dirtree.dirtree_t
  • ida_dirtree.dirtree_t.isdir
  • ida_kernwin.CH_CAN_DEL
  • ida_kernwin.CH_CAN_EDIT
  • ida_kernwin.CH_CAN_INS
  • ida_kernwin.CH_HAS_DIRTREE
  • ida_kernwin.CH_MULTI
  • ida_kernwin.Choose
  • ida_kernwin.Choose.ALL_CHANGED
  • ida_kernwin.Choose.CHCOL_DRAGHINT
  • ida_kernwin.Choose.CHCOL_INODENAME
  • ida_kernwin.Choose.CHCOL_PLAIN
  • ida_kernwin.ask_str
  • ida_netnode.BADNODE
  • ida_netnode.netnode

Colorize lines interactively

This builds upon the ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks.get_lines_rendering_info feature, to provide a quick & easy way to colorize disassembly lines.

Contrary to @colorize_disassembly, the coloring is not persisted in the database, and will therefore be lost after the session.

By triggering the action multiple times, the user can “carousel” across 4 predefined colors (and return to the “no color” state.)

Source codeKeywordsLevel
colorize_disassembly_on_the_fly.pycoloring UI_HooksAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA5
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA6
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA7
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA8
  • ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.get_current_viewer
  • ida_kernwin.get_custom_viewer_location
  • ida_kernwin.get_custom_viewer_place_xcoord
  • ida_kernwin.get_widget_title
  • ida_kernwin.line_rendering_output_entry_t
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_moves.lochist_entry_t

Add a custom command-line interpreter

Illustrates how one can add command-line interpreters to IDA

This custom interpreter doesn’t actually run any code; it’s there as a ‘getting started’. It provides an example tab completion support.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
custom_cli.pyAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_idaapi.NW_CLOSEIDB
  • ida_idaapi.NW_OPENIDB
  • ida_idaapi.NW_REMOVE
  • ida_idaapi.NW_TERMIDA
  • ida_idaapi.notify_when
  • ida_kernwin.cli_t

Draw custom graphs

Showing custom graphs, using ida_graph.GraphViewer. In addition, show how to write actions that can be performed on those.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
custom_graph_with_actions.pyactions graph View_HooksAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_funcs.get_func_name
  • ida_graph.GraphViewer
  • ida_graph.get_graph_viewer
  • ida_graph.screen_graph_selection_t
  • ida_graph.viewer_get_selection
  • ida_idp.is_call_insn
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_ALWAYS
  • ida_kernwin.View_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.attach_dynamic_action_to_popup
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_ua.decode_insn
  • ida_ua.insn_t
  • ida_xref.XREF_FAR
  • ida_xref.xrefblk_t

Retrieve & dump current selection

Shows how to retrieve the selection from a listing widget (“IDA View-A”, “Hex View-1”, “Pseudocode-A”, …) as two “cursors”, and from there retrieve (in fact, generate) the corresponding text.

After running this script:

  • select some text in one of the listing widgets (i.e., “IDA View-…”, “Local Types”, “Pseudocode-…”)
  • press Ctrl+Shift+S to dump the selection
Source codeKeywordsLevel
dump_selection.pyAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.ACF_HAS_SELECTION
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_DISASM
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_PSEUDOCODE
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_TILVIEW
  • ida_kernwin.IWID_ANY_LISTING
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.get_last_widget
  • ida_kernwin.get_viewer_user_data
  • ida_kernwin.l_compare2
  • ida_kernwin.linearray_t
  • ida_kernwin.read_selection
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_kernwin.twinpos_t
  • ida_kernwin.unregister_action
  • ida_lines.tag_remove

Inject commands in the “Output” window

This example illustrates how one can execute commands in the “Output” window, from their own widgets.

A few notes:

  • the original, underlying cli:Execute action, that has to be triggered for the code present in the input field to execute and be placed in the history, requires that the input field has focus (otherwise it simply won’t do anything.)
  • this, in turn, forces us to do “delayed” execution of that action, hence the need for a QTimer
  • the IDA/SWiG ‘TWidget’ type that we retrieve through ida_kernwin.find_widget, is not the same type as a QtWidgets.QWidget. We therefore need to convert it using ida_kernwin.PluginForm.TWidgetToPyQtWidget
Source codeKeywordsLevel
inject_command.pyAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.PluginForm.TWidgetToPyQtWidget
  • ida_kernwin.disabled_script_timeout_t
  • ida_kernwin.find_widget
  • ida_kernwin.process_ui_action

A lazy-loaded, tree-like data view

Brings lazy-loading of folders to the tree-like tabular views.

The important bit to enable this are:

  • ida_kernwin.Choose.OnLazyLoadDir
Source codeKeywordsLevel
lazy_loaded_chooser.pyactions chooser foldersAdvanced

Paint text on graph view edges

This sample registers an action enabling painting of a recognizable string of text over horizontal nodes edge sections beyond a satisfying size threshold.

In a disassembly view, open the context menu and select “Paint on edges”. This should work for both graph disassembly, and proximity browser.

Using an “event filter”, we will intercept paint events targeted at the disassembly view, let it paint itself, and then add our own markers along.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
paint_over_graph.pyctxmenu UI_HooksAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_gdl.edge_t
  • ida_graph.get_graph_viewer
  • ida_graph.get_viewer_graph
  • ida_graph.point_t
  • ida_graph.viewer_get_gli
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_DISASM
  • ida_kernwin.PluginForm.FormToPyQtWidget
  • ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_popup
  • ida_kernwin.get_widget_type
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_moves.graph_location_info_t

Programmatically manipulate disassembly and graph widgets

This is an example illustrating how to manipulate an existing IDA-provided view (and thus possibly its graph), in Python.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
wrap_idaview.pygraph idaviewAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_graph.NIF_BG_COLOR
  • ida_graph.NIF_FRAME_COLOR
  • ida_graph.node_info_t
  • ida_kernwin.IDAViewWrapper
  • ida_kernwin.MFF_FAST
  • ida_kernwin.TCCRT_FLAT
  • ida_kernwin.TCCRT_GRAPH
  • ida_kernwin.execute_sync

Dump function flowchart

Dumps the current function’s flowchart, using 2 methods:

  • the low-level ida_gdl.qflow_chart_t type
  • the somewhat higher-level, and slightly more pythonic ida_gdl.FlowChart type.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
dump_flowchart.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_gdl.FlowChart
  • ida_gdl.qflow_chart_t
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea

Insert information into listing prefixes

By default, disassembly line prefixes contain segment + address information (e.g., ‘.text:08047718’), but it is possible to “inject” other bits of information in there, thanks to the ida_lines.user_defined_prefix_t helper type.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
install_user_defined_prefix.pypluginBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_KEEP
  • ida_idaapi.plugin_t
  • ida_lines.SCOLOR_INV
  • ida_lines.user_defined_prefix_t

Enumerate file imports

Using the API to enumerate file imports.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_imports.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_nalt.enum_import_names
  • ida_nalt.get_import_module_name
  • ida_nalt.get_import_module_qty

Enumerate patched bytes

Using the API to iterate over all the places in the file, that were patched using IDA.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_patched_bytes.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.visit_patched_bytes
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR

Enumerate known problems

Using the API to list all problems that IDA encountered during analysis.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_problems.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_ida.inf_get_min_ea
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_problems.PR_ATTN
  • ida_problems.PR_BADSTACK
  • ida_problems.PR_COLLISION
  • ida_problems.PR_DECIMP
  • ida_problems.PR_DISASM
  • ida_problems.PR_FINAL
  • ida_problems.PR_HEAD
  • ida_problems.PR_ILLADDR
  • ida_problems.PR_JUMP
  • ida_problems.PR_MANYLINES
  • ida_problems.PR_NOBASE
  • ida_problems.PR_NOCMT
  • ida_problems.PR_NOFOP
  • ida_problems.PR_NONAME
  • ida_problems.PR_NOXREFS
  • ida_problems.PR_ROLLED
  • ida_problems.get_problem
  • ida_problems.get_problem_name

List segment functions (and cross-references to them)

List all the functions in the current segment, as well as all the cross-references to them.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_segment_functions.pyxrefsBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_funcs.get_func_name
  • ida_funcs.get_next_func
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_segment.getseg
  • ida_xref.xrefblk_t

List all functions (and cross-references) in segment

List all the functions in the current segment, as well as all the cross-references to them.

Contrary to @list_segment_functions, this uses the somewhat higher-level idautils module.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_segment_functions_using_idautils.pyxrefsBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func_name
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_segment.getseg
  • idautils.CodeRefsTo
  • idautils.Functions

Dump the strings that are present in the file

This uses idautils.Strings to iterate over the string literals that are present in the IDB. Contrary to @show_selected_strings, this will not require that the “Strings” window is opened & available.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_strings.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_nalt.STRTYPE_C
  • ida_nalt.STRTYPE_C_16
  • idautils.Strings

Produce disassembly listing for the entire file

Automate IDA to perform auto-analysis on a file and, once that is done, produce a .lst file with the disassembly.

Run like so:

  ida -A "-S...path/to/produce_lst_file.py" <binary-file>

where:

  • -A instructs IDA to run in non-interactive mode
  • -S holds a path to the script to run (note this is a single token; there is no space between ‘-S’ and its path.)
Source codeKeywordsLevel
produce_lst_file.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_auto.auto_wait
  • ida_fpro.qfile_t
  • ida_ida.inf_get_max_ea
  • ida_ida.inf_get_min_ea
  • ida_loader.OFILE_LST
  • ida_loader.PATH_TYPE_IDB
  • ida_loader.gen_file
  • ida_loader.get_path
  • ida_pro.qexit

Rewrite the representation of some instructions

Implements disassembly of BUG_INSTR used in Linux kernel BUG() macro, which is architecturally undefined and is not disassembled by IDA’s ARM module

See Linux/arch/arm/include/asm/bug.h for more info

Source codeKeywordsLevel
ana_emu_out.pyIDP_HooksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.get_wide_dword
  • ida_bytes.get_wide_word
  • ida_idp.CUSTOM_INSN_ITYPE
  • ida_idp.IDP_Hooks
  • ida_idp.PLFM_ARM
  • ida_idp.ph.id
  • ida_idp.str2reg
  • ida_segregs.get_sreg

Implement assembly of instructions

We add support for assembling the following pseudo instructions:

  • “zero eax” -> xor eax, eax
  • “nothing” -> nop
Source codeKeywordsLevel
assemble.pyIDP_HooksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_idp.IDP_Hooks
  • idautils.DecodeInstruction

Retrieve comments surrounding instructions

Use the ida_lines.get_extra_cmt API to retrieve anterior and posterior extra comments.

This script registers two actions, that can be used to dump the previous and next extra comments.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
dump_extra_comments.pyctxmenuIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_DISASM
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_popup
  • ida_kernwin.find_widget
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_kernwin.unregister_action
  • ida_lines.E_NEXT
  • ida_lines.E_PREV
  • ida_lines.get_extra_cmt
  • ida_view

Dump function information

Dump some of the most interesting bits of information about the function we are currently looking at.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
dump_func_info.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.FUNC_FRAME
  • ida_funcs.FUNC_LUMINA
  • ida_funcs.FUNC_OUTLINE
  • ida_funcs.FUNC_THUNK
  • ida_funcs.get_fchunk
  • ida_funcs.is_func_entry
  • ida_funcs.is_func_tail
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea

Using “ida_bytes.find_string”

IDAPython’s ida_bytes.find_string can be used to implement a simple replacement for the ‘Search > Sequence of bytes…’ dialog, that lets users search for sequences of bytes that compose string literals in the binary file (either in the default 1-byte-per-char encoding, or as UTF-16.)

Source codeKeywordsLevel
find_string.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.BIN_SEARCH_FORWARD
  • ida_bytes.BIN_SEARCH_NOBREAK
  • ida_bytes.BIN_SEARCH_NOSHOW
  • ida_bytes.find_string
  • ida_ida.inf_get_max_ea
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_DISASM
  • ida_kernwin.Form
  • ida_kernwin.Form.ChkGroupControl
  • ida_kernwin.Form.StringInput
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_kernwin.jumpto
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_nalt.BPU_1B
  • ida_nalt.BPU_2B
  • ida_nalt.get_default_encoding_idx

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we will create an IDB hook that intercepts ti_changed IDB events, and if it is a function prototype that changed, print it.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
func_ti_changed_listener.pyIDB_HooksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func_name
  • ida_idp.IDB_Hooks
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t

List listing bookmarks

This sample shows how to programmatically access the list of bookmarks placed in a listing widget (e.g., “IDA View-A”, “Pseudocode-”, …) using the low-level ida_moves.bookmarks_t type.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_bookmarks.pybookmarksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.get_current_viewer
  • ida_kernwin.get_viewer_user_data
  • ida_kernwin.get_widget_title
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_moves.bookmarks_t

Showcase (some of) the iterators available on a function

This demonstrates how to use some of the iterators available on the func_t type.

This example will focus on:

  • func_t[.__iter__]: the default iterator; iterates on instructions
  • func_t.data_items: iterate on data items contained within a function
  • func_t.head_items: iterate on ‘heads’ (i.e., addresses containing the start of an instruction, or a data item.
  • func_t.addresses: iterate on all addresses within function (code and data, beginning of an item or not)

Type help(ida_funcs.func_t) for a full list of iterators.

In addition, one can use:

  • func_tail_iterator_t: iterate on all the chunks (including the main one) of the function
  • func_parent_iterator_t: iterate on all the parent functions, that include this chunk
Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_function_items.pyfuncs iteratorIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.get_flags
  • ida_bytes.is_code
  • ida_bytes.is_data
  • ida_bytes.is_tail
  • ida_bytes.is_unknown
  • ida_funcs.func_tail_iterator_t
  • ida_funcs.get_fchunk
  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_funcs.get_func_name
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_ua.print_insn_mnem

React to database events/notifications

These hooks will be notified about IDB events, and dump their information to the “Output” window

Source codeKeywordsLevel
log_idb_events.pyIDB_HooksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_idp.IDB_Hooks

React to processor events/notifications

These hooks will be notified about IDP events, and dump their information to the “Output” window

Source codeKeywordsLevel
log_idp_events.pyIDP_HooksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_idp.IDP_Hooks

Record and replay changes in function prototypes

This is a sample script, that will record (in memory) all changes in functions prototypes, in order to re-apply them later.

To use this script:

  • open an IDB (say, “test.idb”)
  • modify some functions prototypes (e.g., by triggering the ‘Y’ shortcut when the cursor is placed on the first address of a function)
  • reload that IDB, without saving it first
  • call rpc.replay(), to re-apply the modifications.

Note: ‘ti_changed’ is also called for changes to the function frames, but we’ll only record function prototypes changes.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
replay_prototypes_changes.pyIDB_HooksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_idp.IDB_Hooks
  • ida_typeinf.PRTYPE_1LINE
  • ida_typeinf.TINFO_DEFINITE
  • ida_typeinf.apply_tinfo
  • ida_typeinf.get_idati
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t

Add a new member to an existing function frame

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we show a way to add a new frame member (a pointer to an uint64) inside a wide enough gap in the frame:

  • Get the function object surrounding cursor location.
  • Use this function to retrieve the corresponding frame object.
  • Find a wide enough gap to create our new member.
  • If found, we use cal_frame_offset() to get the actual offset in the frame structure.
  • Use the previous result to add the new member.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
add_frame_member.pyAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_frame.add_frame_member
  • ida_frame.calc_frame_offset
  • ida_frame.get_func_frame
  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_range.rangeset_t
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_UINT64
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • idc.here

Custom data types & printers

IDA can be extended to support certain data types that it does not know about out-of-the-box.

A ‘custom data type’ provide information about the type & size of a piece of data, while a ‘custom data format’ is in charge of formatting that data (there can be more than one format for a specific ‘custom data type’.)

Source codeKeywordsLevel
custom_data_types_and_formats.pyAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.data_format_t
  • ida_bytes.data_type_t
  • ida_bytes.find_custom_data_type
  • ida_bytes.get_byte
  • ida_bytes.register_data_types_and_formats
  • ida_bytes.unregister_data_types_and_formats
  • ida_idaapi.NW_CLOSEIDB
  • ida_idaapi.NW_OPENIDB
  • ida_idaapi.NW_REMOVE
  • ida_idaapi.NW_TERMIDA
  • ida_idaapi.notify_when
  • ida_idaapi.struct_unpack
  • ida_lines.COLSTR
  • ida_lines.SCOLOR_IMPNAME
  • ida_lines.SCOLOR_INSN
  • ida_lines.SCOLOR_NUMBER
  • ida_lines.SCOLOR_REG
  • ida_nalt.get_input_file_path
  • ida_netnode.netnode
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t

List operands representing a “path” to a (possibly nested) structure member

It is possible to assign, to instruction operands, the notion of “structure offset”, which really is a pointer to a specific offset in a type, leading to a possible N-deep path within types.

E.g., assuming the following types

    struct c
    {
        int foo;
        int bar;
        int baz;
        int quux;
        int trail;
    };

    struct b
    {
        int gap;
        c c_instance;
    };

    struct a
    {
        int count;
        b b_instance;
    };

and assuming an instruction that initially looks like this:

    mov eax, 10h

by pressing t, the user will be able set the “structure offset” to either:

  • c.trail
  • b.c_instance.quux
  • a.b_inscance.c_instance.baz

Here’s why IDA offers a.b_inscance.c_instance.baz:

    0000   struct a
           {
    0000       int count;
    0004       struct b
               {
    0004           int gap;
    0008           struct c
                   {
    0008               int foo;
    000C               int bar;
    0010               int baz;
    0014               int quux;
    0018               int trail;
                   };
               };
           };

This sample shows how to programmatically retrieve information about that “structure member path” that an operand was made pointing to.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_struct_accesses.pybookmarksAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.get_full_flags
  • ida_bytes.get_stroff_path
  • ida_bytes.is_stroff
  • ida_typeinf.get_tid_name
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_ua.decode_insn
  • ida_ua.insn_t
  • ida_ua.o_imm
  • ida_ua.o_void

Notify the user when an instruction operand changes

Show notifications whenever the user changes an instruction’s operand, or a data item.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
operand_changed.pyIDB_HooksAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.ALOPT_IGNCLT
  • ida_bytes.ALOPT_IGNHEADS
  • ida_bytes.get_flags
  • ida_bytes.get_max_strlit_length
  • ida_bytes.get_opinfo
  • ida_bytes.get_strlit_contents
  • ida_bytes.is_custfmt
  • ida_bytes.is_custom
  • ida_bytes.is_enum
  • ida_bytes.is_off
  • ida_bytes.is_strlit
  • ida_bytes.is_stroff
  • ida_bytes.is_struct
  • ida_idp.IDB_Hooks
  • ida_nalt.STRENC_DEFAULT
  • ida_nalt.get_default_encoding_idx
  • ida_nalt.get_encoding_name
  • ida_nalt.get_str_encoding_idx
  • ida_nalt.get_strtype_bpu
  • ida_nalt.opinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.get_tid_name
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t

Produce C listing for the entire file

Automate IDA to perform auto-analysis on a file and, once that is done, produce a .c file containing the decompilation of all the functions in that file.

Run like so:

  ida -A "-S...path/to/produce_c_file.py" <binary-file>

where:

  • -A instructs IDA to run in non-interactive mode
  • -S holds a path to the script to run (note this is a single token; there is no space between ‘-S’ and its path.)
Source codeKeywordsLevel
produce_c_file.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_auto.auto_wait
  • ida_hexrays.VDRUN_MAYSTOP
  • ida_hexrays.VDRUN_NEWFILE
  • ida_hexrays.VDRUN_SILENT
  • ida_hexrays.decompile_many
  • ida_loader.PATH_TYPE_IDB
  • ida_loader.get_path
  • ida_pro.qexit

Decompile & print current function

Decompile the function under the cursor

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds1.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_hexrays.decompile
  • ida_hexrays.get_hexrays_version
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_lines.tag_remove

Generate microcode for the selected range of instructions

Generates microcode for selection and dumps it to the output window.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds13.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.get_flags
  • ida_bytes.is_code
  • ida_hexrays.DECOMP_WARNINGS
  • ida_hexrays.gen_microcode
  • ida_hexrays.hexrays_failure_t
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_hexrays.mba_ranges_t
  • ida_hexrays.vd_printer_t
  • ida_kernwin.read_range_selection
  • ida_kernwin.warning
  • ida_range.range_t

Dump statement blocks

Using a ida_hexrays.ctree_visitor_t, search for ida_hexrays.cit_block instances and dump them.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds7.pyHexrays_HooksBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_hexrays.CMAT_BUILT
  • ida_hexrays.CV_FAST
  • ida_hexrays.Hexrays_Hooks
  • ida_hexrays.cit_block
  • ida_hexrays.ctree_visitor_t
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin

Provide custom decompiler hints

Handle ida_hexrays.hxe_create_hint notification using hooks, to return our own.

If the object under the cursor is:

  • a function call, prefix the original decompiler hint with ==>
  • a local variable declaration, replace the hint with our own in the form of !{varname} (where {varname} is replaced with the variable name)
  • an if statement, replace the hint with our own, saying “condition”
Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds_create_hint.pyHexrays_HooksBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_hexrays.Hexrays_Hooks
  • ida_hexrays.USE_MOUSE
  • ida_hexrays.VDI_EXPR
  • ida_hexrays.VDI_LVAR
  • ida_hexrays.cit_if
  • ida_hexrays.cot_call

Interactively color decompilation lines

Provides an action that can be used to dynamically alter the lines background rendering for pseudocode listings (as opposed to using ida_hexrays.cfunc_t.pseudocode[N].bgcolor)

After running this script, pressing ‘M’ on a line in a “Pseudocode-?” widget, will cause that line to be rendered with a special background color.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
colorize_pseudocode_lines.pycolors UI_HooksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_hexrays.get_widget_vdui
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_PSEUDOCODE
  • ida_kernwin.CK_EXTRA11
  • ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.get_custom_viewer_location
  • ida_kernwin.line_rendering_output_entry_t
  • ida_kernwin.refresh_custom_viewer
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_moves.lochist_entry_t

Decompile entrypoint automatically

Attempts to load a decompiler plugin corresponding to the current architecture right after auto-analysis is performed, and then tries to decompile the function at the first entrypoint.

It is particularly suited for use with the ‘-S’ flag, for example: idat -Ldecompile.log -Sdecompile_entry_points.py -c file

Source codeKeywordsLevel
decompile_entry_points.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_auto.auto_wait
  • ida_entry.get_entry
  • ida_entry.get_entry_ordinal
  • ida_entry.get_entry_qty
  • ida_hexrays.decompile
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_idp.PLFM_386
  • ida_idp.PLFM_ARM
  • ida_idp.PLFM_MIPS
  • ida_idp.PLFM_PPC
  • ida_idp.PLFM_RISCV
  • ida_idp.ph.id
  • ida_kernwin.cvar.batch
  • ida_kernwin.msg
  • ida_loader.load_plugin
  • ida_pro.qexit
  • idc.get_idb_path

Add custom microcode instruction optimization rule

Installs a custom microcode instruction optimization rule, to transform:

call   !DbgRaiseAssertionFailure <fast:>.0

into

call   !DbgRaiseAssertionFailure <fast:"char *" "assertion text">.0

To see this plugin in action please use arm64_brk.i64

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds10.pypluginIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.get_cmt
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_hexrays.mop_str
  • ida_hexrays.optinsn_t
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_HIDE
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_KEEP
  • ida_idaapi.plugin_t
  • ida_typeinf.STI_PCCHAR
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t.get_stock

Dynamically provide a custom call type

This plugin can greatly improve decompilation of indirect calls:

call    [eax+4]

For them, the decompiler has to guess the prototype of the called function. This has to be done at a very early phase of decompilation because the function prototype influences the data flow analysis. On the other hand, we do not have global data flow analysis results yet because we haven’t analyzed all calls in the function. It is a chicked-and-egg problem.

The decompiler uses various techniques to guess the called function prototype. While it works very well, it may fail in some cases.

To fix, the user can specify the call prototype manually, using “Edit, Operand types, Set operand type” at the call instruction.

This plugin illustrates another approach to the problem: if you happen to be able to calculate the call prototypes dynamically, this is how to inform the decompiler about them.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds21.pyHexrays_Hooks pluginIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_hexrays.Hexrays_Hooks
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_hexrays.m_call
  • ida_hexrays.mcallinfo_t
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_HIDE
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_KEEP
  • ida_idaapi.plugin_t
  • ida_kernwin.msg
  • ida_kernwin.warning
  • ida_nalt.get_op_tinfo
  • ida_typeinf.BT_INT
  • ida_typeinf.CM_CC_STDCALL
  • ida_typeinf.CM_N32_F48
  • ida_typeinf.parse_decl
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t

Dump user-defined information for a function

Prints user-defined information to the “Output” window. Namely:

  • user defined label names
  • user defined indented comments
  • user defined number formats
  • user defined local variable names, types, comments

This script loads information from the database without decompiling anything.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds4.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.get_radix
  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_hexrays.CIT_COLLAPSED
  • ida_hexrays.NF_NEGATE
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_hexrays.lvar_uservec_t
  • ida_hexrays.restore_user_cmts
  • ida_hexrays.restore_user_iflags
  • ida_hexrays.restore_user_labels
  • ida_hexrays.restore_user_lvar_settings
  • ida_hexrays.restore_user_numforms
  • ida_hexrays.user_cmts_free
  • ida_hexrays.user_iflags_free
  • ida_hexrays.user_labels_free
  • ida_hexrays.user_numforms_free
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea

Superficially modify the decompilation output

Modifies the decompilation output in a superficial manner, by removing some white spaces

Note: this is rather crude, not quite “pythonic” code.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds6.pyHexrays_Hooks pluginIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_hexrays.Hexrays_Hooks
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_HIDE
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_KEEP
  • ida_idaapi.plugin_t
  • ida_lines.tag_advance
  • ida_lines.tag_skipcodes

Improve decompilation by turning specific patterns into custom function calls

Registers an action that uses a ida_hexrays.udc_filter_t to decompile svc 0x900001 and svc 0x9000F8 as function calls to svc_exit() and svc_exit_group() respectively.

You will need to have an ARM + Linux IDB for this script to be usable

In addition to having a shortcut, the action will be present in the context menu.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds8.pyctxmenu UI_HooksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_allins.ARM_svc
  • ida_hexrays.get_widget_vdui
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_hexrays.install_microcode_filter
  • ida_hexrays.udc_filter_t
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_PSEUDOCODE
  • ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_popup
  • ida_kernwin.get_widget_type
  • ida_kernwin.register_action

React to decompiler events/notifications

Shows how to hook to many notifications sent by the decompiler.

This plugin doesn’t really accomplish anything: it just prints the parameters.

The list of notifications handled below should be exhaustive, and is there to hint at what is possible to accomplish by subclassing ida_hexrays.Hexrays_Hooks

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds_hooks.pyHexrays_HooksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_hexrays.Hexrays_Hooks
  • ida_hexrays.cfunc_t
  • ida_hexrays.lvar_t
  • ida_hexrays.vdui_t

Modifying function local variables

Use a ida_hexrays.user_lvar_modifier_t to modify names, comments and/or types of local variables.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds_modify_user_lvars.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_hexrays.modify_user_lvars
  • ida_hexrays.user_lvar_modifier_t
  • ida_typeinf.parse_decl
  • idc.here

Shows how user input information can be retrieved during processing of a notification triggered by that input

Source codeKeywordsLevel
curpos_details.pyHexrays_HooksAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_hexrays.Hexrays_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.get_user_input_event
  • ida_kernwin.iek_key_press
  • ida_kernwin.iek_key_release
  • ida_kernwin.iek_mouse_button_press
  • ida_kernwin.iek_mouse_button_release
  • ida_kernwin.iek_mouse_wheel
  • ida_kernwin.iek_shortcut
  • ida_kernwin.input_event_t

Add a custom microcode block optimization rule

Installs a custom microcode block optimization rule, to transform:

  goto L1
  ...
L1:
  goto L2

into

  goto L2

In other words we fix a goto target if it points to a chain of gotos. This improves the decompiler output in some cases.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds11.pypluginAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_hexrays.getf_reginsn
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_hexrays.m_goto
  • ida_hexrays.optblock_t
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_HIDE
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_KEEP
  • ida_idaapi.plugin_t

List instruction registers

Shows a list of direct references to a register from the current instruction.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds12.pyAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.get_flags
  • ida_bytes.is_code
  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_hexrays.ACFL_GUESS
  • ida_hexrays.DECOMP_NO_CACHE
  • ida_hexrays.DECOMP_WARNINGS
  • ida_hexrays.GCO_DEF
  • ida_hexrays.GCO_USE
  • ida_hexrays.GC_REGS_AND_STKVARS
  • ida_hexrays.MERR_OK
  • ida_hexrays.MMAT_PREOPTIMIZED
  • ida_hexrays.MUST_ACCESS
  • ida_hexrays.gco_info_t
  • ida_hexrays.gen_microcode
  • ida_hexrays.get_current_operand
  • ida_hexrays.get_merror_desc
  • ida_hexrays.hexrays_failure_t
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_hexrays.mba_ranges_t
  • ida_hexrays.mlist_t
  • ida_hexrays.op_parent_info_t
  • ida_hexrays.voff_t
  • ida_kernwin.Choose
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_kernwin.jumpto
  • ida_kernwin.warning
  • ida_lines.GENDSM_REMOVE_TAGS
  • ida_lines.generate_disasm_line
  • ida_pro.eavec_t

Invoke the structure offset-choosing dialog from decompilation

Registers an action opens the “Select offsets” widget (select_udt_by_offset() call).

This effectively repeats the functionality already available through Alt+Y.

Place cursor on the union field and press Shift+T

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds17.pypluginAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_hexrays.USE_KEYBOARD
  • ida_hexrays.cot_add
  • ida_hexrays.cot_cast
  • ida_hexrays.cot_memptr
  • ida_hexrays.cot_memref
  • ida_hexrays.cot_num
  • ida_hexrays.cot_ref
  • ida_hexrays.get_hexrays_version
  • ida_hexrays.get_widget_vdui
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_hexrays.select_udt_by_offset
  • ida_hexrays.ui_stroff_applicator_t
  • ida_hexrays.ui_stroff_ops_t
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_HIDE
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_KEEP
  • ida_idaapi.plugin_t
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_PSEUDOCODE
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.get_custom_viewer_curline
  • ida_kernwin.msg
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_kernwin.warning
  • ida_lines.tag_remove
  • ida_typeinf.PRTYPE_1LINE
  • ida_typeinf.print_tinfo
  • ida_typeinf.remove_pointer

Add a custom microcode instruction optimization rule

Installs a custom microcode instruction optimization rule, to transform:

x | ~x

into

-1

To see this plugin in action please use be_ornot_be.idb

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds19.pypluginAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_hexrays.m_bnot
  • ida_hexrays.m_mov
  • ida_hexrays.m_or
  • ida_hexrays.minsn_visitor_t
  • ida_hexrays.mop_t
  • ida_hexrays.optinsn_t
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_HIDE
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_KEEP
  • ida_idaapi.plugin_t

Invert if/else blocks in decompilation

Registers an action that can be used to invert the if and else blocks of a ida_hexrays.cif_t.

For example, a statement like

if ( cond )
{
  statements1;
}
else
{
  statements2;
}

will be displayed as

if ( !cond )
{
  statements2;
}
else
{
  statements1;
}

The modifications are persistent: the user can quit & restart IDA, and the changes will be present.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds3.pyctxmenu Hexrays_Hooks IDP_Hooks pluginAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_hexrays.CMAT_FINAL
  • ida_hexrays.CV_FAST
  • ida_hexrays.CV_INSNS
  • ida_hexrays.Hexrays_Hooks
  • ida_hexrays.ITP_ELSE
  • ida_hexrays.USE_KEYBOARD
  • ida_hexrays.VDI_TAIL
  • ida_hexrays.cexpr_t
  • ida_hexrays.cit_if
  • ida_hexrays.ctree_visitor_t
  • ida_hexrays.get_widget_vdui
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_hexrays.lnot
  • ida_hexrays.qswap
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_HIDE
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_KEEP
  • ida_idaapi.plugin_t
  • ida_idp.IDP_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_PSEUDOCODE
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_popup
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_netnode.netnode

Dump C-tree graph

Registers an action that can be used to show the graph of the ctree. The current item will be highlighted in the graph.

The command shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+G, and is also added to the context menu.

To display the graph, we produce a .gdl file, and request that ida displays that using ida_gdl.display_gdl.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds5.pyctxmenu Hexrays_Hooks pluginAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_gdl.display_gdl
  • ida_hexrays.Hexrays_Hooks
  • ida_hexrays.USE_KEYBOARD
  • ida_hexrays.cit_asm
  • ida_hexrays.cit_goto
  • ida_hexrays.cot_helper
  • ida_hexrays.cot_memptr
  • ida_hexrays.cot_memref
  • ida_hexrays.cot_num
  • ida_hexrays.cot_obj
  • ida_hexrays.cot_ptr
  • ida_hexrays.cot_str
  • ida_hexrays.cot_var
  • ida_hexrays.ctree_parentee_t
  • ida_hexrays.get_ctype_name
  • ida_hexrays.get_widget_vdui
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_HIDE
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_KEEP
  • ida_idaapi.plugin_t
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_PSEUDOCODE
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_popup
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_kernwin.warning
  • ida_lines.tag_remove
  • ida_pro.str2user

Show decompiler cross-references

Show decompiler-style Xref when the Ctrl+X key is pressed in the Decompiler window.

  • supports any global name: functions, strings, integers, …
  • supports structure member.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
vds_xrefs.pyctxmenu Hexrays_HooksAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func_name
  • ida_hexrays.DECOMP_GXREFS_FORCE
  • ida_hexrays.Hexrays_Hooks
  • ida_hexrays.USE_KEYBOARD
  • ida_hexrays.VDI_EXPR
  • ida_hexrays.VDI_FUNC
  • ida_hexrays.cexpr_t
  • ida_hexrays.cfunc_t
  • ida_hexrays.cinsn_t
  • ida_hexrays.decompile
  • ida_hexrays.get_widget_vdui
  • ida_hexrays.init_hexrays_plugin
  • ida_hexrays.open_pseudocode
  • ida_hexrays.qstring_printer_t
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_PSEUDOCODE
  • ida_kernwin.PluginForm
  • ida_kernwin.PluginForm.Show
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_popup
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_typeinf.PRTYPE_1LINE
  • ida_typeinf.STRMEM_OFFSET
  • ida_typeinf.print_tinfo
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.udm_t
  • idautils.Functions
  • idautils.XrefsTo

Iterate over the list of threads in the program being debugged, and dump all registers contents

To use this example:

  • run ida64 on test program simple_appcall_linux64, or ida on test program simple_appcall_linux32, and wait for auto-analysis to finish
  • put a breakpoint somewhere in the code
  • select the ‘linux debugger’ (either local, or remote)
  • start debugging
  • Press Alt+Shift+C at the breakpoint
Source codeKeywordsLevel
print_registers.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_dbg.get_reg_vals
  • ida_dbg.get_thread_qty
  • ida_dbg.getn_thread
  • ida_idd.get_dbg
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_ALWAYS
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.register_action

Dump symbols from a process being debugged

Queries the debugger (possibly remotely) for the list of symbols that the process being debugged, provides.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
show_debug_names.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_dbg.DSTATE_SUSP
  • ida_dbg.get_process_state
  • ida_dbg.is_debugger_on
  • ida_ida.inf_get_max_ea
  • ida_ida.inf_get_min_ea
  • ida_name.get_debug_names

Print the return addresses from the call stack at a breakpoint, when debugging a Linux binary. (and also print the module and the debug name from debugger)

To use this example:

  • run ida on test program simple_appcall_linux64, or ida on test program simple_appcall_linux32, and wait for auto-analysis to finish
  • put a breakpoint where you want to see the call stack
  • select the ‘linux debugger’ (either local, or remote)
  • start debugging
  • Press Shift+C at the breakpoint
Source codeKeywordsLevel
print_call_stack.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_dbg.collect_stack_trace
  • ida_dbg.get_current_thread
  • ida_dbg.get_module_info
  • ida_idd.call_stack_t
  • ida_idd.modinfo_t
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_ALWAYS
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_name.GNCN_NOCOLOR
  • ida_name.GNCN_NOLABEL
  • ida_name.GNCN_NOSEG
  • ida_name.GNCN_PREFDBG
  • ida_name.get_nice_colored_name

Add a custom action to the “registers” widget

It’s possible to add actions to the context menu of pretty much all widgets in IDA.

This example shows how to do just that for registers-displaying widgets (e.g., “General registers”)

Source codeKeywordsLevel
registers_context_menu.pyctxmenu UI_HooksIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_dbg.get_dbg_reg_info
  • ida_dbg.get_reg_val
  • ida_idd.register_info_t
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_CPUREGS
  • ida_kernwin.UI_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.attach_action_to_popup
  • ida_kernwin.get_widget_type
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_ua.dt_byte
  • ida_ua.dt_dword
  • ida_ua.dt_qword
  • ida_ua.dt_word

Programmatically drive a debugging session

Start a debugging session, step through the first five instructions. Each instruction is disassembled after execution.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
automatic_steps.pyDBG_HooksAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_dbg.DBG_Hooks
  • ida_dbg.get_reg_val
  • ida_dbg.request_exit_process
  • ida_dbg.request_run_to
  • ida_dbg.request_step_over
  • ida_dbg.run_requests
  • ida_ida.inf_get_start_ip
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_lines.generate_disasm_line
  • ida_lines.tag_remove

React to trace notifications

This script demonstrates using the low-level tracing hook (ida_dbg.DBG_Hooks.dbg_trace). It can be run like so:

 ida.exe -B -Sdbg_trace.py -Ltrace.log file.exe
Source codeKeywordsLevel
dbg_trace.pyDBG_HooksAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • GENDSM_FORCE_CODE
  • GENDSM_REMOVE_TAGS
  • NN_call
  • NN_callfi
  • NN_callni
  • generate_disasm_line
  • ida_dbg.DBG_Hooks
  • ida_dbg.ST_OVER_DEBUG_SEG
  • ida_dbg.ST_OVER_LIB_FUNC
  • ida_dbg.enable_step_trace
  • ida_dbg.get_process_state
  • ida_dbg.get_reg_val
  • ida_dbg.get_step_trace_options
  • ida_dbg.load_debugger
  • ida_dbg.refresh_debugger_memory
  • ida_dbg.request_continue_process
  • ida_dbg.request_enable_step_trace
  • ida_dbg.request_set_step_trace_options
  • ida_dbg.run_requests
  • ida_dbg.run_to
  • ida_dbg.set_step_trace_options
  • ida_dbg.wait_for_next_event
  • ida_ida.f_ELF
  • ida_ida.f_MACHO
  • ida_ida.f_PE
  • ida_ida.inf_get_filetype
  • ida_ida.inf_get_max_ea
  • ida_ida.inf_get_min_ea
  • ida_ida.inf_get_start_ip
  • ida_pro.qexit
  • ida_ua.decode_insn
  • ida_ua.insn_t
  • idc.ARGV

Execute code into the application being debugged (on Linux)

Using the ida_idd.Appcall utility to execute code in the process being debugged.

This example will run the test program and stop wherever the cursor currently is, and then perform an appcall to execute the ref4 and ref8 functions.

To use this example:

  • run ida64 on test program simple_appcall_linux64, or ida on test program simple_appcall_linux32, and wait for auto-analysis to finish
  • select the ‘linux debugger’ (either local, or remote)
  • run this script

Note: the real body of code is in simple_appcall_common.py.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
simple_appcall_linux.pyAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_dbg.DBG_Hooks
  • ida_dbg.run_to
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_idd.Appcall
  • ida_idd.Appcall.byref
  • ida_idd.Appcall.int64
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_name.get_name_ea
  • ida_name.set_name
  • ida_typeinf.apply_cdecl

Execute code into the application being debugged (on Windows)

Using the ida_idd.Appcall utility to execute code in the process being debugged.

This example will run the test program and stop wherever the cursor currently is, and then perform an appcall to execute the ref4 and ref8 functions.

To use this example:

  • run ida on test program simple_appcall_win64.exe, or ida on test program simple_appcall_win32.exe, and wait for auto-analysis to finish
  • select the ‘windows debugger’ (either local, or remote)
  • run this script

Note: the real body of code is in simple_appcall_common.py.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
simple_appcall_win.pyAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_dbg.DBG_Hooks
  • ida_dbg.run_to
  • ida_ida.inf_is_64bit
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_idd.Appcall
  • ida_idd.Appcall.byref
  • ida_idd.Appcall.int64
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_name.get_name_ea
  • ida_name.set_name
  • ida_typeinf.apply_cdecl

Create a structure by parsing its definition

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we create a structure using the “parsing” method.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
create_struct_by_parsing.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t

Delete structure members that fall within an offset range

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we first create a structure with many members, and then remove all those that fall within a range.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
del_struct_members.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_typeinf.STRMEM_OFFSET
  • ida_typeinf.TERR_OK
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.udm_t

In this example, we will first ask the user to provide the name of an enumeration, and then iterate on it

Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_enum_member.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.ask_str

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we retrieve the function frame structure, and iterate on the frame members.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_frame_info.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea

List database functions prototypes

This script demonstrates how to list a function return type along with its parameters types and name if any. We do this for all the functions found in the database.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_func_details.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • idautils.Functions

List structure members

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we:

  • Ask the user for a structure name. It must already be present in the local types.
  • Retrieve the structure type info from the local type
  • Extract its type details (udt)
  • Iterates it members and prints their names.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_struct_member.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.ask_str
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_STRUCT
  • ida_typeinf.get_idati
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.udt_type_data_t

List cross-references to a structure

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we:

  • Ask the user for a structure name. It must already be present in the local types.
  • Get its tid
  • Create the list of all the reference.
  • Print it
Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_struct_xrefs.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.choose_struct
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_xref.xrefblk_t

List union members

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we:

  • Ask the user for a union name. It must already be present in the local types.
  • Retrieve the union type info from the local type
  • Extract its type details (udt)
  • Iterates it members and prints their names.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_union_member.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.ask_str
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_UNION
  • ida_typeinf.get_idati
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.udt_type_data_t

Mark a register “spoiled” by a function

At least two possibilies are offered in order to indicate that a function spoils registers (excluding the “normal” ones):

You can either parse & apply a declaration:

  func_tfinfo = ida_typeinf.tinfo_t("int _spoils<rsi> main();")
  ida_typeinf.apply_tinfo(func.start_ea, func_tinfo, ida_typeinf.TINFO_DEFINITE)

or retrieve & modify the tinfo_t object directly.

This script showcases the latter.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
mark_func_spoiled.pyBeginner

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_idp.parse_reg_name
  • ida_idp.reg_info_t
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_nalt.get_tinfo
  • ida_typeinf.FTI_SPOILED
  • ida_typeinf.TINFO_DEFINITE
  • ida_typeinf.apply_tinfo
  • ida_typeinf.func_type_data_t
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t

Apply function prototype to call sites

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we:

  • Open the private type libary.
  • Load its declaration in the type library by parsing its declaration and keep the return tuple for future use.
  • Deserialize the type info stored in the returned tuple.
  • Get the address of the function.
  • Get the address of the code reference to the function and apply the type info there.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
apply_callee_tinfo.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_name.get_name_ea
  • ida_typeinf.PT_REPLACE
  • ida_typeinf.apply_callee_tinfo
  • ida_typeinf.get_idati
  • ida_typeinf.idc_parse_decl
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • idautils.CodeRefsTo

Create an array type

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we create an array using both versions of create_array tinfo_t method.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
create_array.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_typeinf.BTF_INT
  • ida_typeinf.array_type_data_t
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t

Create a structure with bitfield members

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we:

  • Create a bitfield structure. In the present case the bitfield is an int32 made of three ‘members’ spanning it entirely: bit0->bit19: bf1 bit20->bit25: bf2 bit26->bit31: bf3
  • For each member create a repeatable comment.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
create_bfstruct.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.udm_t
  • ida_typeinf.udt_type_data_t

Create a bitmask enumeration

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we create a bitmask enumeration member by member.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
create_bmenum.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_typeinf.BTE_BITMASK
  • ida_typeinf.BTE_HEX
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t

Create a type library file

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script:

  • We create a new libssh2-64.til file holding some libssh2 64-bit structures.
  • Once the file has been created, it can copied in the IDA install til directory or in the user IDA til directory.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
create_libssh2_til.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_typeinf.HTI_DCL
  • ida_typeinf.HTI_PAKDEF
  • ida_typeinf.compact_til
  • ida_typeinf.free_til
  • ida_typeinf.new_til
  • ida_typeinf.parse_decls
  • ida_typeinf.store_til

Create a structure programmatically

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we create a structure by building it member by member.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
create_struct_by_member.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_typeinf.BTF_UINT32
  • ida_typeinf.NTF_TYPE
  • ida_typeinf.del_named_type
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_errstr
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.udt_type_data_t

Create & populate a structure

Usage of the API to create & populate a structure with members of different types.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
create_structure_programmatically.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_typeinf.BTF_BYTE
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_DOUBLE
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_FLOAT
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_INT
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_INT128
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_INT16
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_INT64
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_TBYTE
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_UINT32
  • ida_typeinf.FRB_NUMO
  • ida_typeinf.NTF_TYPE
  • ida_typeinf.PRTYPE_DEF
  • ida_typeinf.PRTYPE_MULTI
  • ida_typeinf.PRTYPE_TYPE
  • ida_typeinf.del_named_type
  • ida_typeinf.idc_parse_types
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_errstr
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.udm_t
  • ida_typeinf.udt_type_data_t
  • ida_typeinf.value_repr_t

Create a union

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we create a union by building it member after member.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
create_union_by_member.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_typeinf.BTF_CHAR
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_FLOAT
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_INT32
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_UNION
  • ida_typeinf.NTF_TYPE
  • ida_typeinf.PRTYPE_DEF
  • ida_typeinf.PRTYPE_MULTI
  • ida_typeinf.PRTYPE_TYPE
  • ida_typeinf.del_named_type
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.udm_t
  • ida_typeinf.udt_type_data_t

Create a segment, and define (complex) data in it

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we show how to create, set type and name of a user shared data region in an ntdll IDB:

  • Load the _KUSER_SHARED_DATA data type from a type info library shipped with IDA, and import it into the IDB’s “local types”
  • Create a data segment with UserSharedData as its name.
  • Apply the type to the start of the newly created segment base address.
  • Set the address name.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
create_user_shared_data.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_name.set_name
  • ida_segment.add_segm_ex
  • ida_segment.saRelPara
  • ida_segment.scPub
  • ida_segment.segment_t
  • ida_segment.setup_selector
  • ida_typeinf.TINFO_DEFINITE
  • ida_typeinf.apply_tinfo
  • ida_typeinf.free_til
  • ida_typeinf.load_til

Utilities to detect structure gaps & alignment

The goal of this script is to illustrate ways to detect gaps & alignments in structures, from a structure name & (byte) offset.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
gap_size_align_snippet.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_range.rangeset_t

Get member by offset, taking into account variable sized structures

The goal of this script is to provide a way to figure out what structure member, is most likely referenced by an offset.

This also works for variable sized types.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
get_best_fit_member.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.udt_type_data_t

Get information about the “innermost” member of a structure

Assuming the 2 following types:

    struct b
    {
        int low;
        int high;
    };

    struct a
    {
        int foo;
        b b_instance;
        int bar;
    };

looking at an offset of 5 bytes inside an a instance, might be interpreted as pointing somewhere inside member b_instance, of type b. Alternatively, that same offset might be intprereted as pointing somewhere inside low, of type int.

We refer to that latter interpretation as “innermost”, and this sample shows how the API lets us “drill down” to retrieve that innermost member.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
get_innermost_member.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_typeinf.get_idati
  • ida_typeinf.parse_decls

Load a type library from a file, and then a type from it

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we:

  • ask the user for a specific til to be lodaed
  • if successfully loaded ask the user for a type name to be imported.
  • append the type to the local types.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
import_type_from_til.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_kernwin.ask_str
  • ida_typeinf.load_til

Inject a member in the middle of a structure

This sample will retrieve the type info object by its name, find the member at the specified offset, and insert a new member right before it

Source codeKeywordsLevel
insert_struct_member.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_typeinf.TERR_OK
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t

List all xrefs to a function stack variable

Contrary to (in-memory) data & code xrefs, retrieving stack variables xrefs requires a bit more work than just using ida_xref’s first_to(), next_to() (or higher level utilities such as idautils.XrefsTo)

Source codeKeywordsLevel
list_stkvar_xrefs.pyxrefsIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.get_flags
  • ida_bytes.is_stkvar
  • ida_frame.calc_stkvar_struc_offset
  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_ida.UA_MAXOP
  • ida_kernwin.AST_DISABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_FOR_WIDGET
  • ida_kernwin.BWN_DISASM
  • ida_kernwin.action_desc_t
  • ida_kernwin.action_handler_t
  • ida_kernwin.get_current_viewer
  • ida_kernwin.get_highlight
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_kernwin.register_action
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_ua.decode_insn
  • ida_ua.insn_t

List cross-references to function stack frame variables

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we demonstrate how to list each stack variables xref:

  • Get the function object surrounding cursor location.
  • Use this function to retrieve the corresponding frame object.
  • For each frame element:
    • Build the stack variable xref list
    • Print it.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
print_stkvar_xrefs.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_frame.build_stkvar_xrefs
  • ida_frame.get_func_frame
  • ida_frame.xreflist_t
  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.udt_type_data_t
  • ida_xref.dr_R
  • ida_xref.dr_W

Assign DOS/PE headers structures to a PE binary

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API.

In this script, we:

  • load a PE64 file in binary mode
  • import some types from the mssdk64 til
  • apply these types at the correct ofsset in the DB
  • finally, rebase the program based on the information stored in the ImageBase field of the IMAGE_OPTIONAL_HEADER64.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
setpehdr.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.create_struct
  • ida_bytes.get_dword
  • ida_bytes.get_qword
  • ida_bytes.get_word
  • ida_hexrays.get_type
  • ida_name.set_name
  • ida_netnode.BADNODE
  • ida_segment.MSF_FIXONCE
  • ida_segment.rebase_program
  • ida_typeinf.ADDTIL_DEFAULT
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_STRUCT
  • ida_typeinf.add_til
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.udt_type_data_t
  • idc.import_type

Recursively visit a type and its members

In this script, we show an example of tinfo_visitor_t to list a user define type members, recursively.

This scripts skips array & pointer members (by calling tinfo_visitor_t.prune_now())

Source codeKeywordsLevel
visit_tinfo.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_netnode.BADNODE
  • ida_typeinf.ADDTIL_DEFAULT
  • ida_typeinf.TVST_DEF
  • ida_typeinf.add_til
  • ida_typeinf.array_type_data_t
  • ida_typeinf.get_idati
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_visitor_t
  • idc.import_type

Change the name of an existing stack variable

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we demonstrate a way to change the name of a stack variable:

  • Get the function object surrounding cursor location.
  • Use this function to retrieve the corresponding frame object.
  • Find the frame member matching the given name.
  • Using its offset in the frame structure object, calculate the actual stack delta.
  • Use the previous result to redefine the stack variable name if it is not a special or argument member.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
change_stkvar_name.pyAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_frame.define_stkvar
  • ida_frame.get_func_frame
  • ida_frame.is_funcarg_off
  • ida_frame.is_special_frame_member
  • ida_frame.soff_to_fpoff
  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.udm_t
  • idc.here

Change the type & name of a function stack frame variable

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API.

In this script, we show a way to change the type and the name of a stack variable. In this case we will take advantage of the fact that RtlImageNtHeader calls RtlImageNtHeaderEx which takes a pointer to PIMAGE_NT_HEADERS as its fourth parameter and, for this, uses a stack variable of its caller.

  • Get the function object for RtlImageNtHeader.
  • Iterate through the function item to localize the load of the stack variable address before the call to RtlImageNtHeaderEx. We keep this information.
  • Localize the call and take advantage of the previoulsy stored instruction to get the stack variable index in the frame.
  • Set the type and rename the stack variable.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
change_stkvar_type.pyAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_allins.NN_call
  • ida_allins.NN_lea
  • ida_frame.get_func_frame
  • ida_funcs.func_item_iterator_t
  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_funcs.get_func_name
  • ida_ida.inf_get_procname
  • ida_ida.inf_is_64bit
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_name.get_name_ea
  • ida_typeinf.BTF_STRUCT
  • ida_typeinf.TERR_OK
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_ua.decode_insn
  • ida_ua.insn_t
  • ida_ua.o_reg
  • idautils.procregs.r9.reg

Turn instruction operand into a structure offset

The goal of this script is to demonstrate some usage of the type API. In this script, we:

  • ask the user to choose the structure that will be used for the conversion.
  • build the structure path and call ida_bytes.op_stroff. In case an enum is found a modal chooser is displayed in order to select a member.
Source codeKeywordsLevel
operand_to_struct_member.pyAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_bytes.op_stroff
  • ida_kernwin.Choose
  • ida_kernwin.Choose.CHCOL_HEX
  • ida_kernwin.Choose.CHCOL_PLAIN
  • ida_kernwin.choose_struct
  • ida_kernwin.get_opnum
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_pro.tid_array
  • ida_typeinf.STRMEM_OFFSET
  • ida_typeinf.tinfo_t
  • ida_typeinf.udm_t
  • ida_typeinf.udt_type_data_t
  • ida_ua.decode_insn
  • ida_ua.insn_t

Code to be run right after IDAPython initialization

The idapythonrc.py file:

  • %APPDATA%\Hex-Rays\IDA Pro\idapythonrc.py (on Windows)
  • ~/.idapro/idapythonrc.py (on Linux & Mac)

can contain any IDAPython code that will be run as soon as IDAPython is done successfully initializing.

Source codeKeywordsLevel
idapythonrc.pyBeginner

Add functions to the IDC runtime, from IDAPython

You can add IDC functions to IDA, whose “body” consists of IDAPython statements!

We’ll register a ‘pow’ function, available to all IDC code, that when invoked will call back into IDAPython, and execute the provided function body.

After running this script, try switching to the IDC interpreter (using the button on the lower-left corner of IDA) and executing pow(3, 7)

Source codeKeywordsLevel
extend_idc.pyIntermediate

APIs Used:

  • ida_expr.VT_LONG
  • ida_expr.add_idc_func

Add 64-bit (.idb->.i64) conversion capabilities to custom plugins

For more infortmation see SDK/plugins/cvt64_sample example

Source codeKeywordsLevel
py_cvt64_sample.pyAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR32
  • ida_netnode.atag
  • ida_netnode.htag
  • ida_netnode.stag

Add merge functionality to a simple plugin

This is a primitive plugin which asks user for some info and saves it for some addresses.

We will add a merge functionality to plugin.

An IDA plugin may have two kinds of data with permanent storage:

  1. Data common for entire database (e.g. the options). To describe them we will use the idbattr_info_t type.
  2. Data specific to a particular address. To describe them we will use the merge_node_info_t type.

Also, see SDK/plugins/mex1 example

Source codeKeywordsLevel
py_mex1.pyIDP_Hooks pluginAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_ida.IDI_ALTVAL
  • ida_ida.IDI_CSTR
  • ida_ida.IDI_SCALAR
  • ida_ida.IDI_SUPVAL
  • ida_ida.idbattr_info_t
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_MOD
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_MULTI
  • ida_idaapi.plugin_t
  • ida_idaapi.plugmod_t
  • ida_idp.IDP_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.Form
  • ida_kernwin.Form.ChkGroupControl
  • ida_kernwin.Form.StringInput
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_END
  • ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_NONE
  • ida_merge.NDS_IS_STR
  • ida_merge.NDS_MAP_IDX
  • ida_merge.merge_handler_params_t
  • ida_merge.merge_node_info_t
  • ida_merge.moddata_diff_helper_t
  • ida_mergemod.create_std_modmerge_handlers
  • ida_netnode.BADNODE
  • ida_netnode.SIZEOF_nodeidx_t
  • ida_netnode.atag
  • ida_netnode.netnode
  • ida_netnode.stag

Implement merging functionality for custom plugins

IDA Teams uses a chooser to display the merge conflicts. To fill the chooser columns IDA Teams uses the following methods from diff_source_t type:

  • print_diffpos_name()
  • print_diffpos_details()

and UI hints from merge_handler_params_t type:

  • ui_has_details()
  • ui_complex_details()
  • ui_complex_name()

In general, chooser columns are filled as following:

      columns.clear()
      NAME = print_diffpos_name()
      if ui_complex_name()
      then
        columns.add(split NAME by ui_split_char())
      else
        columns[0] = NAME
      if not ui_complex_details()
      then
        columns.add(print_diffpos_details())

Also, see SDK/plugins/mex3 example

Source codeKeywordsLevel
py_mex3.pyIDP_Hooks pluginAdvanced

APIs Used:

  • ida_funcs.get_func
  • ida_ida.IDI_ALTVAL
  • ida_ida.IDI_CSTR
  • ida_ida.IDI_SCALAR
  • ida_ida.IDI_SUPVAL
  • ida_ida.idbattr_info_t
  • ida_idaapi.BADADDR
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_MOD
  • ida_idaapi.PLUGIN_MULTI
  • ida_idaapi.plugin_t
  • ida_idaapi.plugmod_t
  • ida_idp.IDP_Hooks
  • ida_kernwin.Form
  • ida_kernwin.Form.ChkGroupControl
  • ida_kernwin.Form.StringInput
  • ida_kernwin.get_screen_ea
  • ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_END
  • ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_NONE
  • ida_merge.MH_UI_COLONNAME
  • ida_merge.MH_UI_COMMANAME
  • ida_merge.MH_UI_NODETAILS
  • ida_merge.NDS_IS_STR
  • ida_merge.NDS_MAP_IDX
  • ida_merge.create_nodeval_merge_handlers
  • ida_merge.get_ea_diffpos_name
  • ida_merge.merge_handler_params_t
  • ida_merge.merge_node_helper_t
  • ida_merge.merge_node_info_t
  • ida_merge.moddata_diff_helper_t
  • ida_mergemod.create_std_modmerge_handlers
  • ida_nalt.node2ea
  • ida_netnode.BADNODE
  • ida_netnode.SIZEOF_nodeidx_t
  • ida_netnode.atag
  • ida_netnode.netnode
  • ida_netnode.stag