ida-cli

ida-cli Reverse Engineering

General reverse engineering methodology plus a practical ida-cli bootstrap and workflow. The CLI is a thin client on top of an auto-managed local server that talks to IDA through a worker per database.

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Part 0: Zero-Config Bootstrap

Install the skill once:

npx -y skills add https://github.com/cpkt9762/ida-cli --skill ida-cli --agent codex --yes --global

After installation, do not assume the user already has ida-cli on PATH or a live server running.

Boot Rule

• On first use in a new environment, run scripts/ida-cli.sh --help.
• The wrapper detects whether ida-cli is available on PATH or at ~/.local/bin/ida-cli.
• If the binary is missing, the wrapper downloads and runs the repository installer, then re-runs the smoke test.

Runtime Rule

• Before real analysis, run scripts/ida-cli.sh probe-runtime.
• Do not guess whether the host will pick native-linked or idat-compat.
• If multiple IDA installations are present, export IDADIR explicitly:
  • export IDADIR="/Applications/IDA Professional 9.5.app/Contents/MacOS"
  • export IDADIR=/opt/ida-pro-9.5
• native-linked is only picked for IDA 9.3 / 9.5 when the runtime matches the SDK the binary was built with; otherwise the probe reports idat-compat, which supports a smaller method set.

Use Rule

• Prefer scripts/ida-cli.sh as the single entrypoint inside the skill.
• Do not ask the user to run serve or serve-http for routine work. Any client subcommand auto-starts a local HTTP server bound to a random port and writes /tmp/ida-cli.socket for discovery.
• Run serve-http --bind ... explicitly only when a long-lived, addressable HTTP control plane is actually required.

Zero-Config Commands

# 1. install ida-cli or confirm it is available
scripts/ida-cli.sh --help

# 2. probe the selected runtime backend
scripts/ida-cli.sh probe-runtime

# 3. routine analysis (client mode, auto-starts a server)
scripts/ida-cli.sh --path /path/to/sample.bin list-functions --limit 20
scripts/ida-cli.sh --path /path/to/sample.bin decompile --addr 0x140001000

# 4. only when a shared HTTP endpoint is actually needed
scripts/ida-cli.sh serve-http --bind 127.0.0.1:8765

Environment Knobs

• Installer target: ~/.local/bin/ida-cli
• Pin the source repository / ref:
  • IDA_CLI_REPO=cpkt9762/ida-cli
  • IDA_CLI_INSTALL_REF=master
• Pass extra installer arguments:
  • IDA_CLI_INSTALL_ARGS="--add-path"
• Pin a specific IDA installation:
  • export IDADIR=/path/to/ida/Contents/MacOS

Within this skill, scripts/ida-cli.sh is the single entrypoint for install, download, execution, and verification.

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Part 1: CLI Surface

ida-cli has two faces:

1. Flat client — what the skill uses. Sends one request per invocation.
2. Service — serve (stdio MCP), serve-http (Streamable HTTP MCP), serve-worker (internal subprocess), probe-runtime (internal).

When the binary name is ida-cli and the first argument is not a service subcommand, the CLI parses its arguments as a client call and routes the request through the local socket.

Direct Subcommands (Client Mode)

ida-cli --path <file> list-functions [--filter NAME] [--limit 100] [--offset 0]
ida-cli --path <file> decompile --addr 0x1000
ida-cli --path <file> disasm --addr 0x1000 [--count 20]
ida-cli --path <file> disasm --name main [--count 20]
ida-cli --path <file> xrefs-to --addr 0x1000
ida-cli --path <file> list-strings [--query X] [--limit 100]
ida-cli --path <file> list-segments

Service / queue helpers:

ida-cli --path <file> prewarm [--keep-warm] [--queue]
ida-cli prewarm-many samples.txt [--jobs 4]
ida-cli --path <file> enqueue <method> [--priority 0] [--dedupe-key K] [--params '{...}']
ida-cli task-status <id>
ida-cli list-tasks
ida-cli cancel-task <id>
ida-cli status
ida-cli --path <file> close
ida-cli shutdown

Everything Else: raw / pipe

The flat subcommands cover the most common reads. For everything else use raw for a single request or pipe for a stdin batch. Both take JSON-RPC payloads whose method field must match an MCP method name (see cli-tool-reference.md).

ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"get_function_by_name","params":{"name":"main"}}'
ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"rename_symbol","params":{"address":"0x1000","new_name":"parse_header"}}'
ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"batch_decompile","params":{"addresses":["0x1000","0x2000"]}}'

ida-cli --json --path <file> pipe <<'EOF'
{"method":"list_functions","params":{"limit":5}}
{"method":"get_xrefs_from","params":{"address":"0x1000"}}
EOF

Output Modes

ida-cli --json    --path <file> list-functions --limit 5   # pretty JSON
ida-cli --compact --path <file> list-functions --limit 5   # single-line JSON

File Types

Type	Behavior
.i64 / .idb	reopens the existing IDA database directly
raw PE / ELF / Mach-O	analysed and cached as .i64 alongside the input

Local Runtime Paths

• Database cache: ~/.ida/idb/
• Log: ~/.ida/logs/server.log
• Server Unix socket: ~/.ida/server.sock
• PID file: ~/.ida/server.pid
• Discovery file (maps flat CLI → socket): /tmp/ida-cli.socket
• Large response cache: /tmp/ida-cli-out/

Failure Recovery

If the local server wedges:

ida-cli shutdown
pkill -9 -f "ida-cli"
rm -f ~/.ida/server.sock ~/.ida/server.pid ~/.ida/.startup.lock /tmp/ida-cli.socket

Then rerun the original client subcommand and let it restart the server.

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Part 2: General Reverse Engineering Methodology

Key Principles

• F5 first, disasm second (HARD RULE) — always attempt decompilation once before dropping to disassembly.
• 10-second F5 gate (HARD RULE) — if decompilation clearly fails or decompile_function stalls beyond 10 seconds, treat the target as currently non-decompilable and move to disassembly.
• Rename as you go (HARD RULE) — rename every function the moment its purpose is understood. Do not accumulate sub_XXXXX names.
• Iterate aggressively — F5 → apply types → rename → F5 again → validate new offsets → repeat.
• Treat constants literally — if IDA shows 0x6E, write 110 until you have evidence for higher-level meaning.
• Use disassembly for small diffs — a 1-10 value mismatch usually means an off-by-one, saturation, or width issue.
• Keep an analysis log (HARD RULE) — after each analysed function, log address, rename, and purpose.

Decompilation Strategy

Drop to disassembly when:

• decompile_function returns an error
• decompile_function exceeds 10 seconds
• pseudocode shows obvious artifacts

Do not keep retrying in a loop once the gate fires. Move down one layer:

1. stop repeated decompilation attempts
2. work from disassembly and basic blocks
3. recover control flow via xrefs and callgraph
4. rename, comment, and apply types from disassembly evidence
5. patch or simplify only with a clear reason
6. retry decompilation after the blockers are resolved

Common "stop F5 and switch to disassembly" signals:

• one dispatcher block dominates the function
• heavy indirect branching or computed jumps
• obvious flattening state variables
• VM-like decode-dispatch-execute loops
• opaque predicates with constant-looking outcomes
• exception-driven or CFG-breaking control flow

Dedicated playbook: obfuscation-triage.md.

Common decompiler lies:

Symptom	Pseudocode	Real instruction pattern
Constant folding	result = x * 1718750 / 1000000	MUL + UDIV with literal constants
Hidden +1/-1	discount = bias * 110 / 64	there is still an ADD #1 after division
Type confusion	int v10 = *(int *)(ctx + 0x1DC)	real load is LDR W8 and behaves like u32
Hidden saturation	result = a - b	SUBS + conditional select to zero

Naming Strategy

Rename functions as soon as they are understood.

Prefix	Meaning
check_ / validate_	validation
parse_ / deserialize_	parsing / deserialization
compute_ / calc_	computation
dispatch_	dispatch entrypoint
init_ / setup_	initialization

After renaming a callee, re-decompile the caller immediately. Readability compounds quickly.

Analysis Log

Record findings in real time. At minimum, log:

• function address
• old name → new name
• one-sentence purpose
• newly recovered structs
• recovered arithmetic formulas
• error-code mappings
• open questions

Suggested format:

## Analysis Log: <binary_name>

### Functions Reversed
| # | Address | Old Name | New Name | Purpose |
|---|---------|----------|----------|---------|
| 1 | 0x1234  | sub_1234 | parse_header | Parse the message header from the input buffer |

### Structs Identified
| Struct | Size | Key Fields | Used By |
|--------|------|-----------|---------|
| MsgHeader | 0x40 | +0x00 magic, +0x04 msg_type, +0x08 payload_len | parse_header |

### Open Questions
- sub_9ABC: likely initializes a lookup table, not yet proven

Struct Recovery

Recover structs from repeated *(ptr + 0xNNN) patterns.

Typical ARM64 load-width mapping:

LDR  X8, [X0, #0x130]   -> u64
LDR  W8, [X0, #0x144]   -> u32
LDRH W8, [X0, #0x168]   -> u16
LDRB W8, [X0, #0x178]   -> u8

Recommended loop:

1. decompile, collect pointer+offset accesses
2. confirm widths in disassembly
3. read live values if needed
4. declare the struct
5. apply the type
6. re-decompile and confirm fields replace raw offsets
7. use xrefs on struct fields to propagate understanding

Call Graph Navigation

Never read giant dispatchers linearly. Use a leaf-first strategy:

1. build the call graph from the entrypoint
2. decompile leaf functions
3. rename each leaf immediately
4. re-decompile callers
5. repeat upward

Search Strategy

Remember little-endian byte order on x86 and ARM64:

ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"search_bytes","params":{"pattern":"6E 00 00 00"}}'
ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"search_text","params":{"targets":["110","10000"],"kind":"imm"}}'
ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"search_pseudocode","params":{"pattern":"amount"}}'
ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"search_instructions","params":{"patterns":["MUL","UDIV"]}}'

Formula Extraction

Rules:

1. translate constants literally
2. preserve operation order exactly as IDA shows it
3. use u128 for multi-step 64-bit multiplication chains
4. watch for saturating behaviour
5. verify suspicious arithmetic in disassembly

Diff triage:

Diff range	Typical cause	Fix
> 100	wrong formula or wrong scale	rebuild from constants
10-100	wrong operator or operand	verify MUL / DIV / ADD / SUB
1-10	off-by-one or saturation	compare instruction by instruction
0	exact match	done

Structured Decompilation

Use decompile_structured when arithmetic chains are too complex for manual comparison.

Look for:

• mul, div, add, sub nodes
• helper calls such as __umulh, __multi3, __udivti3
• numeric leaves
• variable references

Generate the expression from the AST, then cross-check with disassembly.

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Part 3: Common Workflows

Workflow 1: Binary Orientation

ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"get_database_info"}'
ida-cli --path <file> list-segments
ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"list_exports"}'
ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"list_imports"}'
ida-cli --path <file> list-functions --limit 50
ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"build_callgraph","params":{"roots":["0x1000"],"max_depth":3}}'

Workflow 2: Struct Reconstruction

1. decompile and collect offsets
2. confirm widths in disassembly
3. read values if needed
4. declare the struct
5. apply the type
6. re-decompile
7. follow field xrefs

Workflow 3: Arithmetic Verification

ida-cli --path <file> decompile --addr 0x1000
ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"get_pseudocode_at","params":{"address":"0x1024"}}'
ida-cli --path <file> disasm --addr 0x1000 --count 200
ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"search_instructions","params":{"patterns":["MUL","UDIV"]}}'
ida-cli --path <file> raw '{"method":"search_instruction_operands","params":{"patterns":["#0x6E"]}}'

Workflow 3b: Obfuscation Triage After F5 Failure

If decompilation fails immediately or exceeds the 10-second gate:

1. stop retrying decompilation
2. use disasm --addr 0x... --count N for the full body
3. build control-flow understanding from basic blocks, xrefs, and call graph
4. mark dispatcher branches, opaque predicates, flattening state variables
5. rename symbols and annotate intent directly from disassembly
6. retry decompilation only after meaningful progress has been made

Workflow 3c: Strong Obfuscation Signals

Move immediately into disassembly-first mode when any of these are true:

1. one central block dispatches on a state variable
2. most edges return to the same controller block
3. branch targets are computed indirectly
4. the function looks like a bytecode interpreter or handler VM
5. branches rely on opaque arithmetic that does not simplify in pseudocode
6. exception flow or anti-analysis logic destabilises the decompiler

Dedicated reference page: obfuscation-triage.md.

Workflow 3d: Commercial VM Protection (Themida / VMProtect / Code Virtualizer / WinLicense)

If the target is a Windows x86-64 PE and any of these hold, the target is a commercial VM protector, not ordinary obfuscation:

1. the function body is a single jmp / push+ret / call that lands in a section named .themida, .vlizer, .vmp0/vmp1/vmp2, .winlice, .pelock, .svmp, .xxx, or any other non-standard RX section
2. the IAT is stripped and APIs resolve through a dark .rdata pointer table
3. pseudocode degenerates into thousands of dispatched handlers
4. IDA segfaults, stalls, or shows a bytecode-style decode loop

In that case do not try to reverse handlers. Run the bundled emulation-based devirtualizer, open the patched PE in IDA, and decompile normally:

pip install -r scripts/vm_devirt_requirements.txt

python3 scripts/vm_devirt.py protected.bin --auto -o protected-devirt.bin

ida-cli --path protected-devirt.bin list-functions --limit 20
ida-cli --path protected-devirt.bin decompile --addr 0x140001000

Full methodology, the capability matrix, and the post-devirt IDA workflow live in vm-devirt.md.

Workflow 4: Error Code Mapping

1. search immediate values
2. resolve the containing function
3. inspect the pseudocode context
4. add comments
5. search for similar return sites

Workflow 5: Table and Dispatch Analysis

1. search strings like factory or registry
2. follow xrefs
3. identify the table builder
4. scan the table
5. resolve and decompile each function pointer

Workflow 6: Multi-Database Analysis

1. open multiple databases (one --path per request; the server spawns one worker per database automatically)
2. share the handle returned by open_idb across concurrent agents
3. parallelise read-heavy work
4. serialise write-heavy work
5. close cleanly with close_idb (HTTP/SSE requires the close_token returned by open_idb)

Workflow 7: Batch Annotation

Dispatch through raw when needed:

• batch_rename
• set_function_prototype
• set_function_comment
• rename_stack_variable
• set_stack_variable_type
• create_enum
• batch_decompile

Workflow 8: Dynamic Debugging

The dbg_* method family covers debugger loading, process start/attach, breakpoints, stepping, register inspection, memory reads/writes, and thread inspection. It is only available on runtimes that expose the debugger; the headless idat-compat path does not.

When ASLR is active, address-based debug operations must use rebased runtime addresses unless the method explicitly accepts IDB addresses.

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Part 4: Error Recovery

Decompilation Failure

• if the failure is explicit, or the decompiler stalls past 10 seconds, classify the function as strong-obfuscation
• stop repeated F5 attempts
• use get_pseudocode_at only for narrow, already-promising ranges
• move to disassembly, basic blocks, xrefs, and callgraph work
• retry decompilation only after the function has been partially untangled

Incomplete Auto Analysis

If get_analysis_status reports auto_is_ok=false:

• run run_auto_analysis
• or poll until analysis finishes

Do not trust xrefs or decompilation quality before analysis is complete.

Timeout Handling

• run_script defaults to 120 seconds and can go up to 600
• very large batch_decompile calls should be split into smaller batches
• the CLI’s --timeout flag controls per-request timeout from the client side

Common Mistakes

1. Starting at the biggest entrypoint instead of leaf functions
2. Renaming callees but not re-decompiling callers
3. Trusting arithmetic without checking disassembly
4. Forgetting little-endian byte order in searches
5. Ignoring xref fan-out counts
6. Trusting signed pseudocode types without checking load width
7. Re-opening the raw binary instead of the cached .i64
8. Querying before auto analysis finishes

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Part 5: References

Load only the reference that matches the current task. Do not read them all by default.

Reference	Use when
cli-tool-reference.md	CLI command patterns and capability lookup
obfuscation-triage.md	F5 failure, flattening, VM handlers, opaque predicates, disassembly-first work
vm-devirt.md	commercial VM protectors (Themida / VMProtect / Code Virtualizer / WinLicense) — emulation-based devirtualization with scripts/vm_devirt.py
counterfactual-patch.md	counterfactual patching workflows
headless-api.md	headless IDA execution and API choice
idapython-cheatsheet.md	writing IDAPython scripts
ida-domain-api.md	full IDA Domain API reference
idalib-headless.md	idalib / idapro headless usage
binary-analysis-patterns.md	malware, vuln research, firmware analysis patterns
plugin-development.md	IDA plugin development