Retargetable machine-code decompilation in your web browser

Abstract

Machine-code decompilation, belonging to the area of reverse engineering, has found its applications in many real-world areas. Analysis of malicious software, search for vulnerabilities, and source-code recovery are some of the most important uses. As there exists a diversity of different platforms on which software can be run, an existence of a generic decompiler would be highly appreciated. The present paper describes such a tool.In this paper, we provide a description of a retargetable decompiler that is being developed within the Lissom project.First, we give an introduction into the area of machine code decompilation, including a brief discussion of existing tools. Then, we describe the concept and architecture of the decompiler. As it is available in the form of a web service, we also provide its description. Finally, we summarize our results, present a case study of using the tool for analysing malicious software, and conclude the paper by several remarks on future research.