Book Image

Learning Linux Binary Analysis

By : Ryan "elfmaster" O'Neill
Book Image

Learning Linux Binary Analysis

By: Ryan "elfmaster" O'Neill

Overview of this book

Learning Linux Binary Analysis is packed with knowledge and code that will teach you the inner workings of the ELF format, and the methods used by hackers and security analysts for virus analysis, binary patching, software protection and more. This book will start by taking you through UNIX/Linux object utilities, and will move on to teaching you all about the ELF specimen. You will learn about process tracing, and will explore the different types of Linux and UNIX viruses, and how you can make use of ELF Virus Technology to deal with them. The latter half of the book discusses the usage of Kprobe instrumentation for kernel hacking, code patching, and debugging. You will discover how to detect and disinfect kernel-mode rootkits, and move on to analyze static code. Finally, you will be walked through complex userspace memory infection analysis. This book will lead you into territory that is uncharted even by some experts; right into the world of the computer hacker.
Table of Contents (17 chapters)
Learning Linux Binary Analysis
Credits
About the Author
Acknowledgments
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Using taskverse to see hidden processes


In the Linux kernel, there are a several ways to modify the kernel so that process hiding can work. Since this chapter is not meant to be an exegesis on all kernel rootkits, I will cover only the most commonly used method and then propose a way of detecting it, which is implemented in the taskverse program I made available in 2014.

In Linux, the process IDs are stored as directories within the /proc filesystem; each directory contains a plethora of information about the process. The /bin/ps program does a directory listing in /proc to see which pids are currently running on the system. A directory listing in Linux (such as with ps or ls) uses the sys_getdents64 system call and the filldir64 kernel function. Many kernel rootkits hijack one of these functions (depending on the kernel version) and then insert some code that skips over the directory entry containing the d_name of the hidden process. As a result, the /bin/ps program is unable to find the...