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strings is a Unix program that prints out all the ASCII strings it finds in an arbitrary file. It is very handy for examining random programs. https://linux.di
by kens 10y ago
strings is a Unix program that prints out all the ASCII strings it finds in an arbitrary file. It is very handy for examining random programs.
https://linux.die.net/man/1/strings https://linux.die.net/man/1/strings
- tomrod 10y agoCrazy, I've never heard of this before. Could I use this on random Windows exe files if I'm running a linux box? EXE files are just compiled binary blogs, right?
- onlycommenting 10y ago>compiled binary blogs That, or view/edit them with a hex editor.
- ajdlinux 10y agoYep - useful on any kind of binary. I've used strings on exes, pdfs, database files...
- tomrod 10y agoBlobs, not blogs. Darn autocorrect.
- kens 10y agoYes, you can run strings on a Windows exe from Linux or a Mac. I just tried this and it gives everything from "!This program cannot be run in DOS mode." to DLL names to Windows function names. However, Windows text strings that get displayed are 16-bit so you need the "-e l" flag to see them; this flag works on Linux but not Mac. TL;DR: running strings on an exe is trickier than I expected, but works.
- jaclaz 10y agoJFYI there is a little (35 Kb) and little known free tool for Windows (by McAfee, I know, I know) that is very easy to use/convenient: http://www.mcafee.com/it/downloads/free-tools/bintext.aspx http://www.mcafee.com/it/downloads/free-tools/bintext.aspx (a number of hex editors AFAIK want you to specify if ASCII or Unicode)