Utilizing the "readelf" Command for Displaying ELF File Information (with examples)

Displaying all information about the ELF file

Code for the use case:

readelf -all /path/to/binary

Motivation for using the example:

This use case is beneficial when you need to dig deep into the ELF file and gather comprehensive information about its various sections, program headers, and symbol tables. It provides a complete overview of the file, aiding in understanding its structure and contents.

Explanation for every argument:

• -all: This argument instructs the readelf command to display all information available in the ELF file.

Example output:

The output will consist of detailed information about the ELF file, including the ELF header, program headers, section headers, symbol tables, dynamic tags, and more.

Displaying all the headers present in the ELF file

Code for the use case:

readelf --headers /path/to/binary

Motivation for using the example:

When you only require information about the headers present in the ELF file, this use case is suitable. It provides a concise overview of the file’s header structures without overwhelming you with additional details.

Explanation for every argument:

• --headers: This argument instructs the readelf command to display only the headers present in the ELF file.

Example output:

The output will include the ELF file’s header structures, such as the ELF header, program headers, and section headers. It provides information like the file type, entry point address, program header table offset, section header table offset, and more.

Displaying the entries in symbol table section of the ELF file

Code for the use case:

readelf --symbols /path/to/binary

Motivation for using the example:

Utilizing this use case allows you to inspect the symbol table section of an ELF file. Symbol tables contain information about the names, addresses, and other details of various symbols present in the binary, such as functions and global variables.

Explanation for every argument:

• --symbols: This argument instructs the readelf command to display the entries in the symbol table section of the ELF file.

Example output:

The output will include a list of symbols found in the symbol table section, along with their associated attributes. Each entry typically includes the symbol’s address, size, type, binding, and name.

Displaying the information contained in the ELF header

Code for the use case:

readelf --file-header /path/to/binary

Motivation for using the example:

This use case focuses solely on extracting the information contained within the ELF header, which is located at the beginning of the file. The ELF header provides essential details like the file type, machine architecture, entry point address, section header table offset, and more.

Explanation for every argument:

• --file-header: This argument instructs the readelf command to display only the information present in the ELF file header.

Example output:

The output will present the ELF header information, including the ELF file’s architecture, object file type, machine type, entry point address, section header table offset, and other related details. It provides a summary of the ELF file’s fundamental properties.