How to use the command `readpe` (with examples)

Readpe is a command that can display information about PE (Portable Executable) files. PE files are the executable file format used by Windows operating systems. The readpe command provides various options to extract specific information from PE files, such as headers, sections, imported functions, and exported functions.

Use case 1: Display all information about a PE file

Code:

readpe path/to/executable

Motivation:

The motivation for using this example is to obtain comprehensive information about a PE file. This can be useful for understanding the structure and contents of the file, including headers, sections, imported and exported functions, and other details.

Explanation:

• readpe is the command to execute.
• path/to/executable is the path to the PE file for which we want to display information.

Example output:

The output will be a detailed summary of the PE file, including headers, sections, imported and exported functions, and other relevant details.

Use case 2: Display all the headers present in a PE file

Code:

readpe --all-headers path/to/executable

Motivation:

The motivation for using this example is to specifically extract and examine all the headers present in a PE file. Headers contain crucial information about the executable file, such as the DOS header, COFF header, and optional header.

Explanation:

• readpe is the command to execute.
• --all-headers is an option that specifies that we want to display all the headers present in the PE file.
• path/to/executable is the path to the PE file for which we want to display the headers.

Example output:

The output will consist of detailed information about all the headers present in the PE file, such as the DOS header, COFF header, and optional header.

Use case 3: Display all the sections present in a PE file

Code:

readpe --all-sections path/to/executable

Motivation:

The motivation for using this example is to specifically extract and examine all the sections present in a PE file. Sections contain different parts of the executable file, such as code, data, resources, and more.

Explanation:

• readpe is the command to execute.
• --all-sections is an option that specifies that we want to display all the sections present in the PE file.
• path/to/executable is the path to the PE file for which we want to display the sections.

Example output:

The output will consist of detailed information about all the sections present in the PE file, such as their names, virtual addresses, sizes, characteristics, and more.

Use case 4: Display a specific header from a PE file

Code:

readpe --header dos|coff|optional path/to/executable

Motivation:

The motivation for using this example is to extract and examine a specific header from the PE file. By specifying the desired header (DOS, COFF, or optional), we can focus on a particular aspect of the executable file.

Explanation:

• readpe is the command to execute.
• --header is an option that specifies that we want to display a specific header from the PE file.
• dos|coff|optional is an argument that defines the header to be displayed. It can be “dos” for the DOS header, “coff” for the COFF header, or “optional” for the optional header.
• path/to/executable is the path to the PE file for which we want to display the specific header.

Example output:

The output will consist of detailed information about the specified header from the PE file, such as its structure, fields, and values.

Use case 5: List all imported functions

Code:

readpe --imports path/to/executable

Motivation:

The motivation for using this example is to obtain a list of all the imported functions in a PE file. Imported functions are external functions that the executable file relies on to perform specific operations.

Explanation:

• readpe is the command to execute.
• --imports is an option that specifies that we want to list all the imported functions in the PE file.
• path/to/executable is the path to the PE file for which we want to list the imported functions.

Example output:

The output will be a list of all the imported functions in the PE file, including their names, module names, and memory addresses.

Use case 6: List all exported functions

Code:

readpe --exports path/to/executable

Motivation:

The motivation for using this example is to obtain a list of all the exported functions in a PE file. Exported functions are functions that can be called by other modules or executables.

Explanation:

• readpe is the command to execute.
• --exports is an option that specifies that we want to list all the exported functions in the PE file.
• path/to/executable is the path to the PE file for which we want to list the exported functions.

Example output:

The output will be a list of all the exported functions in the PE file, including their names, ordinal numbers, and memory addresses.

Conclusion:

The readpe command is a powerful tool to extract and analyze information from PE files. By utilizing its various options, such as displaying all information, specific headers, sections, imported functions, and exported functions, users can gain deeper insights into the structure and functionalities of PE files.