3D Visualization Program For Executable Code Analysis

Abstract

Information Technology is pervasive and new ways to leverage its potential are continuously emerging. A resultant effect is the increase in the code base as new functionality is implemented. And as computers increasingly handle and process more information, the analysis of executables becomes necessary.

Visual Analytics of executable code provides a tool to analyze their structured format, providing an alternative tool comparable to directly analyzing source code, to generate meaningful information. Visualization of the software enhances this process by providing the visual metaphors that represent the code aspects.

Various visual representations have been utilized in visualizing the various aspects of software. This research presents a visual interface for interacting with Binary Code, illustrating the potential of basic geometric shapes and visual interaction in understanding the structure of programs. It proposes that directly manipulating the software structure, with an abstracted visual representation, provides an improved understanding of a program.

The process involved the design and development of a prototype application of a 3D environment within which interactions with visual metaphors enabled visualization and analysis of Binary Code. The key metaphor utilized is based on the lattice structure.

The resultant application provided a 3D visualization environment within which binary code could be analyzed using a lattice-based metaphor. The application provided functionality for visually interacting with disassembled code as well as querying the code and visually viewing the results within the metaphor. The research could provide a basis for research and application of visual reverse engineering in an environment of touch screens and increasing processing capability.

Key words: Binary Code, Visualization, Lattice, Metaphor, Instruction Set Architecture