Defusing Bomb Lab

July 1, 2024

Overview

A lab assignment from CMU's 15-213 course.

You can find the assignment here

A "binary bomb" is a program provided to students as an object code file. When run, it prompts the user to type in 6 different strings. If any of these is incorrect, the bomb "explodes," printing an error message and logging the event on a grading server. Students must "defuse" their own unique bomb by disassembling and reverse engineering the program to determine what the 6 strings should be. The lab teaches students to understand assembly language, and also forces them to learn how to use a debugger. It's also great fun.

Phase 1

Running disas phase_1 shows the following

   0x0000000000400ee0 <+0>:     sub    $0x8,%rsp
   0x0000000000400ee4 <+4>:     mov    $0x402400,%esi
   0x0000000000400ee9 <+9>:     callq  0x401338 <strings_not_equal>
   0x0000000000400eee <+14>:    test   %eax,%eax
   0x0000000000400ef0 <+16>:    je     0x400ef7 <phase_1+23>
   0x0000000000400ef2 <+18>:    callq  0x40143a <explode_bomb>
   0x0000000000400ef7 <+23>:    add    $0x8,%rsp
   0x0000000000400efb <+27>:    retq

We can see that $0x402400 is being loaded into %esi. Running x/s 0x402400 shows the output to be "Border relations with Canada have never been better.".

Solution: Border relations with Canada have never been better.

Phase 2

   0x0000000000400efc <+0>:     push   %rbp
   0x0000000000400efd <+1>:     push   %rbx
   0x0000000000400efe <+2>:     sub    $0x28,%rsp
   0x0000000000400f02 <+6>:     mov    %rsp,%rsi
   0x0000000000400f05 <+9>:     callq  0x40145c <read_six_numbers>
   0x0000000000400f0a <+14>:    cmpl   $0x1,(%rsp)
   0x0000000000400f0e <+18>:    je     0x400f30 <phase_2+52>
   0x0000000000400f10 <+20>:    callq  0x40143a <explode_bomb>
   0x0000000000400f15 <+25>:    jmp    0x400f30 <phase_2+52>
   0x0000000000400f17 <+27>:    mov    -0x4(%rbx),%eax // <-- loop start
   0x0000000000400f1a <+30>:    add    %eax,%eax
   0x0000000000400f1c <+32>:    cmp    %eax,(%rbx) // 
   0x0000000000400f1e <+34>:    je     0x400f25 <phase_2+41>
   0x0000000000400f20 <+36>:    callq  0x40143a <explode_bomb>
   0x0000000000400f25 <+41>:    add    $0x4,%rbx // <-- loop iteration
   0x0000000000400f29 <+45>:    cmp    %rbp,%rbx // <-- loop condition
   0x0000000000400f2c <+48>:    jne    0x400f17 <phase_2+27>
   0x0000000000400f2e <+50>:    jmp    0x400f3c <phase_2+64>
   0x0000000000400f30 <+52>:    lea    0x4(%rsp),%rbx // loop initialization
   0x0000000000400f35 <+57>:    lea    0x18(%rsp),%rbp
   0x0000000000400f3a <+62>:    jmp    0x400f17 <phase_2+27>
   0x0000000000400f3c <+64>:    add    $0x28,%rsp
   0x0000000000400f40 <+68>:    pop    %rbx
   0x0000000000400f41 <+69>:    pop    %rbp
   0x0000000000400f42 <+70>:    retq

If we look at read_six_numbers, we see one line in particular

0x40148f <read_six_numbers+51>  cmp    $0x5,%eax                                   
0x401492 <read_six_numbers+54>  jg     0x401499 <read_six_numbers+61>  
0x401494 <read_six_numbers+56>  callq  0x40143a <explode_bomb>

It expects 6 numbers, just like the name of the function.

Line <+14> expects the first number to be 1.
Line <+52>, %rbx holds the ith number. Line <+27>, The i-1th number is held in %eax. %eax is added to itself, and compared against %rbx. Essentially

b = nums[i]
a = nums[i-1]
a += a
if a == b:
	go ahead

Then we jump to Line <+41>, where %rbx holds the next number.

Essentially the code is like this. not exactly, but the idea is right.

x = nums[0]
if x != 1:
	explode_bomb()
for i in range(1, 6):
	b = nums[i]
	a = nums[i - 1]
	a += a
	if a != b:
		explode_bomb()

The next number should be twice the previous value. Therefore, if the first number is 1, the next should be 2, then 4, and so forth.

Solution: 1 2 4 8 16 32

Phase 3

   0x0000000000400f43 <+0>:     sub    $0x18,%rsp
   0x0000000000400f47 <+4>:     lea    0xc(%rsp),%rcx
   0x0000000000400f4c <+9>:     lea    0x8(%rsp),%rdx
   0x0000000000400f51 <+14>:    mov    $0x4025cf,%esi
   0x0000000000400f56 <+19>:    mov    $0x0,%eax
   0x0000000000400f5b <+24>:    callq  0x400bf0 <__isoc99_sscanf@plt>
   0x0000000000400f60 <+29>:    cmp    $0x1,%eax
   0x0000000000400f63 <+32>:    jg     0x400f6a <phase_3+39>
   0x0000000000400f65 <+34>:    callq  0x40143a <explode_bomb>
   0x0000000000400f6a <+39>:    cmpl   $0x7,0x8(%rsp)
   0x0000000000400f6f <+44>:    ja     0x400fad <phase_3+106>
   0x0000000000400f71 <+46>:    mov    0x8(%rsp),%eax
   0x0000000000400f75 <+50>:    jmpq   *0x402470(,%rax,8)
   0x0000000000400f7c <+57>:    mov    $0xcf,%eax
   0x0000000000400f81 <+62>:    jmp    0x400fbe <phase_3+123>
   0x0000000000400f83 <+64>:    mov    $0x2c3,%eax
   0x0000000000400f88 <+69>:    jmp    0x400fbe <phase_3+123>
   0x0000000000400f8a <+71>:    mov    $0x100,%eax
   0x0000000000400f8f <+76>:    jmp    0x400fbe <phase_3+123>
   0x0000000000400f91 <+78>:    mov    $0x185,%eax
   0x0000000000400f96 <+83>:    jmp    0x400fbe <phase_3+123>
   0x0000000000400f98 <+85>:    mov    $0xce,%eax
   0x0000000000400f9d <+90>:    jmp    0x400fbe <phase_3+123>
   0x0000000000400f9f <+92>:    mov    $0x2aa,%eax
   0x0000000000400fa4 <+97>:    jmp    0x400fbe <phase_3+123>
   0x0000000000400fa6 <+99>:    mov    $0x147,%eax
   0x0000000000400fab <+104>:   jmp    0x400fbe <phase_3+123>
   0x0000000000400fad <+106>:   callq  0x40143a <explode_bomb>
   0x0000000000400fb2 <+111>:   mov    $0x0,%eax
   0x0000000000400fb7 <+116>:   jmp    0x400fbe <phase_3+123>
   0x0000000000400fb9 <+118>:   mov    $0x137,%eax
   0x0000000000400fbe <+123>:   cmp    0xc(%rsp),%eax
   0x0000000000400fc2 <+127>:   je     0x400fc9 <phase_3+134>
   0x0000000000400fc4 <+129>:   callq  0x40143a <explode_bomb>
   0x0000000000400fc9 <+134>:   add    $0x18,%rsp
   0x0000000000400fcd <+138>:   retq

If we look at line <+14>, we see a constant being loaded into %esi. Running x/s 0x4025cf outputs %d %d, which indicates that two integers need to be passed as input.

Line <+29> and <+32> checks if your input is greater than 1, then jumps to <+39>. Line <+39> checks if the first integer is greater than 7, if yes, it explodes. If not, it jumps to the absolute address stored at 8 * %rax + 0x402470. So based on the first integer, the code jumps to a specific address. This is similar to a switch statement.

Based on the case, a value is stored into %eax. If first int is 1, %eax will store$0x137, if 2, %eax will store $0x2c3. So based on your first integer, you can set the second integer.

Solution: 1 311 (OR) 2 707

Phase 4

disas phase_4

   0x000000000040100c <+0>:     sub    $0x18,%rsp
   0x0000000000401010 <+4>:     lea    0xc(%rsp),%rcx
   0x0000000000401015 <+9>:     lea    0x8(%rsp),%rdx
   0x000000000040101a <+14>:    mov    $0x4025cf,%esi
   0x000000000040101f <+19>:    mov    $0x0,%eax
   0x0000000000401024 <+24>:    callq  0x400bf0 <__isoc99_sscanf@plt>
   0x0000000000401029 <+29>:    cmp    $0x2,%eax
   0x000000000040102c <+32>:    jne    0x401035 <phase_4+41>
   0x000000000040102e <+34>:    cmpl   $0xe,0x8(%rsp)
   0x0000000000401033 <+39>:    jbe    0x40103a <phase_4+46>
   0x0000000000401035 <+41>:    callq  0x40143a <explode_bomb>
   0x000000000040103a <+46>:    mov    $0xe,%edx
   0x000000000040103f <+51>:    mov    $0x0,%esi
   0x0000000000401044 <+56>:    mov    0x8(%rsp),%edi
   0x0000000000401048 <+60>:    callq  0x400fce <func4>
   0x000000000040104d <+65>:    test   %eax,%eax
   0x000000000040104f <+67>:    jne    0x401058 <phase_4+76>
   0x0000000000401051 <+69>:    cmpl   $0x0,0xc(%rsp)
   0x0000000000401056 <+74>:    je     0x40105d <phase_4+81>
   0x0000000000401058 <+76>:    callq  0x40143a <explode_bomb>
   0x000000000040105d <+81>:    add    $0x18,%rsp
   0x0000000000401061 <+85>:    retq

disas func4

   0x0000000000400fce <+0>:     sub    $0x8,%rsp
   0x0000000000400fd2 <+4>:     mov    %edx,%eax
   0x0000000000400fd4 <+6>:     sub    %esi,%eax
   0x0000000000400fd6 <+8>:     mov    %eax,%ecx
   0x0000000000400fd8 <+10>:    shr    $0x1f,%ecx
   0x0000000000400fdb <+13>:    add    %ecx,%eax
   0x0000000000400fdd <+15>:    sar    %eax
   0x0000000000400fdf <+17>:    lea    (%rax,%rsi,1),%ecx
   0x0000000000400fe2 <+20>:    cmp    %edi,%ecx
   0x0000000000400fe4 <+22>:    jle    0x400ff2 <func4+36>
   0x0000000000400fe6 <+24>:    lea    -0x1(%rcx),%edx
   0x0000000000400fe9 <+27>:    callq  0x400fce <func4>
   0x0000000000400fee <+32>:    add    %eax,%eax
   0x0000000000400ff0 <+34>:    jmp    0x401007 <func4+57>
   0x0000000000400ff2 <+36>:    mov    $0x0,%eax
   0x0000000000400ff7 <+41>:    cmp    %edi,%ecx
   0x0000000000400ff9 <+43>:    jge    0x401007 <func4+57>
   0x0000000000400ffb <+45>:    lea    0x1(%rcx),%esi
   0x0000000000400ffe <+48>:    callq  0x400fce <func4>
   0x0000000000401003 <+53>:    lea    0x1(%rax,%rax,1),%eax
   0x0000000000401007 <+57>:    add    $0x8,%rsp
   0x000000000040100b <+61>:    retq

Line <+29> indicates that it needs two inputs. Also at <+14>, x/s 0x4025cf outputs %d %d.

Line <+34> expects the first input to be less than 14. The first int is stored in %edi and func4 is called. Line <+20> and <+41> compare the value of %edi with %ecx. In the first condition, it checks if its lesser than equal to, jumps to <+41> if true. If second condition is true, it exits the function. By running the code, we can see that %edi is 7. If the first int is 7, both the conditions match and we can exit the function.

<phase_4+69> expects the second int to be 0.

Solution: 7 0

Phase 5

   0x0000000000401062 <+0>:     push   %rbx
   0x0000000000401063 <+1>:     sub    $0x20,%rsp
   0x0000000000401067 <+5>:     mov    %rdi,%rbx
   0x000000000040106a <+8>:     mov    %fs:0x28,%rax
   0x0000000000401073 <+17>:    mov    %rax,0x18(%rsp)
   0x0000000000401078 <+22>:    xor    %eax,%eax
   0x000000000040107a <+24>:    callq  0x40131b <string_length>
   0x000000000040107f <+29>:    cmp    $0x6,%eax
   0x0000000000401082 <+32>:    je     0x4010d2 <phase_5+112>
   0x0000000000401084 <+34>:    callq  0x40143a <explode_bomb>
   0x0000000000401089 <+39>:    jmp    0x4010d2 <phase_5+112>
   0x000000000040108b <+41>:    movzbl (%rbx,%rax,1),%ecx
   0x000000000040108f <+45>:    mov    %cl,(%rsp)
   0x0000000000401092 <+48>:    mov    (%rsp),%rdx
   0x0000000000401096 <+52>:    and    $0xf,%edx
   0x0000000000401099 <+55>:    movzbl 0x4024b0(%rdx),%edx
   0x00000000004010a0 <+62>:    mov    %dl,0x10(%rsp,%rax,1)
   0x00000000004010a4 <+66>:    add    $0x1,%rax
   0x00000000004010a8 <+70>:    cmp    $0x6,%rax
   0x00000000004010ac <+74>:    jne    0x40108b <phase_5+41>
   0x00000000004010ae <+76>:    movb   $0x0,0x16(%rsp)
   0x00000000004010b3 <+81>:    mov    $0x40245e,%esi
   0x00000000004010b8 <+86>:    lea    0x10(%rsp),%rdi
   0x00000000004010bd <+91>:    callq  0x401338 <strings_not_equal>
   0x00000000004010c2 <+96>:    test   %eax,%eax
   0x00000000004010c4 <+98>:    je     0x4010d9 <phase_5+119>
   0x00000000004010c6 <+100>:   callq  0x40143a <explode_bomb>
   0x00000000004010cb <+105>:   nopl   0x0(%rax,%rax,1)
   0x00000000004010d0 <+110>:   jmp    0x4010d9 <phase_5+119>
   0x00000000004010d2 <+112>:   mov    $0x0,%eax
   0x00000000004010d7 <+117>:   jmp    0x40108b <phase_5+41>
   0x00000000004010d9 <+119>:   mov    0x18(%rsp),%rax
   0x00000000004010de <+124>:   xor    %fs:0x28,%rax
   0x00000000004010e7 <+133>:   je     0x4010ee <phase_5+140>
   0x00000000004010e9 <+135>:   callq  0x400b30 <__stack_chk_fail@plt>
   0x00000000004010ee <+140>:   add    $0x20,%rsp
   0x00000000004010f2 <+144>:   pop    %rbx
   0x00000000004010f3 <+145>:   retq

Line <+29> indicates that it should be a string of length 6. Line <+81> shows that a constant value is stored in %esi (2nd arg for a function call). x/s 0x40245e = "flyers". So this means our input (%rsi), should be flyers.

But the code goes into a loop (<+41> to <+74>) Basically, for every letter from input.

the low 4 bits are extracted.
Maps the letter based on its low 4 bits. %edx = %rdx + 0x4024b0

x/s 0x4024b0 shows maduiersnfotvbyl. Let's call this map_string The mapping works this way a -> 0x61 -> low 4 bits = 1 ->map_string[1]-> a i -> 0x69 -> low 4 bits = 9 ->map_string[9]-> f So now we need an input string that gets mapped to flyers

maduiersnfotvbyl
0123456789ABCDEF

Solution: ionefg