P01NT

Introduction to Reverse Engineering

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0300

Bismillah

Introduction

From childhood, human beings possess an innate curiosity to understand “how things work?”. It is this curiosity that drives a child to break apart a favorite toy in order to see the small motor inside it. In the advanced world of technology, this curiosity evolves into a precise and critical engineering discipline known as reverse engineering.

Most computer users may not have heard of reverse engineering before, perhaps because it is not as widespread as the field of hacking, or perhaps because they know it by another term, namely “cracking”.

Fundamentals of Reverse Engineering

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0300

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In this article we will review the foundational disciplines that must be learned before embarking on the field of reverse engineering. We have distilled this knowledge from several international references and formulated it into Arabic explanations and series that we published on the “Arabic Shell Network” (Shabakat Shill al-Arabiya), and we append them here along with the original references at the end of each section.

To begin, every field has fundamentals that cannot be overlooked, and learning them is an obligation, for they will be the launching point of the journey of empowerment that we strive toward, God willing.

Windows Architecture & PE Format

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0300

Bismillah

Have you ever wondered how programs operate within systems? Or has the following thought occurred to you: what is the difference between an ordinary user and a developer in terms of their understanding of the systems they interact with?

God willing, in this article we will clarify the executable file format in Windows and discuss some important matters regarding Windows architecture that we must not be ignorant of.

Before beginning, if you do not have sufficient knowledge of operating systems, we advise you to review the following series: 🔗 Operating Systems Series on the Shell Network

Recognizing C Code Constructs in Assembly

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0300

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When beginning to work with Assembly language, one invariably perceives a degree of difficulty owing to its low-level nature, in contrast to higher-level languages such as C or Python. In this research, we attempt to simplify assembly code so that it may be more readily understood.

The premise of this article is that we will author a simple program in C, compile it into x86 Assembly, and then explain the operations that occur in order to analyze the control flow.

Cyber Attack Lifecycle

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0300

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When engaging with malicious software (malware) that warrants examination, one must understand the mindset of the adversary and the objectives they pursue. Therefore, in this research we examine the attack lifecycle and explain several fundamental concepts in malware development.

The attack cycle is divided into three principal stages:

Figure (1): Illustration of the attack lifecycle.

Stage 1: Initial Access

This stage focuses on breaching the initial defensive perimeter and gaining a foothold within the target system.

Basic Reconnaissance

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0300

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Whenever we intend to analyze any file, we follow the steps below, irrespective of whether the objective is to determine whether the file is benign or contains malware, or even whether we intend to crack its protection:

The 4 Stages of Analysis

Basic Static Analysis: This analysis does not require deep technical expertise, but relies entirely on tools that operate automatically (such as VirusTotal). It reveals indicators that show whether the file is a virus or not.

RE Toolkit: Disassemblers & Debuggers

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0300

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Having completed the basic analysis (Basic Analysis), we proceed to the advanced analysis (Advanced Analysis). In this article, we examine the principal disassembler and debugger tools employed to analyze binaries, providing a concise and rapid overview. During hands-on application, these tools will be explored in greater depth and detail.

Disassemblers

These tools are used to read a program without executing it (Static Analysis), analogous to reading a map to identify directions and terrain before commencing a journey.

The Reverse Engineer's Mindset

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0300

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The reverse engineer does not perceive code merely as complex programming instructions, but rather as a “black box” with inputs and outputs. In this article, we discuss how the reverse engineer’s mindset is built and how to infer the hidden programmatic logic.

The Scenario

Imagine we are confronted with a locked electronic door. This door opens only if a single correct character is entered from the keyboard. We have only the keyboard and a small screen that displays a single message upon each input attempt.

Static Lab

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0300

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In this article, we will solve a simple lab challenge that relies entirely on static analysis (Static Analysis). The objective here is to apply the concepts learned previously to decrypt the flag hidden within the program.

Lab environment setup: You may download the executable for this lab from the following link 5t4t1c_cr4ckm3 in the course repository. The archive password is: p01nt

To open this file you must open it inside a VM. Although I am the one who designed this file, never trust the cyber community. We will run the file with the following command

Dynamic Lab

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0300

Bismillah

In this article, we will solve a simple lab challenge that relies entirely on dynamic analysis using the x64dbg debugger. We assess that the exercise demonstrates how to bypass anti-debugging mechanisms and how to patch the program’s execution flow so that it accepts any key we provide.

Lab environment setup: The executable for this lab can be downloaded from the following link dyn4m1c_cr4ckm3 in the course repository. Archive password: p01nt

After That

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0300

Bismillah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and companions and those who follow him.

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, by whose favor and guidance the Entry P01NT workshop has been completed. I ask Allah to record for you beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds through it, and that it be a good beginning for you.

The Road Ahead

Reverse engineering is not merely reading articles; it is practice, experimentation, and building muscle memory in handling tools and analyzing code. Accordingly, we have prepared a simple roadmap for you:

Flare-On 2015: Solving Challenge 1

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0300

بسم الله

In this article, we are going to solve the first challenge of Flare-On (2015). As usual, we will rely on the Learning-by-Doing methodology and the Just-in-Time Learning approach.

1. Downloading and Running the Challenge

First, we download the challenge from the official website: flare-on.com

Archive password: flare.

Let’s start by running the file we have in front of us:

Figure (1): Running the file for the first time

Flare-On 2014: Solving Challenge 1

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:30:00 +0300

بسم الله

In this article, we are going to solve the first challenge of Flare-On (2014). We will rely — for this challenge and for most of the upcoming ones — on the Just-in-Time Learning methodology, also known as Learning-by-Doing.

Why Did We Start with Flare-On?

Because these challenges are built around real-world techniques, and they are not just artificial CTF puzzles as commonly presented in competitions.

Important note: CTF challenges are only a bridge between theoretical learning and hands-on practice. They do not, in any way, prove that you are an expert in the field. Real experience is gained by working with real-world programs — whether malware, games, or software we reverse engineer.

About

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

I’m P01NT (@outofsrvc), a technical researcher specializing in reverse engineering, malware analysis, and low-level systems.

My focus is on dissecting executables (PE Format), analyzing malware encryption, and studying system behavior. I created the Entry P01NT workshop to make reverse engineering and disassembly concepts approachable. I have also published many technical articles that have exceeded 10,000+ views on the Arab Shell Network.

This blog is where I write down what I learn: technical articles, analyses, and a complete teaching workshop.

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Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000