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Community / AGENT SKILL
extracting-and-classifying-strings
0
Extracts ASCII and Unicode strings from a binary and classifies them into investigative categories: URLs, IPs, file paths, registry keys, mutexes, commands, and API names, prioritizing the analyst's attention. Activates for requests to extract strings, classify strings output, or pull human-readable artifacts from a sample.
Understand the trade-offs.
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Original instructions from the publisher’s SKILL.md
# Extracting and Classifying Strings ## When to Use - You are triaging a sample and want quick investigative leads from its readable strings. - You need both ASCII and UTF-16LE (Unicode) strings, which many tools miss by default. - You want strings grouped by meaning (URLs, paths, registry, commands) rather than a flat dump. **Do not use** plaintext strings as the whole story for packed/obfuscated samples — the useful strings may be encrypted; pair with entropy checks and deobfuscation (FLOSS) when the dump is sparse. ## Prerequisites - Python (stdlib) or `strings`/FLOSS; the sample handled inertly in the lab. ## Safety & Handling - Extract strings from the inert file; never execute the sample. - Defang any URLs/IPs before putting them in a report or ticket. ## Workflow ### Step 1: Extract ASCII and Unicode strings Pull printable runs at a minimum length (default 4–5) for both ASCII and UTF-16LE encodings to avoid missing Windows wide strings. ```bash python scripts/analyst.py strings sample.bin --min-len 5 ``` ### Step 2: Classify by category Bucket strings into URLs, IPs, domains, file paths, registry keys, mutex/event names, suspicious commands, and API names so leads surface immediately. ### Step 3: Prioritize leads Promote network indicators, command lines, and suspicious API references to the top; defang network artifacts for safe handling. ### Step 4: Recognize obfuscation A near-empty or junk-only dump signals packing/string obfuscation; route to entropy analysis and FLOSS/manual deobfuscation. ## Validation - Both ASCII and Unicode strings are extracted (Windows wide strings are not missed). - Strings are grouped into useful categories, not a flat list. - A sparse/garbage dump is correctly read as an obfuscation signal, not "clean". ## Pitfalls - Extracting ASCII only and missing UTF-16LE strings. - Treating a packed sample's empty dump as benign. - Reporting live URLs/IPs without defanging. ## References - See [`references/api-reference.md`](references/api-reference.md) for the string extractor. - binutils strings and FLOSS (linked in frontmatter).