ida-headless-mcp

🥈Silver

ida-headless-mcp enables automated binary analysis using IDA Pro via Model Context Protocol. Operations teams benefit from multi-session concurrency for reverse engineering tasks. Connects to Claude Desktop, Claude Code, and CLI tools.

10230Updated 2w ago

Intermediate30min to implementautomation

Saves ~180 min per use

Quick InstallView Source

git clone https://github.com/zboralski/ida-headless-mcp.git

Works with:

Claude

Overview

About This Skill

How to Use

["Install ida-headless-mcp via pip (e.g., `pip install ida-headless-mcp`) and ensure IDA Pro is installed with a valid license. Set up your environment by running `ida-mcp --setup` in the terminal to configure multi-session support.","Prepare your binary file and analysis goals. Run `ida-mcp --analyze /path/to/binary --sessions 4 --goals hook_detection` in Claude Code or the CLI to start concurrent reverse engineering sessions.","Connect to Claude Desktop for session management. Use `claude --mcp-session /tmp/ida_sessions` to monitor progress and log findings to your specified output destination.","Generate a summary report of your findings. Use `ida-mcp --report /tmp/ida_sessions --output /path/to/report.md` in the terminal to compile results into a Markdown report for further analysis.","Tips: For better results, ensure your binary file is properly formatted and that your analysis goals are specific and measurable. Use the `--debug` flag in ida-headless-mcp to log detailed session information for troubleshooting."]

Setup & Installation

Quick Install

No install command available. Check the GitHub repository for manual installation instructions.

Alternative Install (Git Clone)

git clone https://github.com/zboralski/ida-headless-mcp

Requirements

Claude Code or compatible AI agent
Works with: Claude

Quick Start Guide

Install the Skill

Copy the install command above and run it in your terminal.

Open Your AI Agent

Launch Claude Code, Cursor, or your preferred AI coding agent.

Try It Out

Use the prompt template or examples below to test the skill.

Customize

Adapt the skill to your specific use case and workflow.

Usage Examples

Prompt Template

Use ida-headless-mcp to automate binary analysis for [BINARY_FILE]. Run [NUM_SESSIONS] concurrent reverse engineering sessions targeting [ANALYSIS_GOALS]. For each session, log findings to [OUTPUT_DESTINATION]. Generate a summary report of discovered vulnerabilities or anti-patterns. Example: 'Analyze the firmware for ST-Link-V3 using ida-headless-mcp. Run 4 concurrent reverse engineering sessions targeting function hook detection. For each session, log findings to /tmp/ida_sessions. Generate a summary report of discovered vulnerabilities.'

Example Output

The ida-headless-mcp system processed the ST-Link firmware (v1.8.2) across 4 concurrent reverse engineering sessions, each targeting different aspects of the binary. Session 1 focused on extracting the function names from the .text section, revealing 1,247 functions with unique naming conventions. Session 2 analyzed the .rodata section for potential string obfuscation, identifying 3 anti-patterns where strings were split or encoded in ways that could bypass simple detection tools. Session 3 examined the .data section for potential data structure corruption, discovering a corrupted linked list in the 'network_stats' structure that could lead to memory corruption if left unchecked. Session 4 targeted the .idata section for potential indirect function call obfuscation, finding 2 instances where indirect calls were used to hide the true destination of the function. 

Across all sessions, the system logged 15 potential vulnerabilities, including a memory corruption risk in the 'network_stats' structure and a potential bypass tool risk in the string obfuscation anti-patterns. The summary report generated by the system highlighted these vulnerabilities, suggesting specific next steps for the operations team to address them. For example, the report suggested running additional static analysis tools to confirm the memory corruption risk and updating the bypass detection tools to account for the string obfuscation anti-patterns. 

The ida-headless-mcp system connected seamlessly to the operations team's existing workflows, including the use of Claude Desktop for session management and CLI tools for report generation. The system's ability to run multi-session concurrency for reverse engineering tasks made it a valuable asset for the operations team, enabling them to process large amounts of binary data efficiently and identify potential risks or anti-patterns quickly. 

The value of the ida-headless-mcp system lay in its specific capabilities for binary analysis automation, including its ability to connect to IDA Pro via Model Context Protocol and its support for multi-session concurrency. These capabilities made the system a powerful tool for operations teams looking to automate their reverse engineering tasks and process large amounts of binary data efficiently.