PWN Environment Setup

Overview

This skill provides methodology for setting up a complete binary exploitation environment, including tool detection, automatic installation of missing dependencies, and workspace organization for exploit development.

Required Tools

Core Tools (Must Have)

Tool	Purpose	Installation
pwntools	Exploit development framework	pip install pwntools
gdb	Debugger	System package manager
pwndbg	GDB enhancement	git clone https://github.com/pwndbg/pwndbg
checksec	Binary protection checker	Via pwntools or apt install checksec

Recommended Tools

Tool	Purpose	Installation
ROPgadget	ROP gadget finder	pip install ROPgadget
ropper	Alternative gadget finder	pip install ropper
one_gadget	Libc one-shot gadgets	gem install one_gadget
seccomp-tools	Seccomp filter analyzer	gem install seccomp-tools
radare2	Disassembler/debugger	System package manager

Environment Verification Process

Step 1: Check Python Environment

Verify Python 3.8+ is available:

python3 --version

Check if pwntools is installed and functional:

python3 -c "from pwn import *; print(f'pwntools {pwnlib.version.__version__}')"

Step 2: Check GDB and Extensions

Verify GDB is installed:

gdb --version

Check for pwndbg by looking for its initialization:

gdb -q -ex "show configuration" -ex "quit" 2>&1 | grep -i pwndbg || echo "pwndbg not detected"

Step 3: Check Binary Analysis Tools

Run the tool verification script at ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/environment-setup/scripts/check-tools.sh to verify all tools.

Step 4: Auto-Install Missing Python Packages

For missing Python packages, install via pip:

pip install pwntools ROPgadget ropper

For Ruby gems (one_gadget, seccomp-tools):

gem install one_gadget seccomp-tools

Workspace Structure

Create a standard workspace for exploit development:

challenge-name/
├── exploit.py          # Main exploit script
├── solve.py            # Alternative/cleaned exploit
├── notes.md            # Analysis notes
├── core/               # Core dumps
├── libc/               # Libc files if provided
└── .gdbinit            # Project-specific GDB config

To create this structure:

mkdir -p challenge-name/{core,libc}
touch challenge-name/{exploit.py,notes.md,.gdbinit}

GDB Configuration for pwndbg

Create a project-specific .gdbinit:

# Load pwndbg if not auto-loaded
# source ~/pwndbg/gdbinit.py

# Disable ASLR for local testing
set disable-randomization on

# Follow child on fork (useful for some challenges)
set follow-fork-mode child

# Common breakpoints
# b main
# b *vuln_function

# Display useful info on stop
define hook-stop
    info registers
end

Pwntools Context Setup

Initialize pwntools with correct context for the target:

from pwn import *

# Auto-detect from binary
elf = ELF('./binary')
context.binary = elf

# Or manual specification
context.arch = 'amd64'  # or 'i386', 'arm', 'aarch64'
context.os = 'linux'
context.log_level = 'debug'  # 'info', 'warning', 'error'

# For shellcode
context.endian = 'little'

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: pwntools not finding GDB

Ensure GDB is in PATH and pwntools can locate it:

context.terminal = ['tmux', 'splitw', '-h']  # or ['gnome-terminal', '--']

Issue: Permission denied on binary

Make binary executable:

chmod +x ./binary

Issue: libc version mismatch

Use patchelf to set correct interpreter and libc:

patchelf --set-interpreter ./ld-linux.so.2 ./binary
patchelf --set-rpath . ./binary

Output Format

When reporting environment status:

## Environment Setup

### Findings
- Python: 3.11.0
- pwntools: 4.11.0
- GDB: 13.2 with pwndbg
- Missing tools: one_gadget, seccomp-tools

### Actions Taken
- Installed ROPgadget via pip
- Created workspace structure

### Remaining Setup
- Install Ruby gems: gem install one_gadget seccomp-tools
- Configure GDB terminal for pwntools

Additional Resources

Scripts

• scripts/check-tools.sh - Verify all pwn tools are installed
• scripts/setup-workspace.sh - Create standard workspace structure

References

• references/tool-installation.md - Detailed installation guides for each tool
• references/troubleshooting.md - Common setup issues and solutions