Ghidra: Consider using JNI/JNA for Decompiler, Sleigh and PDB?
Requires less resources than invoking an executable
ghidra_9.0/Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/os/win64/decompile.exe
ghidra_9.0/Ghidra/Features/Decompiler/os/win64/sleigh.exe
ghidra_9.0/Ghidra/Features/PDB/os/win64/pdb.exe
dazzleworth
All 2 comments
From $GHIDRA_DIR/docs/GhidraClass/AdvancedDevelopment/GhidraAdvancedDevelopment.html:
- NEVER EVER USE JNI!
- Communicate with a native process using sockets, I/O stream, etc.
saruman9
on 12 Mar 2019
We advise against using JNI when developing extensions for a couple of reasons. First, if there is a problem in an extension's native code, we don't want it to bring down the entire Ghidra process. Second, Ghidra discovers extensions at runtime and adds them to the classpath, but it cannot add native libraries to the process's library search path at runtime for all supported platforms. That would require a custom launch script which would be tough to distribute generically.
The decompiler and other native executables also benefit from the process isolation I mentioned above, at hopefully a lost cost in resources on modern hardware. Also, it might be worth noting that the sleigh executable can be run standalone.
ryanmkurtz
on 12 Mar 2019
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Most helpful comment
We advise against using JNI when developing extensions for a couple of reasons. First, if there is a problem in an extension's native code, we don't want it to bring down the entire Ghidra process. Second, Ghidra discovers extensions at runtime and adds them to the classpath, but it cannot add native libraries to the process's library search path at runtime for all supported platforms. That would require a custom launch script which would be tough to distribute generically.
The decompiler and other native executables also benefit from the process isolation I mentioned above, at hopefully a lost cost in resources on modern hardware. Also, it might be worth noting that the sleigh executable can be run standalone.