Software reverse engineering crash course: From Zero to F

This seminar offers a concise introduction to software reverse engineering, with an emphasis on static analysis of Windows executables. Starting from first principles, participants learn how executables are constructed and how they interact with the operating system. The seminar covers executable structure (the PE format), core computer architecture concepts, x86/x64 assembly fundamentals, and hands-on static analysis using the open-source reverse engineering framework Ghidra. It also introduces techniques commonly used by malware, such as obfuscation, packing, and basic evasion strategies. Special attention is given to state-of-the-art methods for assisting reverse engineering with Large Language Models. By the end of the seminar, participants will be able to methodically analyze unknown Windows binaries, understand their structure and low-level behavior, identify common malware techniques, and leverage modern approaches to support and accelerate the reverse engineering process.