Identifying hard coded credentials with ltrace

As we move into the dynamic analysis phase of our methodology, we have more than just a few options to help us to identify vulnerabilities in any binary we analyze. One such option is the ltrace tool. This tool, as explained in previous chapters, helps us to trace each library call within a running binary. So, based on our static analysis, and if we choose not to convert each byte into ASCII, we could use this tool to help to identify hardcoded passwords or credentials within a binary we're analyzing. In this recipe, we'll see how the ltrace tool can help us to identify hardcoded, potentially sensitive, information within a binary. This won't be a long exercise but it's important we understand how this, like any tool really, can help us in our analysis tasks.

...