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TIL you can de-obfuscate code with ChatGPT

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Re: TIL you can de-obfuscate code with ChatGPT

#31

Is it correct though? I’ve been toying around with ChatGPT for a few weeks now and I encountered a few situations in which ChatGPT was like 90% accurate at best. Things like suggesting snippets of configuration files or plugin research. It’s good to get an idea and get started somewhere, but I certainly cannot trust it blindly.

In my experience, ChatGPT often comes up with pseudo syntax.

Re: TIL you can de-obfuscate code with ChatGPT

#32
post #5

More like: "ChatGPT can pretend to deobfuscate the code"

Are you disagreeing with the deobfuscation that ChatGPT produced?

According to Alex's own tweet, ChatGPT originally produced the obfuscated code too.

In my head, this is like asking someone to translate "Hello" into French and then asking them to translate "Bonjour" back to English. It proves nothing about capabilities or usefulness.

Re: TIL you can de-obfuscate code with ChatGPT

#33
post #5

More like: "ChatGPT can pretend to deobfuscate the code"

Are you disagreeing with the deobfuscation that ChatGPT produced?

I'm disagreeing that the obfuscated code even works. You shoudn't be able to deobfuscate code that doesn't work and get a resulting code that works.

Re: TIL you can de-obfuscate code with ChatGPT

#34
post #9

Could this be taken to the extreme by asking it to decompile assembly?

From my own research, ctf tools like angr can build AST trees, so I'm working on the thinking I can train the AI to review interesting parts of the execution tree. happy to get feedback or papers since this has been the most interesting find so far https://arxiv.org/abs/1906.12029

Re: TIL you can de-obfuscate code with ChatGPT

#35

I have to say, I find all the comments dismissing ChatGPT hilarious. I read them in a funny grandpa voice. However, we should look past the insignificant details. The main achievement is that we now have a really capable unstructured text-to-computer interface. We can hook it up to anything and it will give us answers with whatever properties we desire, in whatever shape we can think of.

I know, all those frusty old grumpyboots who actually want the thing to return factually accurate answers and valid code.

Just be happy with plausible sounding answers people. Sheesh!

Re: TIL you can de-obfuscate code with ChatGPT

#36
post #9

Could this be taken to the extreme by asking it to decompile assembly?

I previously did this. I wrote a naive integer factorization program in C, compiled it, extracted the disassembly and intentionally broke it. It generated a working c function they was almost correct given the broken assembly. I then “talked” with it to improve the code, even suggested that the original disassembly contained an error. It was surprisingly good.

Note: I broke the disassembly intentionally because when I presented the original disassembly it immediately outputted the/a C program to factorize integers.

Re: TIL you can de-obfuscate code with ChatGPT

#37
post #9

Could this be taken to the extreme by asking it to decompile assembly?

I've been using it paired with Ghidra to give me a better idea of what's going on. It helped me create a no-CD crack for an old game.

Silly idea tho would it be helpful in creating the server side code for an online only game?

I've seen a project for battlefield 3 tho already have the feeling it's a team effort at minimum?

Re: TIL you can de-obfuscate code with ChatGPT

#38
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you disagreeing with the deobfuscation that ChatGPT produced?

According to Alex's own tweet, ChatGPT originally produced the obfuscated code too. In my head, this is like asking someone to translate "Hello" into French and then asking them to translate "Bonjour" back to English. It proves nothing about capabilities or usefulness.

This is the correct response.

Especially given that the "obfuscated code" is not syntactically valid. Even if you repair the syntax, it contains a number of errors, and eventually descends into gibberish (although some of what it does is not bad!). There is nothing to deobfuscate here.

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