diff options
| author | Jordan Wiens <jordan@psifertex.com> | 2025-04-17 17:32:57 +0100 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Peter LaFosse <peter@vector35.com> | 2025-04-18 08:09:12 -0400 |
| commit | 2ac9524a056b108a4cfada68f493b71b17587bd8 (patch) | |
| tree | 9c58b6fa05dcda68b32bc9a639a5ef736cc61567 /docs/guide/kernelcache.md | |
| parent | 00801c452ec87a10069d85b28b36a16e2b90b8a0 (diff) | |
edits to ksc docs
Diffstat (limited to 'docs/guide/kernelcache.md')
| -rw-r--r-- | docs/guide/kernelcache.md | 27 |
1 files changed, 14 insertions, 13 deletions
diff --git a/docs/guide/kernelcache.md b/docs/guide/kernelcache.md index d8d4cd11..7615a9d9 100644 --- a/docs/guide/kernelcache.md +++ b/docs/guide/kernelcache.md @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ Kernel Cache support in Binary Ninja provides you with tools to selectively load specific images, search for specific symbols, and follow analysis references between any images loaded from an `kernelcache` in one view. -Our support for `kernelcache` is largely open source. The supporting code can can be found in our public API repository [here](https://github.com/Vector35/binaryninja-api/tree/dev/view/kernelcache). Instructions for setting up your development environment and building plugins like this yourself can be found in our [Developer Guide](../dev/plugins.md#writing-native-plugins). Contributions are welcome! +Our support for `kernelcache` is largely open source. The supporting code can be found in our public API repository [here](https://github.com/Vector35/binaryninja-api/tree/dev/view/kernelcache). Instructions for setting up your development environment and building plugins like this yourself can be found in our [Developer Guide](../dev/plugins.md#writing-native-plugins). Contributions are welcome! ## Support Matrix @@ -18,36 +18,37 @@ List of supported features for the given `kernelcache` targets: - **Core**: Core functionality, such as loading, navigating, and analyzing `kernelcache` files. - **Objective-C**: Support for analyzing Objective-C information and symbols within the `kernelcache`. -**Note:** *In general, this plugin does not support `kernelcache` files that are not in `MH_FILESET` format at this time.* +???+ Note "Note" + This plugin currently only supports `kernelcache` files in the `MH_FILESET` format. ## Obtaining a Kernel Cache -The `kernelcache` is a file that contains all the kernel and all of its extensions used by modern Apple operating systems (like macOS, iOS, and tvOS). These can be obtained directly from Apple, or with the help of a tool such as `blacktop/ipsw`. +The `kernelcache` is a file that contains all of the kernel and its extensions used by modern Apple operating systems like macOS, iOS, and tvOS. These can be obtained directly from Apple, or with the help of a tool such as [`blacktop/ipsw`](#using-blacktopipsw). A `kernelcache` should typically be automatically decompressed by Binary Ninja. If automatic decompression fails, Binary Ninja can still load caches decompressed by other tools as long as they are valid `MH_FILESET` Mach-O files. -### With `blacktop/ipsw` +### Using `blacktop/ipsw` -Our recommended way to retrieve a `kernelcache` is using blacktop's wonderful [`ipsw` tool](https://github.com/blacktop/ipsw). +Our recommended way to retrieve a `kernelcache` is using blacktop's [`ipsw` tool](https://github.com/blacktop/ipsw). 1. [Install blacktop/ipsw](https://github.com/blacktop/ipsw?tab=readme-ov-file#install) 2. Run `ipsw download ipsw --version [target iOS version] --device [target device model (e.g. iPhone10,3)]` 3. Run `ipsw extract --kernel [filename]` -### From Local macOS Install +### Local macOS Install -Getting to the local `kernelcache` on macOS is not the easiest. Try some of the following: +Getting to the local `kernelcache` on macOS depends on the specific version. Try some of the following: -* `/System/Library/Kernel/`, which should have the `kernel`, but not necessarily the extensions - * `/System/Library/Extensions/` should have each of the individual extensions -* `/System/Library/PrelinkedKernels/`, which should have the full `kernelcache`, but may not exist on earlier versions of macOS -* `/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kernelcaches/`, which may be empty -* `/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/kernelcache/`, which may be empty + * `/System/Library/Kernel/`, which should have the `kernel`, but not necessarily the extensions + * `/System/Library/Extensions/` should have each of the individual extensions + * `/System/Library/PrelinkedKernels/`, which should have the full `kernelcache`, but may not exist on earlier versions of macOS + * `/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kernelcaches/`, which may be empty + * `/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kext.caches/Startup/kernelcache/`, which may be empty ## Interacting With a Kernel Cache -After opening a `kernelcache`, you will be provided a custom binary view. Due to the large size of these files, we do not load all the information into the binary view by default. Instead, we do this selectively. +After opening a `kernelcache`, you will be provided a custom binary view. Due to the large size of these files, we do not load all the information into the binary view by default. Instead, this is done on-demand and selectively. ### Kernel Cache Triage (KCTriage) |
