Workshops - Thursday 12/03/2026

Introduction to reverse engineering and binary exploitation

- BlackHoodie

Tickets

Tickets are free and this workshop is primarily intended for women and gender-diverse participants (women/x) as part of BlackHoodie’s mission to create a supportive learning environment.

Your registration includes lunch and also grants you a ticket for the BSides Limburg conference the next day.

General information

9:00 - 17:00

In this class, you will learn the fundamentals of reverse engineering and binary exploitation on Intel x86-64 systems. You will explore how compiled programs work at a low level, how to analyze ELF binaries using command-line tools and disassemblers, and how to identify simple vulnerabilities in real code.

Course Overview

This workshop introduces the fundamentals of reverse engineering Intel x86-64 binaries and exploiting a simple buffer overflow vulnerability to achieve code execution on a vulnerable server. Such exercises, commonly referred to as pwn challenges, provide a practical entry point into binary exploitation and offer valuable insight into the behavior of low-level programs.

Participants will examine how compiled binaries can be analyzed through disassembly and decompilation into assembly and pseudo-C code. The workshop will also cover common binary protection mechanisms that increase the difficulty of exploiting buffer overflow vulnerabilities. In addition, attendees will learn about the ELF binary format, techniques for analyzing ELF files, and the use of command-line tools to extract relevant information. Disassemblers and decompilers will be used throughout the session to assist in identifying and understanding vulnerabilities.

Prerequisites

Basic programming experience in C and Python.
Familiarity with the Linux command line (navigating directories, running commands, editing files).
A laptop with Docker installed.

Target Audience

This is a beginner-friendly course; an affinity with programming is recommended.

The workshop is organized to support women and gender-diverse participants and is delivered in a learning environment created by women, for women/x.

Trainer

Paula M. (pamoutaf) has a background in penetration testing and, as part of a career switch, she has been developing expertise in reverse engineering and binary exploitation. She has attended BlackHoodie trainings in the past and also recently given a training at Hexacon 2025. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamoutaf/