Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Anti-Reversing Techniques agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The anti-reversing-techniques skill is a reference playbook for an AI agent working on software protections, such as anti-debugging checks, timing checks, packers and virtual machine detection. It is meant for malware analysts, CTF players and security researchers who are working within authorized scope. After this guide you will know how to install the skill, how to phrase requests so the agent uses it, and which safety limits apply.
Anti-Reversing Techniqueswshobson/agents · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it on your computer.
- 2Place the folder. Move the unzipped skill folder into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- 3Or upload it in the apps. In the Claude apps, open Settings → Capabilities → Skills and upload the skill there.
- 4Confirm authorization. State that you have written permission or a legitimate context such as a CTF or malware analysis before you begin.
- 5Describe the task. Name the binary, the platform and the protection or goal, for example identifying an anti-debugging check.
- 6Review the output. Check the named technique, the suggested bypass and any scripts against your own analysis before using them.
What the skill makes the agent do
When you ask about a protection mechanism, the skill tells the agent to name the technique, explain where it typically sits in a binary, and suggest how an analyst might get past it during authorized work. The skill's stated outputs are a protection identification, a bypass strategy, a structured analysis report and code artifacts such as Python or IDAPython scripts, GDB command sequences or C stubs.
The skill also covers troubleshooting. For example, it explains why a detection technique that works on x86 (RDTSC, CPUID) needs different checks on ARM, and how to avoid false positives when a legitimate monitoring tool inflates timing measurements.
Install the skill from the ZIP file
Download the ZIP for this skill from this page and unzip it. The skill folder contains SKILL.md, references/details.md and references/advanced-techniques.md.
For a personal install across all your projects, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. To limit it to a single project, unzip it into that project's .claude/skills/ folder instead.
If you use the Claude apps rather than a local setup, you can upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project install: .claude/skills/ inside your project
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Trigger the skill with natural requests
You do not need to type a special command. The skill's description lists the situations it covers, so describe your task in those terms. Mention the binary or sample, the platform (Windows x86/x64, Linux, macOS or ARM) and your goal, such as identifying a protection or building a detection routine.
State your authorization context up front. The skill asks the agent to confirm explicit written permission or a legitimate setting such as a CTF, an authorized pentest, malware analysis or security research.
- Analyze how this malware sample checks for a debugger and which protection it uses.
- I'm solving a CTF anti-debugging challenge. Explain the ptrace check and how to handle it in GDB.
- This packed binary is mine to test. Identify the packer and suggest how to unpack it for analysis.
- Help me write a detection routine that spots a virtualized environment for my security research tool.
Example: identifying and handling a protection
Suppose you are analyzing a Windows binary that exits when it detects a debugger. The reference material lists the common API-based checks, including IsDebuggerPresent, CheckRemoteDebuggerPresent and NtQueryInformationProcess with ProcessDebugPort. Ask the agent to name the check it finds and to suggest a handling approach.
The reference notes that ScyllaHide, a plugin for x64dbg, patches many common checks automatically. For packed files, the advanced reference lists packers such as UPX and suggests identifying the packer first with tools like DIE, Exeinfo PE, PEiD or detect-it-easy.
upx -d packed.exeKnow what it needs and what it runs
The skill lists no required software, packages or accounts. It does not run scripts and does not use the network. The agent still works through whatever tools you give it, so the analysis tools you use (debuggers, disassemblers, packers utilities) are your responsibility to install.
- Requires: nothing listed
- Runs scripts: no
- Uses network: no
Safety notes before you start
The skill is dual-use. It warns that bypassing software protection may violate laws such as the CFAA or the DMCA anti-circumvention rules. Only use it on software you own, have written permission to test, or are analyzing within a legitimate context such as malware analysis or a CTF.
The skill is not meant for piracy or for removing license checks from commercial software, and its own authorization notice warns against this. If your goal is one of those, pick a different resource.
Tips for better results
Give the agent the platform and the exact protection name or symptom. Answers differ greatly between x86 and ARM, and between Windows and Linux.
If a bypass crashes the program, ask the agent to trace the detected branch before patching. The troubleshooting notes warn that NOPing a conditional jump can skip heap setup the program needs later.
- Name the platform and architecture in every request.
- Share the protection name or the exact error behaviour you observe.
- Ask for a calibrated threshold when a timing check fires on a legitimate tool.
What people use it for
- Identifying which anti-debugging API a Windows malware sample calls
- Planning how to unpack a UPX-packed file for analysis
- Writing a GDB command sequence for a CTF anti-debugging challenge
- Handling a timing check that fires falsely under a monitoring tool
- Adapting a ptrace check when moving a tool from x86 to ARM
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the anti-reversing-techniques skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one project. You can also upload it in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Does the anti-reversing-techniques skill need anything else installed?
The skill lists no required software. It does not run scripts or use the network, but the debuggers and analysis tools you use alongside it must be installed by you.
Is the anti-reversing-techniques skill free?
The skill is released under the MIT licence, as listed on this page. Check the licence file in the repository for the exact terms.
Can I use this skill to bypass a license check?
No. The skill's authorization notice warns against removing license checks from commercial software, and bypassing protection on software you do not own or have permission to test may violate laws such as the CFAA or DMCA anti-circumvention rules.
Why does a bypass work on x86 but fail on ARM?
Techniques such as RDTSC and CPUID are x86-only, and PEB/TEB do not exist on ARM. The troubleshooting notes say to rebuild the detection logic with platform-specific APIs for the target architecture.
What is the difference between this skill and a debugger or packer tool?
The skill is a reference playbook that the agent reads to name protections and write helper code. It does not replace tools like x64dbg, GDB, or UPX, which you still run yourself.
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Our verdict
This skill suits malware analysts, CTF players and security researchers who work within written permission or a recognised legitimate context and want an agent that names protections and writes helper code. It is a poor fit for anyone trying to crack commercial software or bypass licensing, and it does not replace hands-on analysis tools.
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