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Competition Firmware Layout

Maps firmware images, partitions, boot chains and configs for CTF sandbox work

Source Download skill
Repository
zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill
Stars
43,969
Licence
MIT
Files
3 files

What it does

This skill guides an AI agent through analysing a firmware image used in a capture-the-flag (CTF) style security exercise. It helps the agent identify the image's container, partition layout, bootloader, kernel, filesystem, config files and update metadata, then trace how control moves through the boot or update chain to find where a device exposes a service, credential or flag. It is designed as a downstream add-on to a separate orchestrator skill and is meant to be used only after that orchestrator has set the sandbox assumptions.

Great for

  • Students working on CTF firmware challenges who need a structured layout and boot-chain walkthrough
  • Security researchers doing authorised analysis of embedded device firmware in a lab sandbox
  • Developers who want an agent to explain how a firmware image is partitioned and booted

Skip it if

  • Analysing real, production or third-party devices without authorisation, since the skill focuses on recovering keys, credentials and auth bypasses
  • Users who have not set up the companion ctf-sandbox-orchestrator skill, because the SKILL.md says this skill should not be used without it
  • Pure native crash or exploit-development work, which the skill itself says should be handled by the broader reverse skill

Try asking

  • “Unpack this firmware image and map its partition table, bootloader and rootfs layout”
  • “Trace the update package verification chain and tell me where the signing key is loaded”
  • “Show the smallest path from the firmware's init scripts to the exposed debug service in this CTF image”
  • “Explain how the device's config file is loaded at boot and which credentials it consumes”
Step-by-step guide: how to use Competition Firmware LayoutInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

Install in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Download the skill

    The ZIP contains the 3 original files, the MIT licence and an attribution note.

    competition-firmware-layout.zip
  2. 2

    Add it to your agent

    Claude Code (all projects)

    mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && unzip competition-firmware-layout.zip -d ~/.claude/skills/

    Claude Code / Agent SDK (this project only)

    mkdir -p .claude/skills && unzip competition-firmware-layout.zip -d .claude/skills/

    Claude apps (web/desktop): Settings → Capabilities → Skills → Upload skill, and choose the ZIP.

  3. 3

    Ask for the task

    No special command needed — the agent reads the skill's description and loads it when your request matches. Try one of the prompts above.

Get better results

  • Run the ctf-sandbox-orchestrator skill first so sandbox assumptions and evidence priorities are set, as the skill requires.
  • Keep the original firmware image separate from extracted and patched copies, as the skill recommends, so results stay reproducible.
  • Ask the agent to reply in English if you do not want the default Simplified Chinese output.

What's inside

  • agents/openai.yaml
  • references/firmware-layout.md
  • SKILL.md

Redistributed unmodified from zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill under the MIT licence. The assessment was drafted with AI from the skill's files on 2026-10-29. Skills can instruct your agent to run code — read SKILL.md and any scripts before installing.