Vector35 / Vector35/binaryninja-api

Loading images from DSC results in excessive memory consumption

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#6,052 7 comments 2 reactions 1 assignee View on GitHub

@bdash is already working on this.

Since Feb 9, 2026.

File Format: SharedCache State: Awaiting Triage
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Description

Version and Platform (required):

  • Binary Ninja Version: 4.2.6304-dev (65f49c87)
  • OS: macOS
  • OS Version: 15.0
  • CPU Architecture: M1

Bug Description:
I am finding that when analysing dyld shared cache memory consumption becomes excessive relatively quickly. This is both the case in headless and when using the UI. Simply loading multiple images (2, maybe 3), one after the other, results in 10s of GBs of RAM being consumed by Binary Ninja. I've even had macOS run out of RAM because BN was using over 50GBs.

If the database is saved and then Binary Ninja is fully closed and the database re-opened, the amount of RAM usage is at more expected levels (couple of GBs, depending on how many DSC images are loaded).

Steps To Reproduce:

  1. Open a copy of DSC in Binary Ninja
  2. Load an image and wait for analysis to complete (may not be required but things are more stable this way)
  3. Repeat step 2 multiple times (load at least 2 images)
  4. Observe high RAM usage
  5. Save the database
  6. Close and re-open Binary Ninja
  7. Re-open the database
  8. Observe significantly less RAM usage

Binary:
Extract the DSC from any iOS 18+ IPSW. Not sure if its an iOS 18 related issues, its just the ones I've been testing on.

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