Vector35 / Vector35/binaryninja-api

Strings sidebar Refs column is empty for all strings on certain binaries

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C++
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Description

Version and Platform (required):

  • Binary Ninja Version: 6.1.10562-dev
  • OS: Windows 11
  • OS Version: 10.0.26200 N/A Build 26200
  • CPU Architecture: x64

Bug Description:
On certain binaries, the "Refs" column in the Strings sidebar is empty for all strings, even for strings such as "Hello, world!", "argc: %d", and "argv[%d]: %s" that are clearly referenced by code in the binary. The Refs column should show a reference count for these strings.

Steps To Reproduce:

  1. Open the affected binary in Binary Ninja
  2. Open the Strings sidebar
  3. Observe that the "Refs" column is empty for all listed strings

Expected Behavior:
The "Refs" column in the Strings sidebar should display the number of references for each string, where applicable.

Screenshots/Video Recording:

Image

Binary:
helloworld.exe

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First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by opening the linked helloworld.exe binary on Windows 11 and inspecting the Strings sidebar, focusing on the Refs column for strings such as "Hello, world!" and the format strings. Trace how the sidebar obtains reference counts for these strings and compare it with a binary where the column works; done means applicable references are displayed.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
reverse-engineering
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Active
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
58/100

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