PYTHON-PTRACE(1) python-ptrace PYTHON-PTRACE(1)
NAME
python-ptrace - python-ptrace Documentation [image: No Maintenance
Intended] [image]
This project is no longer maintained and is looking for a new
maintainer.
python-ptrace is a debugger using ptrace (Linux, BSD and Darwin system
call to trace processes) written in Python.
o python-ptrace documentation
o python-ptrace at GitHub
o python-ptrace at the Python Cheeseshop (PyPI)
python-ptrace is an opensource project written in Python under GNU
GPLv2 license. It supports Python 3.6 and newer.
FEATURES
o High level Python object API : PtraceDebugger and PtraceProcess
o Able to control multiple processes: catch fork events on Linux
o Read/write bytes to arbitrary address: take care of memory alignment
and split bytes to cpu word
o Execution step by step using ptrace_singlestep() or hardware
interruption 3
o Can use distorm disassembler
o Dump registers, memory mappings, stack, etc.
o Syscall tracer and parser <#syscall> (strace.py command)
Status:
o Supported operating systems: Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD
o Supported architectures: x86, x86_64 (Linux), PPC (Linux), ARM (Linux
EAPI)
Missing features:
o Symbols: it's not possible to break on a function or read a variable
value
o No C language support: debugger shows assembler code, not your C (C++
or other language) code!
o No thread support
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Install python-ptrace
python-ptrace supports Python 3.6 and newer.
Linux packages
o Debian: python-ptrace Debian package .
o Mandriva: python-ptrace Mandriva package
o OpenEmbedded: python-ptrace recipe
o Arch Linux: python-ptrace Arch Linux package
o Gentoo: dev-python/python-ptrace
See also python-ptrace on Python Package Index (PyPI)
Install from source
Download tarball
Get the latest tarball at the Python Package Index (PyPI) .
Download development version
Download the development version using Git:
git clone https://github.com/vstinner/python-ptrace.git
Browse python-ptrace source code .
Option dependency
o distorm disassembler (optional)
Installation
Note: pip is strongly recommanded.
Type as root:
python3 setup.py install
Or using sudo program:
sudo python3 setup.py install
cptrace
For faster debug and to avoid ctypes, you can also install cptrace:
Python binding of the ptrace() function written in C:
python3 setup_cptrace.py install
Run tests
Run tests with tox
To run all tests, just type:
tox
The tox project creates a clean
virtual environment to run tests.
Run tests manually
Type:
python3 runtests.py
python3 test_doc.py
It's also possible to run a specific test:
PYTHONPATH=$PWD python3 tests/test_strace.py
python-ptrace usage
Hello World
Short example attaching a running process. It gets the instruction
pointer, executes a single step, and gets the new instruction pointer:
import ptrace.debugger
import signal
import subprocess
import sys
def debugger_example(pid):
debugger = ptrace.debugger.PtraceDebugger()
print("Attach the running process %s" % pid)
process = debugger.addProcess(pid, False)
# process is a PtraceProcess instance
print("IP before: %#x" % process.getInstrPointer())
print("Execute a single step")
process.singleStep()
# singleStep() gives back control to the process. We have to wait
# until the process is trapped again to retrieve the control on the
# process.
process.waitSignals(signal.SIGTRAP)
print("IP after: %#x" % process.getInstrPointer())
process.detach()
debugger.quit()
def main():
args = [sys.executable, '-c', 'import time; time.sleep(60)']
child_popen = subprocess.Popen(args)
debugger_example(child_popen.pid)
child_popen.kill()
child_popen.wait()
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()
API
PtraceProcess
The PtraceProcess class is an helper to manipulate a traced process.
Example:
tracer = PtraceProcess(pid) # attach the process
tracer.singleStep() # execute one instruction
tracer.cont() # continue execution
tracer.syscall() # break at next syscall
tracer.detach() # detach process
# Get status
tracer.getreg('al') # get AL register value
regs = tracer.getregs() # read all registers
bytes = tracer.readBytes(regs.ax, 10) # read 10 bytes
tracer.dumpCode() # dump code (as assembler or hexa is the disassembler is missing)
tracer.dumpStack() # dump stack (memory words around ESP)
# Modify the process
shellcode = '...'
ip = tracer.getInstrPointer() # get EIP/RIP register
bytes = tracer.writeBytes(ip, shellcode) # write some bytes
tracer.setreg('ebx', 0) # set EBX register value to zero
Read ptrace/debugger/process.py source code to see more methods.
Trace system calls (syscalls)
python-ptrace can trace system calls using PTRACE_SYSCALL.
PtraceSyscall
ptrace.syscall module contains PtraceSyscall class: it's a parser of
Linux syscalls similar to strace program.
Example:
connect(5, , 28) = 0
open('/usr/lib/i686/cmov/libcrypto.so.0.9.8', 0, 0 ) = 4
mmap2(0xb7e87000, 81920, 3, 2066, 4, 297) = 0xb7e87000
rt_sigaction(SIGWINCH, 0xbfb7d4a8, 0xbfb7d41c, 8) = 0
You can get more information: result type, value address, argument
types, and argument names.
Examples:
long open(const char* filename='/usr/lib/i686/cmov/libcrypto.so.0.9.8' at 0xb7efc027, int flags=0, int mode=0 ) = 4
long fstat64(unsigned long fd=4, struct stat* buf=0xbfa46e2c) = 0
long set_robust_list(struct robust_list_head* head=0xb7be5710, size_t len_ptr=12) = 0
strace.py
Program strace.py is very close to strace program: display syscalls of
a program. Example:
Features
o Nice output of signal: see [[signal|python-ptrace signal handling]]
o Supports multiple processes
o Can trace running process
o Can display arguments name, type and address
o Option --filename to show only syscall using file names
o Option --socketcall to show only syscall related to network (socket
usage)
o Option --syscalls to list all known syscalls
Example
$ ./strace.py /bin/ls
execve(/bin/ls, [['/bin/ls'],|[/* 40 vars */]]) = 756
brk(0) = 0x0805c000
access('/etc/ld.so.nohwcap', 0) = -2 (No such file or directory)
mmap2(NULL, 8192, 3, 34, -1, 0) = 0xb7f56000
access('/etc/ld.so.preload', 4) = -2 (No such file or directory)
(...)
close(1) = 0
munmap(0xb7c5c000, 4096) = 0
exit_group(0)
---done---
Options
The program has many options. Example with --socketcall (display only
network functions):
$ ./strace.py --socketcall nc localhost 8080
execve(/bin/nc, [['/bin/nc',|'localhost', '8080']], [[/*|40 vars */]]) = 12948
socket(AF_FILE, SOCK_STREAM, 0) = 3
connect(3, , 110) = -2 (No such file or directory)
socket(AF_FILE, SOCK_STREAM, 0) = 3
connect(3, , 110) = -2 (No such file or directory)
socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 6) = 3
setsockopt(3, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, 3217455272L, 4) = 0
connect(3, , 16) = -111 (Connection refused)
(...)
gdb.py
gdb.py is a command line debugger similar to gdb, but with fewer
features: no symbol support, no C language support, no thread support,
etc.
Some commands
o cont: continue execution
o stepi: execute one instruction
o step: execute one instruction, but don't enter into calls
Type help to list all available commands.
Features
o print command displays value as decimal and hexadecimal, but also the
related memory mapping (if any):
(gdb) print $eip
Decimal: 3086383120
Hexadecimal: 0xb7f67810
Address is part of mapping: 0xb7f67000-0xb7f81000 => /lib/ld-2.6.1.so (r-xp)
o Nice output of signal: see [[signal|python-ptrace signal handling]]
o Syscall tracer with command "sys": see python-ptrace system call
tracer . Short example:
(gdb) sys
long access(char* filename='/etc/ld.so.nohwcap' at 0xb7f7f35b, int mode=F_OK) = -2 (No such file or directory)
o Supports multiple processes:
(gdb) proclist
(active)
(gdb) proc
Process ID: 24187 (parent: 24182)
Process state: T (traced)
Process command line: [['tests/fork_execve']
(...)
(gdb)|switch; proc
Switch to
Process ID: 24188 (parent: 24187)
Process state: T (traced)
Process command line: ['/bin/ls']]
(...)
o Allow multiple commands on the same line using ";" separator:
(gdb) print $eax; set $ax=0xdead; print $eax
Decimal: 0
Hexadecimal: 0x00000000
Set $ax to 57005
Decimal: 57005
Hexadecimal: 0x0000dead
o Only written in pure Python code, so it's easy to extend
o Expression parser supports all arithmetic operator (a+b, a/b, a<
Quit gdb.
python-ptrace process events
Process events
All process events are based on ProcessEvent class.
o ProcessExit: process exited with an exitcode, killed by a signal or
exited abnormally
o ProcessSignal: process received a signal
o NewProcessEvent: new process created, e.g. after a fork() syscall
Attributes:
o All events have a "process" attribute
o ProcessExit has "exitcode" and "signum" attributes (both can be None)
o ProcessSignal has "signum" and "name" attributes
For NewProcessEvent, use process.parent attribute to get the parent
process.
Note: ProcessSignal has a display() method to display its content. Use
it just after receiving the message because it reads process memory to
analyze the reasons why the signal was sent.
Wait for any process event
The most generic function is waitProcessEvent(): it waits for any
process event (exit, signal or new process):
event = debugger.waitProcessEvent()
To wait one or more signals, use waitSignals() methods. With no
argument, it waits for any signal. Events different than signal are
raised as Python exception. Examples:
signal = debugger.waitSignals()
signal = debugger.waitSignals(SIGTRAP)
signal = debugger.waitSignals(SIGINT, SIGTERM)
Note: signal is a ProcessSignal object, use signal.signum to get the
signal number.
Wait for a specific process events
To wait any event from a process, use waitEvent() method:
event = process.waitEvent()
To wait one or more signals, use waitSignals() method. With no
argument, it waits for any signal. Other process events are raised as
Python exception. Examples:
signal = process.waitSignals()
signal = process.waitSignals(SIGTRAP)
signal = process.waitSignals(SIGINT, SIGTERM)
Note: As debugger.waitSignals(), signal is a ProcessSignal object.
python-ptrace signal handling
Introduction
PtraceSignal tries to display useful information when a signal is
received. Depending on the signal number, it shows different
information.
It uses the current instruction decoded as assembler code to understand
why the signal is raised.
Only Intel x86 (i386, maybe x86_64) is supported now.
When a process receives a signal, python-ptrace tries to explain why
the signal was emitted.
General information (not shown for all signals, e.g. not for SIGABRT):
o CPU instruction causing the crash
o CPU registers related to the crash
o Memory mappings of the memory addresses
Categorize signals:
o SIGFPE
o Division by zero
o SIGSEGV, SIGBUS
o Invalid memory read
o Invalid memory write
o Stack overflow
o Invalid memory access
o SIGABRT
o Program abort
o SIGCHLD
o Child process exit
Examples
Division by zero (SIGFPE)
Signal: SIGFPE
Division by zero
- instruction: IDIV DWORD [[EBP-0x8]
- register ebp=0xbfdc4a98
Invalid memory read/write (SIGSEGV)
Signal: SIGSEGV
Invalid read from 0x00000008
- instruction: MOV EAX, [EAX+0x8]]
- mapping: 0x00000008 is not mapped in memory
- register eax=0x00000000
PID: 23766
Signal: SIGSEGV
Invalid write to 0x00000008 (size=4 bytes)
- instruction: MOV DWORD [[EAX+0x8],|0x2a
- mapping: 0x00000008..0x0000000b is not mapped in memory
- register eax=0x00000000
Given information:
o Address of the segmentation fault
o (if possible) Size of the invalid memory read/write
o CPU instruction causing the crash
o CPU registers related to the crash
o Memory mappings of the related memory address
Stack overflow (SIGSEGV)
Signal: SIGSEGV
STACK OVERFLOW! Stack pointer is in 0xbf534000-0xbfd34000 => [stack]] (rw-p)
- instruction: MOV BYTE [[EBP-0x1004],|0x0
- mapping: 0xbf533430 is not mapped in memory
- register =0xbf533430
- register ebp=0xbf534448
Child exit (SIGCHLD)
PID: 24008
Signal: SIGCHLD
Child process 24009 exited normally
Signal sent by user 1000
Information:
o Child process identifier
o Child process user identifier
Examples
Invalid read:
Signal: SIGSEGV
Invalid read from 0x00000008
- instruction: MOV EAX, [EAX+0x8]
- mapping: (no memory mapping)
- register eax=0x00000000
Invalid write (MOV):
Signal: SIGSEGV
Invalid write to 0x00000008 (size=4 bytes)
- instruction: MOV DWORD [EAX+0x8], 0x2a
- mapping: (no memory mapping)
- register eax=0x00000000
abort():
Signal: SIGABRT
Program received signal SIGABRT, Aborted.
Source code
See:
o ptrace/debugger/ptrace_signal.py
o ptrace/debugger/signal_reason.py
cptrace Python module
Python binding for ptrace written in C.
Example
Dummy example:
>>> import cptrace
>>> cptrace.ptrace(1, 1)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "", line 1, in
ValueError: ptrace(request=1, pid=1, 0x(nil), 0x(nil)) error #1: Operation not permitted
Authors
Contributors
o Anthony Gelibert - fix cptrace on Apple
o Dimitris Glynos - follow gdb.py
commands
o Jakub Wilk - fix for GNU/kFreeBSD
o Mark Seaborn - Create -i option for strace
o Mickael Guerin aka KAeL - OpenBSD
port
o teythoon - convert all classes to new-style classes
o
T. Bursztyka aka Tuna - x86_64 port
o Victor Stinner - python-ptrace author
and maintainer
Thanks
o procps authors (top and uptime programs)
Changelog
python-ptrace 0.9.9 (2024-03-13)
o Fix arguments of pipe/pipe2 system calls for proper display in call
format. Patch by Jose Pereira.
o Introduced support for three-digit minor device IDs in
PROC_MAP_REGEX. Patch by fab1ano.
o Added RISCV (riscv32/riscv64) support. Patch by Andreas Schwab and
vimer/yuzibo.
o Fix stray exception raised by child processes terminating with exit
code 255. Patch by Duane Voth/duanev.
o Removed usage of the imp module. Collaboration between Mario
Haustein/hamarituc and Stephen Kitt/skitt.
python-ptrace 0.9.8 (2021-03-17)
o Added Arm 64bit (AArch64) support.
o Implemented PTRACE_GETREGSET and PTRACE_SETREGSET required on AArch64
and available on Linux.
o Issue #66: Fix SIGTRAP|0x80 or SIGTRAP wait in syscall_state.exit
(PTRACE_O_TRACESYSGOOD).
o The development branch master was renamed to main. See for the rationale.
python-ptrace 0.9.7 (2020-08-10)
o Add missing module to install directives
o Update README.rst
o Project back in beta and maintenance
python-ptrace 0.9.6 (2020-08-10)
o Remove RUNNING_WINDOWS constant: python-ptrace doesn't not support
Windows.
o Drop Python 2.7 support. six dependency is no longer needed.
o Add close_fds and pass_fds to createChild() function. Patch by
Jean-Baptiste Skutnik.
o Enhance strace.py output for open flags and open optional parameters.
Patch by Jean-Baptiste Skutnik.
o Add support for PowerPC 64-bit (ppc64). Patch by Jean-Baptiste
Skutnik.
python-ptrace 0.9.5 (2020-04-13)
o Fix readProcessMappings() for device id on 3 digits. Patch by Cat
Stevens.
o Drop Python 2 support.
python-ptrace 0.9.4 (2019-07-30)
o Issue #36: Fix detaching from process object created without
is_attached=True
o The project now requires the six module.
o Project moved to:
python-ptrace 0.9.3 (2017-09-19)
o Issue #42: Fix test_strace.py: tolerate the openat() syscall.
python-ptrace 0.9.2 (2017-02-12)
o Issue #35: Fix strace.py when tracing multiple processes: use the
correct process. Fix suggested by Daniel Trnka.
python-ptrace 0.9.1 (2016-10-12)
o Added tracing of processes created with the clone syscall (commonly
known as threads).
o gdb.py: add gcore command, dump the process memory.
o Allow command names without absolute path.
o Fix ptrace binding: clear errno before calling ptrace().
o Fix PtraceSyscall.exit() for unknown error code
o Project moved to GitHub:
o Remove the ptrace.ctypes_errno module: use directly the
ctypes.get_errno() function
o Remove the ptrace.ctypes_errno module: use directly ctypes.c_int8,
ctypes.c_uint32, ... types
python-ptrace 0.9 (2016-04-23)
o Add all Linux syscall prototypes
o Add error symbols (e.g. ENOENT), in addition to error text, for
strace
o Fix open mode so O_RDONLY shows if it's the only file access mode
o Python 3: fix formatting of string syscall arguments (ex: filenames),
decode bytes from the locale encoding
o Issue #17: syscall parser now supports O_CLOEXEC and SOCK_CLOEXEC,
fix unit tests on Python 3.4 and newer
python-ptrace 0.8.1 (2014-10-30)
o Update MANIFEST.in to include all files
o Fix to support Python 3.5
python-ptrace 0.8 (2014-10-05)
o Issue #9: Rewrite waitProcessEvent() and waitSignals() methods of
PtraceProcess to not call waitpid() with pid=-1. There is a race
condition with waitpid(-1) and fork, the status of the child process
may be returned before the debugger is noticed of the creation of the
new child process.
o Issue #10: Fix PtraceProcess.readBytes() for processes not created by
the debugger (ex: fork) if the kernel blocks access to private
mappings of /proc/pid/mem. Fallback to PTRACE_PEEKTEXT which is
slower but a debugger tracing the process is always allowed to use
it.
python-ptrace 0.7 (2013-03-05)
o Experimental support of Python 3.3 in the same code base
o Drop support of Python 2.5
o Remove the ptrace.compatibility module
o Fix Process.readStruct() and Process.readArray() on x86_64
o Experimental support of ARM architecture (Linux EAPI), strace.py has
been tested on Raspberry Pi (armv6l)
python-ptrace 0.6.6 (2013-12-16)
o Fix os_tools.RUNNING_LINUX for Python 2.x compiled on Linux kernel
3.x
o Support FreeBSD on x86_64
o Add missing prototype of the unlinkat() system call. Patch written by
Matthew Fernandez.
python-ptrace 0.6.5 (2013-06-06)
o syscall: fix parsing socketcall on Linux x86
o syscall: fix prototype of socket()
python-ptrace 0.6.4 (2012-02-26)
o Convert all classes to new-style classes, patch written by teythoon
o Fix compilation on Apple, patch written by Anthony Gelibert
o Support GNU/kFreeBSD, patch written by Jakub Wilk
o Support sockaddr_in6 (IPv6 address)
python-ptrace 0.6.3 (2011-02-16)
o Support distrom3
o Support Python 3
o Rename strace.py option --socketcall to --socket, and fix this option
for FreeBSD and Linux/64 bits
o Add MANIFEST.in: include all files in source distribution (tests,
cptrace module, ...)
python-ptrace 0.6.2 (2009-11-09)
o Fix 64 bits sub registers (set mask for eax, ebx, ecx, edx)
python-ptrace 0.6.1 (2009-11-07)
o Create follow, showfollow, resetfollow, xray commands in gdb.py.
Patch written by Dimitris Glynos
o Project website moved to: http://bitbucket.org/haypo/python-ptrace/
o Replace types (u)intXX_t by c_(u)intXX
o Create MemoryMapping.search() method and MemoryMapping now keeps a
weak reference to the process
python-ptrace 0.6 (2009-02-13)
User visible changes:
o python-ptrace now depends on Python 2.5
o Invalid memory access: add fault address in the name
o Update Python 3.0 conversion patch
o Create -i (--show-ip) option to strace.py: show instruction pointer
o Add a new example (itrace.py) written by Mark Seaborn and based on
strace.py
API changes:
o PtraceSyscall: store the instruction pointer at syscall enter (if the
option instr_pointer=True, disabled by default)
o Remove PROC_DIRNAME and procFilename() from ptrace.linux_proc
Bugfixes:
o Fix locateProgram() for relative path
o Fix interpretation of memory fault on MOSVW instruction (source is
ESI and destination is EDI, and not the inverse!)
python-ptrace 0.5 (2008-09-13)
Visible changes:
o Write an example (the most simple debugger) and begin to document the
code
o gdb.py: create "dbginfo" command
o Parse socket syscalls on FreeBSD
o On invalid memory access (SIGSEGV), eval the dereference expression
to get the fault address on OS without siginfo (e.g. FreeBSD)
o Fixes to get minimal Windows support: fix imports, fix
locateProgram()
Other changes:
o Break the API: - Rename PtraceDebugger.traceSysgood() to
PtraceDebugger.enableSysgood() - Rename PtraceDebugger.trace_sysgood
to PtraceDebugger.use_sysgood - Remove PtraceProcess.readCode()
o Create createChild() function which close all files except stdin,
stdout and stderr
o On FreeBSD, on process exit recalls waitpid(pid) to avoid zombi
process
python-ptrace 0.4.2 (2008-08-28)
o BUGFIX: Fix typo in gdb.py (commands => command_str), it wasn't
possible to write more than one command...
o BUGFIX: Fix typo in SignalInfo class (remove "self."). When a process
received a signal SIGCHLD (because of a fork), the debugger exited
because of this bug.
o BUGFIX: Debugger._wait() return abnormal process exit as a normal
event, the event is not raised as an exception
o PtraceSignal: don't clear preformatted arguments (e.g. arguments of
execve)
python-ptrace 0.4.1 (2008-08-23)
o The project has a new dedicated website:
o Create cptrace: optional Python binding of ptrace written in C
(faster than ptrace, the Python binding written in Python with
ctypes)
o Add name attribute to SignalInfo classes
o Fixes to help Python 3.0 compatibility: don't use sys.exc_clear()
(was useless) in writeBacktrace()
o ProcessState: create utime, stime, starttime attributes
python-ptrace 0.4.0 (2008-08-19)
Visible changes:
o Rename the project to "python-ptrace" (old name was "Ptrace)
o strace.py: create --ignore-regex option
o PtraceSignal: support SIGBUS, display the related registers and the
instruction
o Support execve() syscall tracing
Developer changes:
o New API is incompatible with 0.3.2
o PtraceProcess.waitProcessEvent() accepts optional blocking=False
argument
o PtraceProcess.getreg()/setreg() are able to read/write i386 and
x86-64 "sub-registers" like al or bx
o Remove iterProc() function, replaced by openProc() with explicit call
to .close() to make sure that files are closed
o Create searchProcessesByName()
o Replace CPU_PPC constant by CPU_POWERPC and create CPU_PPC32 and
CPU_PPC64
o Create MemoryMapping object, used by readMappings() and findStack()
methods of PtraceProcess
o Always define all PtraceProcess methods but raise an error if the
function is not implemented
TODO
Main tasks
o Fix strace.py --socketcall: SyscallState.enter() calls
ignore_callback before socketcall are proceed
o Support other backends:
o GDB MI:
o ktrace: (FreeBSD and Darwin): would help Darwin support
o utrace (new Linux debugger):
o vtrace?
o PyDBG: works on Windows
o Backtrace symbols:
o GNU BFD?
o elfsh?
o addr2line program?
o See dl_iterate_phdr() function of libdl
o Support other disassemblers (than distorm), and so both Intel syntax
(Intel and AT&T)
o BFD
o
o libasm (ERESI)
o libdisasm (bastard)
o
o Support threads: other backends (than python-ptrace) already support
threads
Minor tasks
o Fix gdb.py "step" command on a jump. Example where step will never
stop:
(gdb) where
ASM 0xb7e3b917: JMP 0xb7e3b8c4 (eb ab)
ASM 0xb7e3b919: LEA ESI, [ESI+0x0] (8db426 00000000)
o Remove gdb.py "except PtraceError, err: if err.errno == ESRCH" hack,
process death detection should be done by PtraceProcess or
PtraceDebugger
o Use Intel hardware breakpoints: set vtrace source code
o Support Darwin:
o ktrace? need to recompile Darwin kernel with KTRACE option
o get registers:
o PT_DENY_ATTACH:
o PT_DENY_ATTACH:
LINKS
Project using python-ptrace
o Fusil the fuzzer
python-ptrace announces
o fuzzing mailing list
o reverse-engineering.net
ptrace usage
o Sandboxing: Plash
Similar projects
o vtrace : Python library (Windows and
Linux) supporting threads
o subterfuge by Mike Coleman: Python library
(Linux): contains Python binding of ptrace written in C for Python
2.1/2.2. It doesn't work with Python 2.5 (old project, not maintained
since 2002)
o strace program (Linux, BSD)
o ltrace program (Linux)
o truss program (Solaris and BSD)
o pytstop by Philippe Biondi:
debugger similar to gdb but in very alpha stage (e.g. no
disassembler), using ptrace Python binding written in C (from
subterfuge)
o strace.py by
Philippe Biondi
o Fenris : suite of tools suitable
for code analysis, debugging, protocol analysis, reverse engineering,
forensics, diagnostics, security audits, vulnerability research
o PyDBG : Windows debugger
written in pure Python
Interesting articles
o (fr) Surveiller les connexions avec auditd
(2007)
o Playing with ptrace() for fun and profit
(2006)
o PTRACE_SETOPTIONS tests (2005)
o Process Tracing Using Ptrace (2002)
Author
Victor Stinner
Copyright
2014, Victor Stinner
0.9.9 December 14, 2025 PYTHON-PTRACE(1)