{
 "schema_version": 1,
 "generated": "2026-10-20",
 "id": "ablation-tool-ablation--trace-network-input-to-dangerous-sinks",
 "repo": "Ablation-Tool/ablation",
 "repo_url": "https://github.com/Ablation-Tool/ablation",
 "repo_slug": "ablation-tool-ablation",
 "title": "Trace network input to dangerous sinks in a binary",
 "page_title": "How to trace network input to dangerous sinks in a binary with Ablation",
 "summary": "Find functions reachable from network reads that feed risky command or sink calls.",
 "who": "A vulnerability researcher with a network daemon binary who needs to check whether attacker-controlled input can reach a dangerous call.",
 "problem": "Manually following callgraph paths from recv, read, fgets, or accept to sinks and checking their arguments takes many separate steps.",
 "outcome": "A ranked list of network-reachable sink call sites, each with an argument classification and a taint path the researcher can review.",
 "steps": [
  "Run `cd ~/ablation && claude` to start a Claude Code session in the repo.",
  "Run `/model claude-sonnet-4-6` inside the session to select the model.",
  "Run `/goal reverse engineer [whatever you want]`, replacing the bracketed text with the goal: find network-reachable sinks in <binary path>.",
  "Ask the agent to run the Network Sink Finder, then the Sink Arg Classifier, on the same binary.",
  "Ask the agent to run Taint Analysis on each reachable sink and list the source-to-sink paths."
 ],
 "agent_prompt": "In the Ablation repo at ~/ablation, use the Network Sink Finder and Sink Arg Classifier on <binary path>, then trace taint from network sources to each reachable sink. Output a table of sink address, argument class, and taint path. Verify that every listed path has a callgraph edge chain from a recv, read, fgets, or accept call before you report it.",
 "agents": [
  "claude-code",
  "codex"
 ],
 "difficulty": "Advanced",
 "time": "1 hour",
 "basis": "readme",
 "caveat": "The README describes sink finding and taint tracking as supported analyses with architecture-specific implementations, so confirm your binary's architecture is covered before relying on the results.",
 "category": "Security and science",
 "tags": [
  "Security and science"
 ],
 "lang": "python",
 "requirements": [
  "A local clone of the Ablation repository at ~/ablation, as the README's launch step assumes",
  "Claude Code or Codex installed and signed in with model access",
  "A binary, firmware image, or source repository you are authorized to analyze",
  "Familiarity with reverse engineering concepts such as ELF, callgraphs, and taint tracking"
 ],
 "risk": "dual-use",
 "seen_in_the_wild": false,
 "mentioned_publicly": false,
 "risks": [
  {
   "tag": "reverse-engineering",
   "notice": "Only run this analysis on binaries you own or are authorized to test, since it searches for exploitable paths in software."
  }
 ],
 "best": true,
 "score": 1.0,
 "evidence": [],
 "url": "https://dedupedai.com/use-cases/ablation-tool-ablation/trace-network-input-to-dangerous-sinks/",
 "md": "https://dedupedai.com/use-cases/ablation-tool-ablation/trace-network-input-to-dangerous-sinks/index.md",
 "disclaimer": "Deduped lists open-source repositories that belong to other people. We do not own, maintain, audit, or vouch for any of them, and a repo appearing here is not an endorsement or a safety check. The use cases, steps, and prompts are written by AI and may be incomplete, outdated, or just wrong. Where a use case is marked \"Seen in the wild\", we link to public posts where someone described something similar, but we have not verified those posts and the use case itself is still our AI's own write-up. Use all of this at your own risk. Only run code, commands, or agents on systems and accounts you are authorized to use, and read the code and every command before you run it, especially anything that touches credentials, files, or the network. Nothing here is professional, security, legal, or financial advice. All trademarks and project names belong to their respective owners, and their use here does not imply affiliation. Content is provided as is, without warranties of any kind. Found a mistake, a safety problem, or something you want removed? Email hello@dedupedai.com and we will look at it promptly.",
 "api": "https://dedupedai.com/api/v1/usecases/ablation-tool-ablation--trace-network-input-to-dangerous-sinks.json",
 "api_version": "v1"
}
