Ghidra - DWARF Plugin¶

Export as DWARF¶

This functionality exports Ghidra’s Program information into a DWARF file. This exported information include function’s names, types, stack variables etc.

You can use this extension in different ways as documented below:

Project Manager¶

This extension provides a DWARF exporter that can be used by right clicking on the binary to export, then: Export > Format > DWARF:

CodeBrowser¶

From the CodeBrowser tool, you can left click on the LIEF menu and select Export as DWARF:

Scripts¶

You can also use the Java API from a (headless) script to export a given Ghidra’s Program:

import lief.ghidra.core.dwarf.export.Manager;
import lief.ghidra.core.NativeBridge;

public class LiefDwarfExportScript extends GhidraScript {
  @Override
  protected void run() throws Exception {
    NativeBridge.init();
    Manager manager = new Manager(currentProgram);
    File output = new File("/home/romain/output.dwarf");
    manager.export(output);
  }
}

Support & Limitations¶

This extension tries to convert as much as possible Ghidra’s internal binary representation into DWARF structures, but this support can’t be exhaustive so here is an overview of what is exported and what is not.

ghidra.program.model.listing.Program

Function
Data Variables
Types
Comments

ghidra.program.model.listing.Function

Name
Addresses range
Parameters
Type of parameters
Return type
Stack variables
Types of stack variables
Comments
CodeUnits

ghidra.program.model.listing.Data

Name
Type
Address
Comments

ghidra.program.model.data.DataType

ghidra.program.model.data.VoidDataType
ghidra.program.model.data.AbstractIntegerDataType
ghidra.program.model.data.Array
ghidra.program.model.data.TypeDef
ghidra.program.model.data.Composite
ghidra.program.model.data.Enum
ghidra.program.model.data.FunctionDefinition
ghidra.program.model.data.Pointer

Any types not mentioned here are not supported.

References¶

https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra/issues/2687