CLE
CLE loads binaries and their associated libraries, resolves imports and provides an abstraction of process memory the same way as if it was loader by the OS's loader.
Project Links
Project repository: https://github.com/angr/cle
Documentation: https://api.angr.io/projects/cle/en/latest/
Installation
pip install cle
Usage example
>>> import cle
>>> ld = cle.Loader("/bin/ls")
>>> hex(ld.main_object.entry)
'0x4048d0'
>>> ld.shared_objects
{'ld-linux-x86-64.so.2': <ELF Object ld-2.21.so, maps [0x5000000:0x522312f]>,
'libacl.so.1': <ELF Object libacl.so.1.1.0, maps [0x2000000:0x220829f]>,
'libattr.so.1': <ELF Object libattr.so.1.1.0, maps [0x4000000:0x4204177]>,
'libc.so.6': <ELF Object libc-2.21.so, maps [0x3000000:0x33a1a0f]>,
'libcap.so.2': <ELF Object libcap.so.2.24, maps [0x1000000:0x1203c37]>}
>>> ld.addr_belongs_to_object(0x5000000)
<ELF Object ld-2.21.so, maps [0x5000000:0x522312f]>
>>> libc_main_reloc = ld.main_object.imports['__libc_start_main']
>>> hex(libc_main_reloc.addr) # Address of GOT entry for libc_start_main
'0x61c1c0'
>>> import pyvex
>>> some_text_data = ld.memory.load(ld.main_object.entry, 0x100)
>>> irsb = pyvex.lift(some_text_data, ld.main_object.entry, ld.main_object.arch)
>>> irsb.pp()
IRSB {
t0:Ity_I32 t1:Ity_I32 t2:Ity_I32 t3:Ity_I64 t4:Ity_I64 t5:Ity_I64 t6:Ity_I32 t7:Ity_I64 t8:Ity_I32 t9:Ity_I64 t10:Ity_I64 t11:Ity_I64 t12:Ity_I64 t13:Ity_I64 t14:Ity_I64
15 | ------ IMark(0x4048d0, 2, 0) ------
16 | t5 = 32Uto64(0x00000000)
17 | PUT(rbp) = t5
18 | t7 = GET:I64(rbp)
19 | t6 = 64to32(t7)
20 | t2 = t6
21 | t9 = GET:I64(rbp)
22 | t8 = 64to32(t9)
23 | t1 = t8
24 | t0 = Xor32(t2,t1)
25 | PUT(cc_op) = 0x0000000000000013
26 | t10 = 32Uto64(t0)
27 | PUT(cc_dep1) = t10
28 | PUT(cc_dep2) = 0x0000000000000000
29 | t11 = 32Uto64(t0)
30 | PUT(rbp) = t11
31 | PUT(rip) = 0x00000000004048d2
32 | ------ IMark(0x4048d2, 3, 0) ------
33 | t12 = GET:I64(rdx)
34 | PUT(r9) = t12
35 | PUT(rip) = 0x00000000004048d5
36 | ------ IMark(0x4048d5, 1, 0) ------
37 | t4 = GET:I64(rsp)
38 | t3 = LDle:I64(t4)
39 | t13 = Add64(t4,0x0000000000000008)
40 | PUT(rsp) = t13
41 | PUT(rsi) = t3
42 | PUT(rip) = 0x00000000004048d6
43 | t14 = GET:I64(rip)
NEXT: PUT(rip) = t14; Ijk_Boring
}
Valid options
For a full listing and description of the options that can be provided to the
loader and the methods it provides, please examine the docstrings in
cle/loader.py. If anything is unclear or poorly documented (there is much)
please complain through whatever channel you feel appropriate.
Loading Backends
CLE's loader is implemented in the Loader class. There are several backends that can be used to load a single file:
-
ELF, as its name says, loads ELF binaries. ELF files loaded this way are statically parsed using PyElfTools.
-
PE is a backend to load Microsoft's Portable Executable format, effectively Windows binaries. It uses the (optional)
pefilemodule. -
Mach-O is a backend to load, you guessed it, Mach-O binaries. Support is limited for this backend.
-
Blob is a backend to load unknown data. It requires that you specify the architecture it would be run on, in the form of a class from ArchInfo.
Which backend you use can be specified as an argument to Loader. If left unspecified, the loader will pick a reasonable default.
Finding shared libraries
-
If the
auto_load_libsoption is set to False, the Loader will not automatically load libraries requested by loaded objects. Otherwise... -
The loader determines which shared objects are needed when loading binaries, and searches for them in the following order:
- in the current working directory
- in folders specified in the
ld_pathoption - in the same folder as the main binary
- in the system (in the corresponding library path for the architecture of the binary, e.g., /usr/arm-linux-gnueabi/lib for ARM, note that you need to install cross libraries for this, e.g., libc6-powerpc-cross on Debian - needs emdebian repos)
- in the system, but with mismatched version numbers from what is specified
as a dependency, if the
ignore_import_version_numbersoption is True
-
If no binary is found with the correct architecture, the loader raises an exception if
except_missing_libsoption is True. Otherwise it simply leaves the dependencies unresolved.
Release files for cle 10.0.4
For a detailed explanation of source distributions (sdists) and built distributions (wheels), please see the package formats documentation.
Source distribution (sdist)
| File | Size | Uploaded | |
|---|---|---|---|
| cle-10.0.4.tar.gz | 293.6 kB | Details |
Built distribution (wheel)
| File | Interpreter | ABI | Platform | Reset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cle-10.0.4-py3-none-any.whl | Python 3 | none | any | Details |
Total release size: 550.6 kB
Release files / cle-10.0.4.tar.gz
| Download URL | cle-10.0.4.tar.gz |
|---|---|
| Size | 293.6 kB |
| Tags | Source |
|
SHA-256 checksum How to use checksums |
9bce21b84d77ca12b1a9ce9ca7af9a6cb5abc2f5568a660fa937187aafaa821d
|
|
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90e29c4ef999647c6e36895f30f90eae6ee8504720f4e384810e0b692400f26c
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|
Uploaded using Trusted Publishing? What is trusted publishing? |
Yes |
| Uploaded via |
twine/7.0.0 CPython/3.13.14
|
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Signed by GitHub Actions, verified by PyPI on Oct 14, 2026.
Transparency logRelease files / cle-10.0.4-py3-none-any.whl
| Download URL | cle-10.0.4-py3-none-any.whl |
|---|---|
| Size | 257.0 kB |
| Tags | Python 3 |
|
SHA-256 checksum How to use checksums |
b6866f563a1220964682da0a75cfa41f4a0c933e12cf4ea3ed647d7e47571c92
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139120ddb5c9dfccfdb62238ad949d323ea165b54df5d6461c9e02a069f9663f
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| Upload date | |
|
Uploaded using Trusted Publishing? What is trusted publishing? |
Yes |
| Uploaded via |
twine/7.0.0 CPython/3.13.14
|
Provenance
Provenance describes where a file came from. On PyPI, provenance is shared via attestations, which provide a verifiable record of the build or publishing details. View details, limitations and caveats.
PyPI Publish Attestation
PyPI verified that this artifact, at this checksum, originated from the publisher listed below.
Signed by GitHub Actions, verified by PyPI on Oct 14, 2026.
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