makne 2.0

Advanced binary-level mutation and obfuscation framework for PE binaries

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An advanced binary-level mutation and obfuscation framework for PE (Portable Executable) both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) binaries written in C++17. Leveraging the high-performance Zydis disassembler backend, the engine dynamically parses PE files, identifies instruction/basic block boundaries, applies polymorphic and metamorphic transformation passes, and rebuilds the executable with modified section structures and updated PE metadata.

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📂 Project Directory Structure

The project follows a clean, modular C++ directory layout separating definitions (headers) from source code and configurations:

makne/
├── CMakeLists.txt              # Cross-platform build configuration
├── README.md                   # Project documentation
├── include/                    # Header files
│   ├── PEStructs.h             # Native PE structures definitions (DOS, COFF, Optional headers)
│   ├── CodeReorderer.h         # Basic block analysis and shuffling definitions
│   ├── ControlFlowObfuscator.h # Control flow flattening & opaque predicate definitions
│   ├── DataEncoder.h           # Data/String encoding & decoder stub generation
│   ├── DecryptorGenerator.h    # Polymorphic decryptor stub creation
│   ├── ImportObfuscator.h      # IAT obfuscation and API hashing definitions
│   ├── InstructionSubstitutor.h# Instruction-equivalent database mapping
│   ├── JunkCodeInserter.h      # Dead code/junk sequence generator
│   ├── MetamorphicEngine.h     # High-level metamorphic mutation pipeline
│   ├── PayloadEncryptor.h      # Section-level encryption management
│   ├── PolymorphicEngine.h     # Core processing, PE parsing, and orchestrator
│   ├── RegisterRandomizer.h    # ModR/M register mapping and randomization
│   ├── SectionRandomizer.h     # PE section name, layout, and alignment shuffler
│   └── Utils.h                 # Randomness and helper definitions
└── src/                        # Implementation files
    ├── main.cpp                # Command-line driver and argument parser
    ├── CodeReorderer.cpp       # Basic block identification, jump fixing, and shuffling
    ├── ControlFlowObfuscator.cpp # Flow flatters, dispatchers, and opaque predicates
    ├── DataEncoder.cpp         # XOR, Base64, and split-string algorithms
    ├── DecryptorGenerator.cpp  # Dynamic x86 assembly generator for decryption
    ├── ImportObfuscator.cpp    # IAT parsing, dynamic DLL resolution, and API hashing
    ├── InstructionSubstitutor.cpp # x86 equivalent instruction mapping execution
    ├── JunkCodeInserter.cpp    # NOP-equivalent & flag-safe instruction generation
    ├── MetamorphicEngine.cpp   # Loop unrolling, inlining, and expansion levels
    ├── PayloadEncryptor.cpp    # XOR encryption and decryption insertion logic
    ├── PolymorphicEngine.cpp   # Core engine implementation (PE parsing, rebuilding)
    ├── RegisterRandomizer.cpp  # Register swapping and translation tables
    ├── SectionRandomizer.cpp   # Section shuffling, renaming, and alignment fixing
    └── Utils.cpp               # Cryptographic RNG (CryptoRandom)

---

🛠 Features & Capabilities

The engine features two distinct modes of transformation which can be combined (Mixed Mode):

1. Polymorphic Transformations

• Zydis Disassembler Backend: Replaced custom prefix/opcode length parsers with a full-featured Zydis decoder to safely identify x86/x64 instruction boundaries, decode operand layouts, and perform atomic byte stream modifications.
• Instruction Substitution: Replaces instruction patterns with equivalent CPU sequences. For example:
  • MOV reg, Imm $\rightarrow$ PUSH Imm; POP reg
  • XOR reg, reg $\rightarrow$ SUB reg, reg
  • NOP $\rightarrow$ PUSH RBX; POP RBX or XCHG RAX, RAX
  • x64 Safety Filter: Automatically bypasses single-byte legacy INC (0x40) / DEC (0x48) substitutions on x64 targets to prevent collisions with the REX prefix byte range (0x40-0x4F).
• Register Randomizer: Dynamically re-maps general-purpose register usage while adhering to strict architecture constraints:
  • Calling Convention Safe: Preserves caller/callee boundary registers RAX/EAX (return values), RCX/ECX, RDX/EDX, R8, R9 (arguments), RSP/ESP, RBP/EBP (stack frames), and R12, R13 (special SIB addresses).
  • Partitioned Shuffle: Safely shuffles registers only within legacy (RBX, RSI, RDI) and extension (R10, R11, R14, R15) groups, guaranteeing that instruction lengths and REX prefix status remain completely invariant.
  • Dynamic Implicit-Register Scan: Decodes instruction operands to automatically detect and exclude implicit registers (e.g., EAX/EDX in division, or ESI/EDI/RSI/RDI in string operations) to prevent semantic corruption.
  • RIP-Relative Safe-guard: Automatically bypasses register randomization on instructions containing RIP-relative or EIP-relative displacement addressing to maintain correct relative memory references.
• Import Obfuscation: Erases the original Import Address Table (IAT) names and replaces them with dynamically generated import resolution stubs:
  • x86 targets: Walks the 32-bit PEB loader lists via FS:[0x30] to locate module bases and resolves API addresses at runtime using ROR13 hashing.
  • x64 targets: Walk the 64-bit PEB via GS:[0x60], implements full Microsoft x64 calling conventions with 32-byte stack shadow space allocation, and utilizes RIP-relative addressing to locate string table offsets.
• Exception Directory Relocation: Automatically parses x64 .pdata runtime function tables and UNWIND_INFO structures to relocate 32-bit exception handler RVAs when shuffling or renaming PE sections.
• Code Reordering (x86/x64): Partitions code into basic blocks, shuffles their location, and maintains original execution flow by stitching blocks together with JMP instructions. Zydis is used to parse branch offsets and relative memory displacements to patch targets.
• Junk Code Inserter (x86/x64): Inserts context-aware, benign junk instructions (e.g., flag-safe operations) to modify byte signatures without changing execution behavior. Filters out x86-only instructions on x64.
• Control Flow Obfuscation (x86/x64): Distorts control flow by replacing jumps with equivalent joint condition pairs (e.g., JO + JNO) and Jcc conditions with inverted Jcc skips.
• Payload Encryption: Encrypts target payload sections (XOR, etc.) and injects dynamically generated decryptor stubs as the entry point. On x64 targets, stubs query the Process Environment Block (PEB) using GS:[0x60] (instead of FS:[0x30] on x86) for anti-debug analysis.
• Data Encoding: Encodes static data strings using XOR, Base64, or string-splitting to avoid detection of plaintext strings.

2. Metamorphic Transformations

• Zydis Intermediate Representation: Disassembles and decodes target functions to an IR, rewriting displacements and %rip-relative displacements to patch jump offsets and relocations on mutations.
• Instruction Permutation (x86/x64): Alters instruction positions using Bernstein's data dependency conditions (RAW, WAR, WAW) while preserving stack frame layout registers (RSP, ESP, RBP, EBP).
• Code Expansion: Expands instructions to multi-byte equivalents to vary executable sizing.
• Loop Unrolling & Function Inlining: Modifies the stack frame structure and execution sequence by eliminating calls and branches.
• Anti-Debugging / Anti-Emulation: Integrates stubs to detect hypervisors, sandboxes, and debuggers (e.g., PEB checks, timing checks).
• FileAlignment Section Resizing: Safely pads, resizes, and aligns raw PE section size growth to FileAlignment boundaries, automatically relocating the COFF symbol table to prevent symbol warnings or image loaders crash.

---

⚙️ Compilation & Installation

This project can be compiled as a standalone C++ command-line tool, or installed as a Python package with programmatic C++ wrapper bindings.

🐍 Python Package Installation (via pip)

You can build and install the project directly as a Python package. The PEP 517 build backend (scikit-build-core) will automatically configure and build the C++ codebase via CMake when installing.

1. Prerequisites

Ensure you have a C++17 compiler (MSVC on Windows, GCC on Linux, Clang on macOS) and CMake installed.

• Windows Source Build Note: If installing from source in a standard PowerShell/CMD terminal, you must specify the generator if MSVC tools are not in your path:

  $env:CMAKE_GENERATOR="MinGW Makefiles"
  

  Alternatively, run the command inside a Developer PowerShell for Visual Studio.

2. Install from PyPI (Production)

pip install makne

3. Install from Source (Local Development)

Clone the repository and run:

# Editable install (recommended for developers)
pip install -e .

# Or standard local install
pip install .

4. Verification & Usage

• CLI usage: Installing the package registers a global command-line entry point:

  makne --help
  

• Python API usage: You can run the obfuscator directly from Python scripts:

  import makne
  
  # Obfuscate a PE binary
  return_code = makne.obfuscate("input.exe", "output.exe", ["--polymorphic", "--substitution"])
  if return_code == 0:
      print("Obfuscation successful!")
  

---

🖥️ Native C++ Standalone Compilation

If you prefer building a standalone native executable without Python, the build system utilizes CMake for configuration and building. The build system automatically fetches dependencies like Zydis disassembler and Zycore via CMake's FetchContent module during configuration, so no manual downloading of submodules is necessary.

🪟 Windows (MSVC)

1. Prerequisites

• Visual Studio 2019 or 2022 (Community, Professional, or Enterprise).
• During installation, ensure the "Desktop development with C++" workload is checked. This installs the MSVC compiler, CMake, and the required Windows SDKs.
• Alternatively, you can use standalone CMake (3.15+) and Build Tools for Visual Studio.

2. Building from Command Line

Open Developer PowerShell for VS or Developer Command Prompt for VS and run:

# Generate the build configuration
cmake -B build -S .

# Build the release binary
cmake --build build --config Release

The compiled executable makne.exe will be located in build/Release/.

3. Building via Visual Studio (IDE)

1. Open Visual Studio.
2. Select Open a local folder and choose the root directory containing CMakeLists.txt.
3. Visual Studio will automatically detect and configure the CMake project.
4. Go to the menu: Build > Build All (or select the makne.exe startup item and press F5/Ctrl+F5 to build and run).

---

🐧 Linux (GCC/Clang)

1. Prerequisites

Install CMake and a C++17 compatible compiler (GCC 8+ or Clang 7+):

• Ubuntu / Debian:

  sudo apt update
  sudo apt install -y build-essential cmake
  

• Fedora / CentOS / RHEL:

  sudo dnf groupinstall -y "Development Tools"
  sudo dnf install -y cmake
  

• Arch Linux:

  sudo pacman -Syu base-devel cmake
  

2. Building

Open a terminal in the project root folder:

# Generate build configuration for a Release build
cmake -B build -S . -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

# Build the project
cmake --build build

The compiled executable makne will be located in build/.

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🍎 macOS (Clang)

1. Prerequisites

• Xcode Command Line Tools: Install them by running the following command in terminal:

  xcode-select --install
  

• CMake: Install CMake using a package manager:
  • Homebrew (Recommended):

    brew install cmake
    

  • MacPorts:

    sudo port install cmake
    

2. Building

Open a terminal in the project root folder:

# Generate build configuration for a Release build
cmake -B build -S . -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

# Build the project
cmake --build build

The compiled executable makne will be located in build/.

---

🧠 System Architecture & Logic

graph TD
    A[Input PE Binary] --> B[PE Parser]
    B --> C[Disassembler & Block Finder]
    C --> D{Transformation Mode}
    
    D -->|Polymorphic| E[Polymorphic Pipeline]
    D -->|Metamorphic| F[Metamorphic Pipeline]
    D -->|Mixed| G[Polymorphic & Metamorphic Pipeline]
    
    E --> H[Payload Encryption & Stub Generation]
    F --> I[Block Permutation & Expansion]
    G --> J[Combined Transformations]
    
    H --> K[PE Rebuilder & Checksum Generator]
    I --> K
    J --> K
    
    K --> L[Output Obfuscated PE Binary]

Flow Walkthrough

1. Parsing (PE Parser): Loads the raw byte stream of the target .exe file. Parses the DOS MZ signature, COFF Header, Optional Header, and Sections to build an in-memory structural mapping of code (.text) and data (.data, .rdata) segments.
2. Code Analysis & Disassembly: Parses machine code instructions, determines byte length boundary offsets, identifies branches (jumps, calls), and isolates independent execution blocks (Basic Blocks).
3. Applying Mutations: Runs the pipeline of selected obfuscation passes. The engine tracks offset modifications since instruction substitution, junk insertion, and block shuffling alter virtual addresses (RVAs).
4. Header Reconstruction & Rebuilding: Adjusts relocations, recalculates Entry Point (OEP), shifts Section Headers offsets, fixes the Import Address Table (IAT) pointers, generates dynamic import-resolving stubs, computes a new PE checksum, and saves the new output binary.

---

🚀 CLI Usage & Examples

Usage syntax:

• Windows (PowerShell/CMD):

  .\makne.exe <input.exe> <output.exe> [options]
  

• Linux / macOS:

  ./makne <input.exe> <output.exe> [options]
  

CLI Command Options

Option	Category	Description
--polymorphic	Transformation	Apply polymorphic transformations (Default)
--metamorphic	Transformation	Apply metamorphic transformations
--mixed	Transformation	Combine both polymorphic & metamorphic pipelines
--substitution	Polymorphic	Enable instruction substitutions
--registers	Polymorphic	Enable register randomization
--reorder	Polymorphic	Enable basic block code reordering
--junk	Polymorphic	Enable junk/dead code insertion
--cflow	Polymorphic	Enable control flow obfuscation (flattening/predicates)
--encrypt	Polymorphic	Enable payload section encryption
--data	Polymorphic	Enable static data/string encoding
--sections	Polymorphic	Randomize section names and layout
--imports	Polymorphic	Obfuscate IAT and import names
--permute <1-5>	Metamorphic	Set instruction permutation complexity level
--expand <1-5>	Metamorphic	Set code expansion multiplier
--garbage <1-5>	Metamorphic	Set junk insertion density
--unroll	Metamorphic	Enable loop unrolling
--inline	Metamorphic	Enable function inlining
--antidebug	Advanced	Add anti-debugger stub detections
--antiemu	Advanced	Add anti-emulation timing checks
--level <1-5>	Advanced	Set global obfuscation intensity (default: 3)
--iterations <n>	Advanced	Number of mutation passes to run
--help	General	Display help documentation

Command Examples

Below are examples of how to run the engine. Make sure to run them from the directory containing the compiled executable (build/ or build/Release/), or provide the full path to it.

1. Display Help & Options

Verify the installation and see the full list of supported parameters.

• Windows (PowerShell):

  .\makne.exe --help
  

• Linux / macOS:

  ./makne --help
  

2. Standard Polymorphic Obfuscation

Applies instruction substitutions, register randomization, code reordering, and section name/layout randomization.

• Windows (PowerShell):

  .\makne.exe input.exe output.exe --polymorphic --substitution --registers --reorder --sections
  

• Linux / macOS:

  ./makne input.exe output.exe --polymorphic --substitution --registers --reorder --sections
  

• Explanation of flags:
  • --polymorphic: Activates the polymorphic transformation pipeline.
  • --substitution: Replaces common instruction patterns with equivalent sequences.
  • --registers: Randomizes general-purpose register usage safely.
  • --reorder: Partitions code into basic blocks and shuffles them, adding stitching jumps.
  • --sections: Randomizes PE section names and structural layout.

3. Advanced Metamorphic Obfuscation

Applies aggressive code expansion, high complexity instruction permutations, loop unrolling, and function inlining.

• Windows (PowerShell):

  .\makne.exe input.exe output.exe --metamorphic --permute 5 --expand 4 --unroll --inline
  

• Linux / macOS:

  ./makne input.exe output.exe --metamorphic --permute 5 --expand 4 --unroll --inline
  

• Explanation of flags:
  • --metamorphic: Activates the metamorphic transformation pipeline.
  • --permute 5: Sets the highest complexity (level 5) for instruction permutation.
  • --expand 4: Sets the code expansion multiplier to 4.
  • --unroll: Enables optimization loop unrolling.
  • --inline: Inlines function calls where safe.

4. Mixed Maximum Protection (Combined Pipeline)

Combines all metamorphic and polymorphic features, flattens control flow, obfuscates import tables, encodes static strings, adds anti-analysis/debugger/emulation checks, and runs multiple passes.

• Windows (PowerShell):

  .\makne.exe input.exe output.exe --mixed --cflow --encrypt --imports --data --antidebug --antiemu --level 5 --iterations 2
  

• Linux / macOS:

  ./makne input.exe output.exe --mixed --cflow --encrypt --imports --data --antidebug --antiemu --level 5 --iterations 2
  

• Explanation of flags:
  • --mixed: Runs both the polymorphic and metamorphic pipelines sequentially.
  • --cflow: Distorts control flow via dispatchers and opaque predicates.
  • --encrypt: Encrypts target sections and inserts a decryption stub at the entry point.
  • --imports: Obfuscates the Import Address Table (IAT) and dynamically resolves DLLs.
  • --data: Encodes static strings (XOR/Base64/splitting).
  • --antidebug & --antiemu: Injects checks to detect debuggers, hypervisors, and sandboxes.
  • --level 5: Sets global intensity to maximum (5).
  • --iterations 2: Runs the entire mutation pipeline twice to generate nested layers of obfuscation.

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⚖️ License & Disclaimer

This software is developed strictly for educational, security research, and defensive binary analysis purposes. Using this software to obfuscate malware to bypass anti-virus scanners for unauthorized deployment is strictly prohibited and a violation of local and international laws. The developers assume no liability for misuse of this tool.