REA – I tested AI agent reverse engineering (korben.info)

A new tool called REA (Reverse Engineer Anything) has emerged, enabling users to connect AI agents like Claude Code and Codex to reverse engineering platforms such as Ghidra, Hopper, or IDA. This MCP server allows the AI to dissect application binaries, even in the absence of source code, facilitating the recreation and modification of features. In a series of tests, the author demonstrated REA's capabilities by creating a keygen, implementing a patch, replicating an app feature, and uncovering cheat codes, illustrating its efficiency in analyzing and manipulating software. The significance of REA lies in its potential to streamline the reverse engineering process, making it more accessible and faster. While the author found that using REA did yield quicker results in several tasks compared to a manually scripted approach with Claude Code, it raised concerns about security as AI agents connected to potentially harmful binaries can be misled. The tool is MIT-licensed and ensures local analysis, yet caution is advised when working with unknown or untrusted software. Overall, REA enhances the toolkit for developers and security researchers, but users should remain vigilant about the implications of AI-assisted reverse engineering.