Generate and validate unique byte signatures for instructions containing a struct member offset using IDA Pro MCP. Use this skill when you need a signature for an instruction like mov [rcx+1A8h], eax or cmp dword ptr [rdi+0B0h], 0, where the struct offset must be explicitly fixed in the first instruction bytes. Triggers: struct offset signature, signature for struct offset, structure member offset signature, mov [reg+offset] signature, struct field signature
Scanned 5/31/2026
Install via CLI
openskills install tools-only/X-Skills---
name: generate-signature-for-structoffset
description: |
Generate and validate unique byte signatures for instructions containing a struct member offset using IDA Pro MCP.
Use this skill when you need a signature for an instruction like mov [rcx+1A8h], eax or cmp dword ptr [rdi+0B0h], 0, where the struct offset must be explicitly fixed in the first instruction bytes.
Triggers: struct offset signature, signature for struct offset, structure member offset signature, mov [reg+offset] signature, struct field signature
---
# Generate Signature for Struct Offset
Generate a unique hex byte signature that locates an instruction containing a specific struct member offset (for example: `mov [rcx+1A8h], eax`, `cmp dword ptr [rdi+0B0h], 0`).
## Core Concept
For struct-offset signatures, we signature the **instruction containing the struct offset**, not the function body itself.
Hard requirements:
1. The target instruction must be fully fixed (no wildcard bytes at all).
2. The displacement bytes carrying `struct_offset` in the target instruction must be explicitly included (not wildcarded).
3. Instructions other than the target instruction may use wildcarding.
4. Signature length grows by complete instruction boundaries and stops at the shortest unique prefix.
Strategy:
- **Forward-only expansion:** Expand only forward (after target instruction). The signature may extend beyond the current function boundary into CC padding or the next function. `offset_sig_disp` is always `0` — the signature always starts at the target instruction.
## Prerequisites
- Target instruction address (the instruction that contains the struct offset)
- Expected `struct_offset` value (e.g. `0x1A8`)
- IDA Pro MCP connection
## Method
### 1. Generate and Validate Signature (Single Step)
Use a single `py_eval` call that:
- Validates the input instruction contains the expected `struct_offset` displacement.
- Collects instruction bytes from the target instruction forward, tests uniqueness.
- Forward-only expansion (no backward expansion — `offset_sig_disp` is always `0`).
- Enforces **no wildcard on the target instruction**.
- Computes both VA and RVA for the target instruction.
- Outputs the shortest unique signature as `struct_sig` with metadata.
```python
mcp__ida-pro-mcp__py_eval code="""
import idaapi, ida_bytes, idautils, ida_ua, ida_segment, json
def main():
target_inst = <inst_addr>
target_struct_offset = <struct_offset> # e.g. 0x1A8 from "mov [rcx+1A8h], eax"
min_sig_bytes = 6
max_sig_bytes = 96
max_instructions = 64
f = idaapi.get_func(target_inst)
if not f:
print(json.dumps({
"inst_va": hex(target_inst),
"error": "target instruction is not inside a known function",
"status": "failed"
}))
return
insn0 = idautils.DecodeInstruction(target_inst)
if not insn0 or insn0.size <= 0:
print(json.dumps({
"inst_va": hex(target_inst),
"error": "failed to decode target instruction",
"status": "failed"
}))
return
raw0 = ida_bytes.get_bytes(target_inst, insn0.size)
if not raw0:
print(json.dumps({
"inst_va": hex(target_inst),
"error": "failed to read target instruction bytes",
"status": "failed"
}))
return
def find_struct_disp_matches(insn, raw, expected):
hits = []
for op in insn.ops:
ot = int(op.type)
if ot == int(idaapi.o_void):
continue
if ot not in (int(idaapi.o_displ), int(idaapi.o_mem), int(idaapi.o_imm)):
continue
for attr in ("offb", "offo"):
off = int(getattr(op, attr, 0))
if off <= 0 or off >= insn.size:
continue
sizes = []
dsz = ida_ua.get_dtype_size(getattr(op, "dtype", getattr(op, "dtyp", 0)))
if dsz > 0:
sizes.append(dsz)
for s in (1, 2, 4, 8):
if s not in sizes:
sizes.append(s)
for sz in sizes:
if off + sz > insn.size:
continue
unsigned_val = int.from_bytes(raw[off:off + sz], "little", signed=False)
signed_val = int.from_bytes(raw[off:off + sz], "little", signed=True)
expected_mod = expected & ((1 << (8 * sz)) - 1)
if unsigned_val == expected_mod or signed_val == expected:
hits.append((off, sz, unsigned_val, signed_val))
uniq = []
seen = set()
for h in hits:
key = (h[0], h[1])
if key not in seen:
seen.add(key)
uniq.append(h)
return uniq
disp_hits = find_struct_disp_matches(insn0, raw0, target_struct_offset)
if not disp_hits:
print(json.dumps({
"inst_va": hex(target_inst),
"inst_bytes": " ".join(f"{b:02X}" for b in raw0),
"struct_offset": hex(target_struct_offset),
"error": "target instruction does not contain the expected struct offset",
"status": "failed"
}))
return
# Prefer the largest matching displacement size so we lock the full offset bytes.
disp_hits.sort(key=lambda x: (x[1], -x[0]), reverse=True)
disp_off, disp_size, _, _ = disp_hits[0]
seg = ida_segment.get_segm_by_name(".text")
if seg:
search_start, search_end = seg.start_ea, seg.end_ea
else:
search_start, search_end = idaapi.cvar.inf.min_ea, idaapi.cvar.inf.max_ea
# --- Helper: wildcard non-target instructions ---
def wildcard_instruction(addr, insn_obj, raw_bytes):
wild = set()
for op in insn_obj.ops:
ot = int(op.type)
if ot == int(idaapi.o_void):
continue
if ot in (int(idaapi.o_imm), int(idaapi.o_near), int(idaapi.o_far), int(idaapi.o_mem), int(idaapi.o_displ)):
offb = int(getattr(op, "offb", 0))
if offb > 0 and offb < insn_obj.size:
dsz = ida_ua.get_dtype_size(getattr(op, "dtype", getattr(op, "dtyp", 0)))
if dsz <= 0:
dsz = insn_obj.size - offb
for i in range(offb, min(insn_obj.size, offb + dsz)):
wild.add(i)
offo = int(getattr(op, "offo", 0))
if offo > 0 and offo < insn_obj.size:
dsz2 = ida_ua.get_dtype_size(getattr(op, "dtype", getattr(op, "dtyp", 0)))
if dsz2 <= 0:
dsz2 = insn_obj.size - offo
for i in range(offo, min(insn_obj.size, offo + dsz2)):
wild.add(i)
# Branch/call rel targets are volatile.
b0 = raw_bytes[0]
if b0 in (0xE8, 0xE9, 0xEB):
for i in range(1, insn_obj.size):
wild.add(i)
elif b0 == 0x0F and insn_obj.size >= 2 and (raw_bytes[1] & 0xF0) == 0x80:
for i in range(2, insn_obj.size):
wild.add(i)
elif 0x70 <= b0 <= 0x7F:
for i in range(1, insn_obj.size):
wild.add(i)
tokens = []
for idx in range(insn_obj.size):
tokens.append("??" if idx in wild else f"{raw_bytes[idx]:02X}")
return tokens
# --- Helper: test uniqueness of a token list, expecting match at expected_addr ---
def test_unique(tokens, expected_addr):
if all(t == "??" for t in tokens):
return False
pattern_str = " ".join("?" if t == "??" else t for t in tokens)
pat = ida_bytes.compiled_binpat_vec_t()
ida_bytes.parse_binpat_str(pat, search_start, pattern_str, 16)
flags = ida_bytes.BIN_SEARCH_FORWARD | ida_bytes.BIN_SEARCH_NOBREAK
matches = []
res = ida_bytes.bin_search3(search_start, search_end, pat, flags)
ea = res[0] if isinstance(res, tuple) else res
while ea != idaapi.BADADDR and len(matches) < 2:
matches.append(ea)
res = ida_bytes.bin_search3(ea + 1, search_end, pat, flags)
ea = res[0] if isinstance(res, tuple) else res
return len(matches) == 1 and matches[0] == expected_addr
# ====================================================================
# Forward-only expansion (signature starts at target_inst)
# May extend beyond the current function into CC padding or next function.
# ====================================================================
limit_end = target_inst + max_sig_bytes
fwd_tokens = []
fwd_boundaries = []
cursor = target_inst
inst_count = 0
target_inst_len = None
while (
cursor < search_end
and cursor < limit_end
and len(fwd_tokens) < max_sig_bytes
and inst_count < max_instructions
):
insn = idautils.DecodeInstruction(cursor)
if not insn or insn.size <= 0:
break
raw = ida_bytes.get_bytes(cursor, insn.size)
if not raw:
break
if cursor == target_inst:
# Target instruction: fully fixed, no wildcards.
target_inst_len = insn.size
for idx in range(insn.size):
if len(fwd_tokens) < max_sig_bytes:
fwd_tokens.append(f"{raw[idx]:02X}")
else:
toks = wildcard_instruction(cursor, insn, raw)
for t in toks:
if len(fwd_tokens) < max_sig_bytes:
fwd_tokens.append(t)
fwd_boundaries.append(len(fwd_tokens))
cursor += insn.size
inst_count += 1
if target_inst_len is None:
print(json.dumps({
"inst_va": hex(target_inst),
"error": "no signature bytes collected",
"status": "failed"
}))
return
min_boundary = max(min_sig_bytes, target_inst_len)
# Try expanding at each instruction boundary until unique
phase1_sig = None
phase1_boundary = 0
for boundary in fwd_boundaries:
if boundary < min_boundary:
continue
prefix = fwd_tokens[:boundary]
if test_unique(prefix, target_inst):
phase1_sig = " ".join(prefix)
phase1_boundary = boundary
break
if phase1_sig:
print(json.dumps({
"struct_sig": phase1_sig,
"sig_bytes": phase1_boundary,
"struct_sig_va": hex(target_inst),
"offset_sig_disp": 0,
"struct_inst_length": target_inst_len,
"struct_disp_offset": disp_off,
"struct_disp_size": disp_size,
"struct_offset": hex(target_struct_offset),
"status": "success"
}))
return
# Forward-only expansion exhausted without finding a unique signature.
print(json.dumps({
"struct_sig_va": hex(target_inst),
"struct_offset": hex(target_struct_offset),
"first_inst_bytes": " ".join(f"{b:02X}" for b in raw0),
"total_fwd_tokens": len(fwd_tokens),
"sig_full_fwd": " ".join(fwd_tokens),
"error": "no unique signature found with forward-only expansion",
"status": "failed"
}))
main()
"""
```
**Result handling:**
- `status == "success"` -> Use `struct_sig` directly as final signature.
- `status == "failed"` -> See Step 2.
### 2. Iterate if Needed
If Step 1 returns `status: "failed"`:
1. Increase `max_sig_bytes` (e.g. from `96` to `192`) and re-run Step 1.
2. Increase `max_instructions` (e.g. from `64` to `128`) if function instructions are short.
3. If still not unique, use a different instruction that references the same struct offset and re-run.
### 3. Continue with Unfinished Tasks
If we are called by a task from a task list / parent SKILL, restore and continue with the unfinished tasks.
## Output Format
Required:
- `struct_sig`: Space-separated hex bytes with `??` for wildcards.
Recommended metadata:
- `struct_sig_va`: VA of signature start (always equals target instruction VA since `offset_sig_disp` is always `0`).
- `offset_sig_disp`: Always `0` — signature always starts at the target instruction.
- `struct_inst_length`: Length of the target instruction in bytes.
- `struct_disp_offset`: Byte position of the struct offset displacement within the **signature** (= displacement position within target instruction, since `offset_sig_disp` is always `0`).
- `struct_disp_size`: Displacement byte size.
- `struct_offset`: The expected struct offset used for validation.
### Example Output
```yaml
struct_sig: "C7 81 A8 01 00 00 01 00 00 00 48 8B ?? ?? ?? ?? 48 85 C0 74 ??"
struct_sig_va: 0x180123456
offset_sig_disp: 0
struct_inst_length: 10
struct_disp_offset: 2
struct_disp_size: 4
struct_offset: 0x1A8
```
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!