How do you extract code from an EXE file and decompile it using Python?

Shanuvatika
2 min readMar 18, 2023

Extracting code from an EXE file and decompiling it using Python can be a complex task and may not always be possible, as it depends on the specific EXE file and how it was compiled. However, here are some general steps you can take:

  1. Use a tool like PE Explorer or Resource Hacker to extract the executable code from the EXE file.
  2. Convert the executable code to a binary format, such as a raw binary file or an object file.
  3. Use a decompiler tool like IDA Pro or Ghidra to disassemble the binary code and generate an assembly code representation.
  4. Convert the assembly code to a high-level programming language like C using a decompiler like Hex-Rays or RetDec.
  5. Finally, you can use a tool like PyInstaller or cx_Freeze to convert the C code to a Python module.

It’s worth noting that this process can be time-consuming and may not always produce accurate or readable code, especially if the original code was heavily optimized or obfuscated. In addition, extracting code from an EXE file without the owner’s permission or reverse-engineering proprietary software may violate copyright or intellectual property laws, so it’s important to be mindful of legal implications.

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