Windbg conditional breakpoint with string compare in a nested structure

Question

I've been trying to hit a breakpoint inside a function only if a string in a nested struct as an argument matches a specific pattern of my choosing, like so:

bp `main.c:2236` ".block { .if ( $spat(\"@@(stNames->NameComponent.Buffer)\", \"*ab*\" )){.echo \"BKP HIT! \"; .printf \"%mu str\n\",> @@(NameInfo->FinalComponent.Buffer); } .else {.echo \"NO HIT \"; .printf \"%mu str:\n\", @@(stNames->NameComponent.Buffer); gc;} } "

This breakpoint is set right at the beginning of the function, after the parameter symbols have already been resolved. It's acting weird, sometimes it gets hit all the time even if the pattern in $spat doesn't match, and sometimes it doesn't hit even if the pattern matches.

I also tried this with no luck, as I can't find a way to use the poi() command in that case of a nested struct. Snippet bellow:

bp Kernel32!CreateFileW ".printf \"%mu\\n\", poi(esp+4); as /mu ${/v:FileName} poi(esp+4); .block{.if $spat(\"${FileName}\", \"*target*\") {.echo Hit} .else {.echo Not Yet;g;}}"

Mylesmylitta

Answer 1

the expression \"@@(stNames->NameComponent.Buffer)\" probably does not evaluate to a quoted string evaluate independently

when writing conditionals break down the conditionals as small as possible
and put them down in a txt file and provide the script file to the break point
like bp:32" $$>a< c:\\windscrypted.txt it is much easier to comperhend

also it would be helpful to provide a correct answer if the question has independently reproducible content

since i cannot evaluate the incomprehensible expression in the question i have provided a demo below see if this is what is asked

Helper to Compile and Link

structnest:\>type "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\compile.bat"

@ECHO OFF
REM Compile and Link Helper Utility.
REM Add New Entry CompileMe in Visual_Studio_IDE->Tools->ExternalTools.
REM Provide path to this bat file in command
REM Provide $(ItemFileName)$(ItemExt) as Arguments
REM $(BinDir) as Initial Directory
REM Enjoy One Click Compile & link Simple Single File Demo Sources
@call "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\vcvarsall.bat" x86
cl /Zi /nologo /W4 /analyze %1% /link /RELEASE
pause

The Source File Details

structnest:\>dir /b
structnest.cpp

structnest:\>type structnest.cpp
#include <windows.h>
#include <winternl.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#define SOMESIZE 20

typedef VOID (NTAPI *g_RtlInitUnicodeString) (PUNICODE_STRING DestinationStri
ng, PCWSTR SourceString );

#pragma pack (1)
typedef struct _OUTNEST
{
    int a;
    int b;
    short c;
    UNICODE_STRING Nestin;
}OutNest,*POutNest;
#pragma pack()

int main (void)
{
    POutNest MyNest = ( POutNest  ) calloc ( 0x01  , sizeof(OutNest)   );
    PWSTR    buff   = ( PWSTR     ) calloc ( 0x30 ,  sizeof(wchar_t)   );
    HMODULE hMod = LoadLibrary("ntdll.dll");
    if ( (hMod != NULL) && (MyNest != NULL)  && (buff != NULL))
    {
        g_RtlInitUnicodeString RtlInitUnicodeString = ( g_RtlInitUnicodeString )
 GetProcAddress ( hMod , "RtlInitUnicodeString");
        if (RtlInitUnicodeString != NULL )
        {
            for (int i = 0; i< SOMESIZE; i++)
            {
                swprintf_s(buff, 0x29 , L"this is string number %.2d",i);

                RtlInitUnicodeString(&MyNest->Nestin,buff);
                printf("%S\n",MyNest->Nestin.Buffer);
            }
            printf("done\n");
            goto getout;
        }
        printf("GetprocAddress failed\n");
        goto getout;
    }
    printf("calloc() %p %p LoadLib %p failed\n" , MyNest,buff,hMod);
getout:
    if (MyNest)
        free(MyNest);
    if(buff)
        free(buff);
    if(hMod)
        FreeLibrary(hMod);
    return 0;
}
structnest:\>"c:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\compile.bat" stru
ctnest.cpp
Setting environment for using Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 x86 tools.
structnest.cpp
Press any key to continue . . .

structnest:\>dir /b *.exe
structnest.exe

structnest:\>structnest.exe
this is string number 00
this is string number 01
this is string number 02
this is string number 03
this is string number 04
this is string number 05
this is string number 06
this is string number 07
this is string number 08
this is string number 09
this is string number 10
this is string number 11
this is string number 12
this is string number 13
this is string number 14
this is string number 15
this is string number 16
this is string number 17
this is string number 18
this is string number 19
done

The Script File Details

structnest:\>type c:\nestedbreak.txt
as /mu ${/v:mystr} @@( MyNest->Nestin.Buffer );
.block { r $t0 = $spat( "${mystr}", "*11" ); }
.if( @$t0 != 1 ) { gc } ;

explanation of script file

as /mu ${/v:mystr}
Sets the alias equivalent equal to the null-terminated Unicode string 
that begins at Address @@( MyNest->Nestin.Buffer ). 
.block {} to force alias evaluation.
a Pseudo register $t0 is set to the result of $spat() can be 0 or 1

"${mystr}" on alias evaluation will become "this is string number 00" 
a Double Quoted string not address or some other expression 

"*11" is again a Double Quoted wild card pattern string it will match "11"
 at any position in the Input String .

.if is a conditinal that will break only when @$t0 == 1 

now that we have a slightly more comprehensibe condition where each of the expression is independently verifible we procedd with using it in a break point

Execution Details

structnest:\>cdb -c ".lines;g main;r;.echo SET A CONDITINAL BREAK POINT AND RUN
THE EXE;bp `:32` \" $$^>a^< c:\\nestedbreak.txt \";g ;.lastevent;.echo why did w
e break here ? now that we broke lets go again;g;q " structnest.exe

explanation as follows

cdb.exe      console mode windbg;
.lines;     load line information (lineinfo default off in cdb.exe needed to set bp on src lines)
g main;     ( we are interested in our code for which we have src not some random system module)
r;      print the registers to confirm we reached main properly
.echo       just a signal to show that we are alive and kicking
`:32` "$$>a< c:\\nestedbreak.txt"   conditional break point on src line 32 ( inner double quotes/ unaccpetable > < chars escaped )
g;      run the exe
.lastevent;     shows the reason why we broke;
.echo       a signal to indicate that we broke
g;q;        finish running the exe and quit debugger

Execution Output Details

structnest:\>cdb -c ".lines;g main;r;.echo SET A CONDITINAL BREAK POINT AND RUN
THE EXE;bp `:32` \" $$^>a^< c:\\nestedbreak.txt \";g ;.lastevent;.echo why did w
e break here ? now that we broke lets go again;g;q " structnest.exe

Microsoft (R) Windows Debugger Version 6.12.0002.633 X86

0:000> cdb: Reading initial command '.lines;g main;r;.echo SET A CONDITINAL BREA
K POINT AND RUN THE EXE;bp `:32` " $$>a< c:\\nestedbreak.txt ";g ;.lastevent;.ec
ho why did we break here ? now that we broke lets go again;g;q '

Line number information will be loaded

eax=00034180 ebx=7ffd6000 ecx=00000001 edx=0041a5f0 esi=00000000 edi=00000000
eip=00401000 esp=0013ff7c ebp=0013ffc0 iopl=0         nv up ei pl zr na pe nc
cs=001b  ss=0023  ds=0023  es=0023  fs=003b  gs=0000             efl=00000246
structnest!main:
00401000 55              push    ebp


SET A CONDITINAL BREAK POINT AND RUN THE EXE

this is string number 00
this is string number 01
this is string number 02
this is string number 03
this is string number 04
this is string number 05
this is string number 06
this is string number 07
this is string number 08
this is string number 09
this is string number 10
Last event: 16d0.2784: Hit breakpoint 0
  debugger time: Thu May 15 16:10:10.625 2014 (UTC + 5:30)
why did we break here ? now that we broke lets go again
this is string number 11
this is string number 12
this is string number 13
this is string number 14
this is string number 15
this is string number 16
this is string number 17
this is string number 18
this is string number 19
done
quit:

structnest:\>

Apart

Answer 2

You can use python extension for windbg. It allows to set conditional breakpoint with python callback.

kd>!pycmd
>>>myApp = module("MyApp.exe")
>>>setBp( myApp.Func1, lambda : getParam("var2").filed3 > 10 )
>>>quit()
kd>g

You can see: 1) myApp.Func1 - pykd finds offsets by symbolic information 2) getParam("var2") - pykd finds function parameters 3) getParam("var2").filed3 - it is easy to work with structures

Peppery

Thanks. How would it be if "filed3" was of type char * or wchar_t * and you had to compare it against "my_pattern", for example? – Mylesmylitta

Of course! This check field3 with C-string by RE: setBp( myApp.Func1, lambda : re.match('Nt.*File', loadWStr(getParam("var2").filed3))) I use lambda function only for short declaration. You can use any python "callable" object. – Peppery