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Topic 3.1 of Reversing Malicious Code
How if/else, for/while loops, and switch statements compile to x86 assembly — pattern recognition in disassembly, jump tables, XOR decryption loop identification, and CFG obfuscation techniques.
By the end of this topic, you will
Quadrant 1 · e-Tutorial
Quadrant 2 · e-Content
Quadrant 3 · Web Resources
Downloadable reference material
External links
Compiler Explorer — See Control Flow Structures Live
Write a C function with if/else, for loop, and switch. Watch the compiler generate exactly the patterns described in this topic.
IDA Pro Graph View — CFG Navigation
Press Spacebar in IDA to switch to graph view. Back-edges (upward arrows) identify loops immediately. Essential for structured analysis.
REMA eBook 2026 — Chapter 3, Section 3.1
Read the full CFG diagrams for if/else, loop, and switch patterns in the REMA eBook.
Quadrant 4 · Self-Assessment
Reversing Malicious Code
Covers x86 and x64 assembly analysis, control flow graphs, Windows API-level malware behaviour, DLL analysis, injection techniques, API hooking, and Living-off-the-Land attacks.
REMA Complete Assessment
A comprehensive 120-question assessment covering the entire Reverse Engineering and Malware Analysis curriculum: malware taxonomy and reverse engineering fundamentals, static and dynamic analysis, reversing malicious code, malicious web and document files, in-depth analysis of packed and fileless malware, and self-defending malware techniques.
