Reformatting JSON to use context based on PE files

[FredCoast]

Updated the code so that the context is gained from the PE files and made sure the context is more detailed.

Closed the previous PR because it wasn't picking up all the context and the details were not very clear

[gemini-code-assist]

Hello @FredCoast, I'm Gemini Code Assist¹! I'm currently reviewing this pull request and will post my feedback shortly. In the meantime, here's a summary to help you and other reviewers quickly get up to speed!

Summary of Changes

This pull request, titled "Reformatting JSON to use context based on PE files," aims to enhance the JSON output of the floss tool by incorporating context derived from PE (Portable Executable) files. The previous attempt was closed due to insufficient context and unclear details. This new implementation parses PE files using the pefile library to extract information about headers, sections, and imports, and then uses this information to enrich the JSON output with contextual data related to static strings. The goal is to provide a more detailed and informative JSON representation of the analyzed file's strings.

Highlights

• PE File Parsing: The code now attempts to parse the input file as a PE file using the pefile library. If successful, it extracts information about PE headers, sections, and imports.
• Contextual Information: The JSON output for static strings is enhanced with context information, indicating whether a string resides within a PE header or section. It also identifies strings that are part of the import table, including the associated DLL.
• Custom JSON Formatting: A new function create_custom_format is introduced to structure the ResultDocument into a custom JSON format that includes the extracted PE context.

Changelog

• floss/render/json.py
  • Added imports for pefile and logging at lines 6 and 7.
  • Implemented create_custom_format function (lines 28-170) to generate a custom JSON structure with PE parsing and context.
  • Modified the render function (lines 172-174) to use the create_custom_format function and return a JSON string with indentation for readability.

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---

From PE files, context we glean,
Strings' origins, now clearly seen.
Headers, sections, imports too,
JSON's details, shining through,
A richer view, for all to convene.

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[gemini-code-assist]

Code Review

The pull request introduces a new JSON format for the output of the floss tool, incorporating PE file parsing to provide more detailed context for the extracted strings. This is a significant improvement that enhances the utility of the tool. The implementation is generally well-structured, but there are a few areas that could be improved for clarity and robustness.

Summary of Findings

• Error Handling: The code includes basic error handling for PE file parsing, but it could be expanded to provide more informative error messages and potentially handle different types of PE parsing errors more gracefully. Consider logging more details about the error and the file being processed.
• Contextual Information: The logic for extracting contextual information from the PE file is complex and could benefit from additional comments to explain the purpose of each step. Consider adding comments to clarify the logic for identifying PE headers, sections, and import entries.
• Duplicated Section Name Logic: The logic for handling section names (lines 63-65 and 105) is duplicated. This could be refactored into a single function to improve maintainability.

Merge Readiness

The changes in this pull request significantly improve the functionality of the floss tool. However, addressing the error handling and code clarity issues would further enhance the quality and maintainability of the code. I recommend addressing the identified issues before merging. I am unable to directly approve this pull request, and users should have others review and approve this code before merging.

[gemini-code-assist]

Consider logging the specific exception that occurred, as well as the file path, to aid in debugging. This could be achieved by including the exception message in the log and the filename.

Suggested change

	except Exception as e:
	logging.warning(f"Failed to parse PE file: {e}")
	logging.warning(f"Failed to parse PE file: {doc.metadata.file_path} - {e}")