Which statement describes the purpose of 'Strings' in binary analysis?

• A. Scans for SQL vulnerabilities
• B. Modifies binary code
• C. Extracts text from binaries
• D. Generates encryption keys

Answer: (C)

In binary analysis, Strings refers to the practice of extracting human-readable text embedded inside an executable or library. This is valuable because binaries often contain messages, error strings, URLs, file paths, API names, or even hard-coded credentials that reveal what the program does and how it operates. By listing these strings, an analyst gains quick, actionable clues about the program’s behavior without running it. This is a read-only activity that helps identify potential touchpoints, endpoints, or secrets. It isn’t about modifying the binary, generating keys, or scanning for SQL vulnerabilities, which are separate analysis tasks.