How to find if a file is an exe?

Question

How can I be sure that a file passed to my program is a valid exe file ?

actually my program takes a file as input and runs it, but user can input any file so I have to make sure that the input is a valid exe.

Answer 1

If you want something more in-depth than "does the filename end in '.exe'?" but you don't want to actually have to run the program, you can check for the existence and validity of the PE headers. Additionally, checking the leading 2 bytes ("MZ" for PE files) will return true for DLLs as well. If you don't want that, you can try this approach.

Matt Pietrek has written a couple of great articles describing the PE format:

• Peering Inside the PE: A Tour of the Win32 Portable Executable File Format
• An In-Depth Look into the Win32 Portable Executable File Format

The two important data structures here are IMAGE_DOS_HEADER and IMAGE_NT_HEADERS32/IMAGE_NT_HEADERS64. These structures are defined in winnt.h in the Windows SDK. Many of these PE structures are described here.

You can work with the PE headers using managed code (similar to this approach). The following code returns true for 32- (i386) and 64-bit (IA64, AMD64) .exe PE files (e.g. returns false for DLLs). See the bottom for the usage (ExeChecker.IsValidExe). If desired, you can add additional checks to support more architectures or to do more validation. See winnt.h for more constants.

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

namespace ExeChecker
{
    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    struct IMAGE_DOS_HEADER
    {
        public ushort e_magic;    // Magic number
        public ushort e_cblp;     // Bytes on last page of file
        public ushort e_cp;       // Pages in file
        public ushort e_crlc;     // Relocations
        public ushort e_cparhdr;  // Size of header in paragraphs
        public ushort e_minalloc; // Minimum extra paragraphs needed
        public ushort e_maxalloc; // Maximum extra paragraphs needed
        public ushort e_ss;       // Initial (relative) SS value
        public ushort e_sp;       // Initial SP value
        public ushort e_csum;     // Checksum
        public ushort e_ip;       // Initial IP value
        public ushort e_cs;       // Initial (relative) CS value
        public ushort e_lfarlc;   // File address of relocation table
        public ushort e_ovno;     // Overlay number
        public uint e_res1;       // Reserved
        public uint e_res2;       // Reserved
        public ushort e_oemid;    // OEM identifier (for e_oeminfo)
        public ushort e_oeminfo;  // OEM information; e_oemid specific
        public uint e_res3;       // Reserved
        public uint e_res4;       // Reserved
        public uint e_res5;       // Reserved
        public uint e_res6;       // Reserved
        public uint e_res7;       // Reserved
        public int e_lfanew;      // File address of new exe header
    }

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    struct IMAGE_FILE_HEADER
    {
        public ushort Machine;
        public ushort NumberOfSections;
        public uint TimeDateStamp;
        public uint PointerToSymbolTable;
        public uint NumberOfSymbols;
        public ushort SizeOfOptionalHeader;
        public ushort Characteristics;
    }

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    struct IMAGE_NT_HEADERS_COMMON
    {
        public uint Signature;
        public IMAGE_FILE_HEADER FileHeader;
    }

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    struct IMAGE_NT_HEADERS32
    {
        public uint Signature;
        public IMAGE_FILE_HEADER FileHeader;
        public IMAGE_OPTIONAL_HEADER32 OptionalHeader;
    }

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    struct IMAGE_NT_HEADERS64
    {
        public uint Signature;
        public IMAGE_FILE_HEADER FileHeader;
        public IMAGE_OPTIONAL_HEADER64 OptionalHeader;
    }

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    struct IMAGE_OPTIONAL_HEADER32
    {
        public ushort Magic;
        public byte MajorLinkerVersion;
        public byte MinorLinkerVersion;
        public uint SizeOfCode;
        public uint SizeOfInitializedData;
        public uint SizeOfUninitializedData;
        public uint AddressOfEntryPoint;
        public uint BaseOfCode;
        public uint BaseOfData;
        public uint ImageBase;
        public uint SectionAlignment;
        public uint FileAlignment;
        public ushort MajorOperatingSystemVersion;
        public ushort MinorOperatingSystemVersion;
        public ushort MajorImageVersion;
        public ushort MinorImageVersion;
        public ushort MajorSubsystemVersion;
        public ushort MinorSubsystemVersion;
        public uint Win32VersionValue;
        public uint SizeOfImage;
        public uint SizeOfHeaders;
        public uint CheckSum;
        public ushort Subsystem;
        public ushort DllCharacteristics;
        public uint SizeOfStackReserve;
        public uint SizeOfStackCommit;
        public uint SizeOfHeapReserve;
        public uint SizeOfHeapCommit;
        public uint LoaderFlags;
        public uint NumberOfRvaAndSizes;
    }

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    struct IMAGE_OPTIONAL_HEADER64
    {
        public ushort Magic;
        public byte MajorLinkerVersion;
        public byte MinorLinkerVersion;
        public uint SizeOfCode;
        public uint SizeOfInitializedData;
        public uint SizeOfUninitializedData;
        public uint AddressOfEntryPoint;
        public uint BaseOfCode;
        public ulong ImageBase;
        public uint SectionAlignment;
        public uint FileAlignment;
        public ushort MajorOperatingSystemVersion;
        public ushort MinorOperatingSystemVersion;
        public ushort MajorImageVersion;
        public ushort MinorImageVersion;
        public ushort MajorSubsystemVersion;
        public ushort MinorSubsystemVersion;
        public uint Win32VersionValue;
        public uint SizeOfImage;
        public uint SizeOfHeaders;
        public uint CheckSum;
        public ushort Subsystem;
        public ushort DllCharacteristics;
        public ulong SizeOfStackReserve;
        public ulong SizeOfStackCommit;
        public ulong SizeOfHeapReserve;
        public ulong SizeOfHeapCommit;
        public uint LoaderFlags;
        public uint NumberOfRvaAndSizes;
    }

    static class ExeChecker
    {
        public static bool IsValidExe(string fileName)
        {
            if (!File.Exists(fileName))
                return false;

            try
            {
                using (var stream = File.OpenRead(fileName))
                {
                    IMAGE_DOS_HEADER dosHeader = GetDosHeader(stream);
                    if (dosHeader.e_magic != IMAGE_DOS_SIGNATURE)
                        return false;

                    IMAGE_NT_HEADERS_COMMON ntHeader = GetCommonNtHeader(stream, dosHeader);
                    if (ntHeader.Signature != IMAGE_NT_SIGNATURE)
                        return false;

                    if ((ntHeader.FileHeader.Characteristics & IMAGE_FILE_DLL) != 0)
                        return false;

                    switch (ntHeader.FileHeader.Machine)
                    {
                        case IMAGE_FILE_MACHINE_I386:
                            return IsValidExe32(GetNtHeader32(stream, dosHeader));

                        case IMAGE_FILE_MACHINE_IA64:
                        case IMAGE_FILE_MACHINE_AMD64:
                            return IsValidExe64(GetNtHeader64(stream, dosHeader));
                    }
                }
            }
            catch (InvalidOperationException)
            {
                return false;
            }

            return true;
        }

        static bool IsValidExe32(IMAGE_NT_HEADERS32 ntHeader)
        {
            return ntHeader.OptionalHeader.Magic == IMAGE_NT_OPTIONAL_HDR32_MAGIC;
        }

        static bool IsValidExe64(IMAGE_NT_HEADERS64 ntHeader)
        {
            return ntHeader.OptionalHeader.Magic == IMAGE_NT_OPTIONAL_HDR64_MAGIC;
        }

        static IMAGE_DOS_HEADER GetDosHeader(Stream stream)
        {
            stream.Seek(0, SeekOrigin.Begin);
            return ReadStructFromStream<IMAGE_DOS_HEADER>(stream);
        }

        static IMAGE_NT_HEADERS_COMMON GetCommonNtHeader(Stream stream, IMAGE_DOS_HEADER dosHeader)
        {
            stream.Seek(dosHeader.e_lfanew, SeekOrigin.Begin);
            return ReadStructFromStream<IMAGE_NT_HEADERS_COMMON>(stream);
        }

        static IMAGE_NT_HEADERS32 GetNtHeader32(Stream stream, IMAGE_DOS_HEADER dosHeader)
        {
            stream.Seek(dosHeader.e_lfanew, SeekOrigin.Begin);
            return ReadStructFromStream<IMAGE_NT_HEADERS32>(stream);
        }

        static IMAGE_NT_HEADERS64 GetNtHeader64(Stream stream, IMAGE_DOS_HEADER dosHeader)
        {
            stream.Seek(dosHeader.e_lfanew, SeekOrigin.Begin);
            return ReadStructFromStream<IMAGE_NT_HEADERS64>(stream);
        }

        static T ReadStructFromStream<T>(Stream stream)
        {
            int structSize = Marshal.SizeOf(typeof(T));
            IntPtr memory = IntPtr.Zero;

            try
            {
                memory = Marshal.AllocCoTaskMem(structSize);
                if (memory == IntPtr.Zero)
                    throw new InvalidOperationException();

                byte[] buffer = new byte[structSize];
                int bytesRead = stream.Read(buffer, 0, structSize);
                if (bytesRead != structSize)
                    throw new InvalidOperationException();

                Marshal.Copy(buffer, 0, memory, structSize);

                return (T)Marshal.PtrToStructure(memory, typeof(T));
            }
            finally
            {
                if (memory != IntPtr.Zero)
                    Marshal.FreeCoTaskMem(memory);
            }
        }

        const ushort IMAGE_DOS_SIGNATURE = 0x5A4D;  // MZ
        const uint IMAGE_NT_SIGNATURE = 0x00004550; // PE00

        const ushort IMAGE_FILE_MACHINE_I386 = 0x014C;  // Intel 386
        const ushort IMAGE_FILE_MACHINE_IA64 = 0x0200;  // Intel 64
        const ushort IMAGE_FILE_MACHINE_AMD64 = 0x8664; // AMD64

        const ushort IMAGE_NT_OPTIONAL_HDR32_MAGIC = 0x10B; // PE32
        const ushort IMAGE_NT_OPTIONAL_HDR64_MAGIC = 0x20B; // PE32+

        const ushort IMAGE_FILE_DLL = 0x2000;
    }

    class Program
    {
        static int Main(string[] args)
        {
            if (args.Length == 0)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Please specify a file name to check.");
                return 1;
            }

            bool isValid = ExeChecker.IsValidExe(args[0]);
            Console.WriteLine(isValid);

            return 0;
        }
    }
}

Answer 2

It depends on your definition of "validity".

• If you want to validate that the user passes an "EXE" file, check the file extension.
• If you want to validate that the user passes a runnable EXE file (regardless of extension), check the first two bytes of the file. They should contain the value "MZ".

Answer 3

bool IsExeFile(string path)
{
    var twoBytes = new byte[2];
    using(var fileStream = File.Open(path, FileMode.Open))
    {
        fileStream.Read(twoBytes, 0, 2);
    }

    return Encoding.UTF8.GetString(twoBytes) == "MZ";
}

Answer 4

A very primitive check would be to check for the file extension:

Path.GetExtension(filename).Equals(".exe", 
    StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase);

However, Windows supports a variety of extensions for executable files (e.g. .cmd, .com, .cpl, .scr and many more), so the check above would not cover all executable files.

As mentioned by others, you can also check the magic numbers in the file header for the existence of e.g. MZ (and some other more rare signatures). This second check could be used in addition to checking the extension(s) though you can never be certain that the file is not a simple text file accidentally starting with the same text.

If you are going to start the executable to be checked anyway, then it is probably safest to simply start it with proper exception handling:

const int ERROR_BAD_EXE_FORMAT = 193;
try
{
    ProcessStartInfo psi = new ProcessStartInfo();
    psi.UseShellExecute = false;
    psi.FileName = @"C:\tmp\testOLElocal_4.docx";
    Process.Start(psi);
}
catch (Win32Exception ex)
{
    if (ex.NativeErrorCode == ERROR_BAD_EXE_FORMAT)
    {
        // The exception message would be
        // "The specified executable is not a valid application for this OS platform."
        //
        Console.WriteLine("Not a valid executable.");
    }
    else
    {
        throw;
    }
}

NB: You didn't mention any details about your own application, but whenever executing code which comes via user input you should make sure that your user can be trusted.

Answer 5

You can check if a file is a valid PE format file using the PE Format DLL.

PE files can contain more than just executable code. The can contain resources as well as code, or just resources and no code. PE files can also be native or managed, or native but linked to managed code etc. Depending on what you want to do, being able to check for these things would be useful.

PE_EXE3 pef;
int     ok = FALSE;

if (pef.openFile(fileNameAndPath))
{
    if (pef.IsValid())
    {
        ok = pef.GetHasExecutableCode();
    }
    pef.closeFile();
}

You may also find the following functions useful:

pef.GetIsOnlyResource()
pef.GetHasExecutableCode()
pef.GetIsPureDotNetModule()

Answer 6

If you want to just check the file extension:

if (String.Equals(Path.GetExtension(filePath), ".exe", StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase))
{
    ...
}

If you need to verify that the file is really executable you can analyze its header. There is information about .exe file header: link.

You also can try to run the file as 0xA3 suggested