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IDA VS Dependency Walker

Compare IDA VS Dependency Walker and see what are their differences

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Contents:
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  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
  4. » Alternatives

IDA logo IDA

The best-of-breed binary code analysis tool, an indispensable item in the toolbox of world-class software analysts, reverse engineers, malware analyst and cybersecurity professionals.

Dependency Walker logo Dependency Walker

Dependency Walker is a free utility that extracts a hierarchal tree of dependencies from any 32- or...
  • IDA Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-11-11

A powerful disassembler and a versatile debugger IDA Pro as a disassembler is capable of creating maps of their execution to show the binary instructions that are actually executed by the processor in a symbolic representation (assembly language). Advanced techniques have been implemented into IDA Pro so that it can generate assembly language source code from machine-executable code and make this complex code more human-readable.

The debugging feature augmented IDA with the dynamic analysis. It supports multiple debugging targets and can handle remote applications. Its cross-platform debugging capability enables instant debugging, easy connection to both local and remote processes and support for 64-bit systems and new connection possibilities.

  • Dependency Walker Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-08-20

IDA features and specs

  • Powerful Disassembler
    IDA Pro is renowned for its powerful disassembly capabilities, which can reverse-engineer complex binaries for various architectures.
  • Interactive Graphical Interface
    The tool provides an intuitive and interactive GUI, complete with various graph views, that helps users visualize control flow and analyze code more efficiently.
  • Plugin Ecosystem
    IDA Pro supports an extensive range of plugins, allowing users to extend its functionality and tailor it to specific needs.
  • Scriptable
    It supports multiple scripting languages, such as IDC, Python, and others, enabling automation of repetitive tasks and custom analysis routines.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    IDA Pro is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it versatile for different operating environments.
  • Extensive Documentation
    IDA Pro comes with comprehensive documentation and active community support, helping users in learning and troubleshooting.

Possible disadvantages of IDA

  • High Cost
    IDA Pro is known for its high price, which might be prohibitive for small businesses, hobbyists, or independent security researchers.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    The tool is highly complex and may require significant time and effort to master, especially for beginners in reverse engineering.
  • Resource Intensive
    IDA Pro can be resource-intensive, requiring robust system specifications to function smoothly, particularly when dealing with large binaries.
  • Licensing Restrictions
    The licensing terms can be restrictive, limiting the ability to transfer licenses between different users or systems easily.
  • Limited Dynamic Analysis
    While IDA Pro is excellent for static analysis, its capabilities for dynamic analysis are somewhat limited compared to specialized dynamic analysis tools.
  • Comparison with Free Tools
    There are free alternatives available, such as Ghidra and Radare2, which offer comparable capabilities without the high cost.

Dependency Walker features and specs

  • Comprehensive Analysis
    Dependency Walker provides a detailed view of all the modules that an application depends on, including dynamically loaded modules. This can be useful for diagnosing application start-up issues or determining why a program doesn't run on a particular system.
  • Free to Use
    Dependency Walker is a free tool, making it accessible for anyone to use without the need for a software license or subscription.
  • Compatibility
    It supports various versions of Windows and can analyze applications intended for different processor architectures, including x86 and x64.
  • Time-Stamp and Version Information
    The tool provides time-stamp and version information for DLLs and other files, aiding in detecting outdated or incorrectly versioned dependencies.
  • Static and Dynamic Analysis
    Dependency Walker allows users to perform both static analysis and dynamic runtime profiling, providing insights into how an application behaves under different conditions.

Possible disadvantages of Dependency Walker

  • Limited Support for Modern Features
    Dependency Walker has not been updated for a while, which means it may not support newer features or conventions in modern applications and operating systems.
  • Complexity for New Users
    The tool can be complex and difficult to navigate for those who are not familiar with software dependency structures, potentially leading to confusion.
  • Dynamic Linking Limitations
    While it tracks dynamic links, Dependency Walker may not fully account for all real-time complaints that occur at runtime, particularly with certain APIs and system calls.
  • Limited GUI
    The user interface is somewhat outdated, which can be cumbersome and less intuitive, especially for users accustomed to modern IDEs and development tools.
  • Not Actively Maintained
    Dependency Walker has not received updates in recent years, meaning there is no support or enhancements forthcoming, which could be a concern for long-term usage.

IDA videos

+ Add

Mark Kermode reviews Ida

More videos:

  • Review - My Review for IDA (non-spoiler)
  • Review - The New Canon: 'Ida'

Dependency Walker videos

No Dependency Walker videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to IDA and Dependency Walker)

IDA

Dependency Walker

IDE
88 88%
IDE
12% 12
Software Development
87 87%
Software Development
13% 13
Decompiler
81 81%
Decompiler
19% 19
Tool
100 100%
Tool
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare IDA and Dependency Walker

IDA Reviews

Reverse engineering tools review
IDA that is Interactive DisAssembler in an undpisupted king among tools used in reverse engineering. IDA is a disassembler and debugger with built-in code analysis for over 60 types of processors. It has its own script language, large base of signatures of the most popular programming libraries as well as support for plug-ins that additionally enhance functionality e.g. by...
Source: www.pelock.com
The 5 Best Reverse Engineering Software for 2022
The interactive nature of the IDA Pro disassembler means you can change elements of the displayed data in real-time, including functions, variables, names, and library functions. It's written in C++ and runs on Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux. The IDA Pro platform benefits from several plugins, the most notable of which is the Hex-Rays decompiler. With this tool, software...
Source: online.yu.edu

Dependency Walker Reviews

We have no reviews of Dependency Walker yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, IDA should be more popular than Dependency Walker. It has been mentiond 13 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

IDA mentions (13)

  • How to Extract Rocket League Data in Real Time: Reverse Engineering in Unreal Engine Games
    It is interesting for the reader to try to find them on their own, but I will show how I found them using a disassembler called IDA64 for static analysis and a structure dissector called ReClass.net to validate if it is correct or not. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Ida Pro 9 Beta Leak (Including Linux)
    If you, like me( had no clue what the hex Ida Pro is: https://hex-rays.com/ida-pro/. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • XZ backdoor story – Initial analysis
    The tool used in those white screenshots is called IDA pro, a decompiler. https://hex-rays.com/ida-pro/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • how do i make mynown cracks for my steam games?
    Learn assembly and then fuck around with https://hex-rays.com/ida-pro/. Gonna take you a week max. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Disabling a pointless hardware check in an old DOS EXE
    To RE the executable IDA Pro can be very useful: Https://hex-rays.com/ida-pro/. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

Dependency Walker mentions (2)

  • Server 2019 not compatible with some applications like Server 2016
    I wouldn't wish this on anybody - but one could start with: Dependency Walker (depends.exe) Home Page and chase your own tail for a while. Cheers. Source: about 2 years ago
  • C++ Show and Tell - September 2022
    Hi, I'm Marek and I created DependencyViewer a tool for analysing .dll and .exe files. It is very similar to Dependency Walker tool by Microsoft or to Dependencies tool by lucasg. Binary download fox x86 and x64 is available on my drive. Some features of my tool are: Advantages: Written in C++ not C#. Requires only Visual Studio and Process Hacker's headers to build, has no other (build-time or run-time)... Source: over 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing IDA and Dependency Walker, you can also consider the following products

Ghidra - Software Reverse Engineering (SRE) Framework

Dependencies - A rewrite of the old legacy software "depends.

OllyDbg - OllyDbg is a 32-bit assembler level analysing debugger.

Resource Hacker - Resource Hacker has been designed to be the complete resource editing tool.

X64dbg - X64dbg is a debugging software that can debug x64 and x32 applications.

PE Explorer - EXE Editor, Resource Editor, Disassembler, Section Editor, Dependency Scanner, Quick Function Syntax Lookup. Analyze win32 executable files, including headers, procedures, and libraries. Edit icon resources and more.

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