# Control Flow and Algorithm Recognition

> Master advanced reverse engineering by reconstructing complex control flow graphs and identifying cryptographic, hashing, and compression algorithms in compiled binaries.

Canonical: https://codelivly.com/rooms/control-flow-and-algorithm-recognition
Last updated: 2026-09-18

| | |
|---|---|
| Level | Advanced |
| Category | Malware Analysis |
| Lessons | 3 |
| Estimated time | 30 min |
| XP | 100 |

This advanced module elevates your malware analysis skills from basic function identification to complex algorithm reconstruction. You will learn to deobfuscate control flow flattening, reconstruct complex switch statements, and identify common cryptographic and compression algorithms (like XOR, rolling hashes, CRC32, and LZNT1) directly from assembly code. By mastering control flow analysis and algorithm recognition, you will be able to strip away advanced obfuscation, extract custom encryption keys, and fully understand the mathematical logic driving the malware's core payload.

## Lessons

1. What Is Control Flow Analysis and Why Does It Matter (30 min)
2. Recognizing Common Algorithms (XOR Loops, Base64, Custom Encoding) (30 min)
3. Guided Lab: Reverse-Engineering a Custom String Decoding Routine (30 min)

## Related

- [Learning path: Reverse Engineering Fundamentals](https://codelivly.com/learning-paths/reverse-engineering-fundamentals)
- [All rooms](https://codelivly.com/rooms)