ICPP - Running C++ in anywhere like a script

Interpreting C++, executing the source and executable like a script.

• Writing powerful script using C++ just as easy as Python;
• Writing hot-loading C++ script code in running process;
• Based on Unicorn Engine qemu virtual cpu and Clang/LLVM C++ compiler;
• Integrated Boost internally with Standard C++23 supported;
• To reuse the existing C/C++ library as icpp module extension is extremely simple.

Copyright (c) vpand.com 2024.

Comparison

*	Source	Executable	Package	Memory Resident
ICPP	C++	ARM64/X86_64 Object	imod for *.icpp	iopad/icpp-gadget
LLI	C++	LLVM-IR Bitcode	N/A	N/A
Python	Python	Bytecode	pip for *.wheel	N/A
Frida	JavaScript	Bytecode	N/A	frida/frida-gadget

Scenarios

Using ICPP to write C++ code just as a script. Write and then run directly, no creating project, no configuring build, no compiling, no linking...

No matter if you're a beginner or an expert with C++, ICPP is suitable for you. With ICPP, you can focus on:

• Writing snippet code to study any of the newest C++ features;
• Writing glue script to do some tasks;
• Writing test code before applying to the formal project;
• Writing sample code to study some new third C/C++ libraries;
• Making native plugin development scriptable, i.e., writing plugin using C++ dynamically.
• Tracing, profiling, performance optimizing;
• And so on...

ICPP, make programming all in one.

How it works

Interpreter

graph LR
    A(C++ Source) -- Clang --> B(Object)
    B -- Loader --> C(ICPP Interpreter)
    A(C++ Source) -- Source.io --> H(IObject)
    H(IObject) -- Parser --> C
    E(Executable) -- Loader --> C
    C -- Unicorn --> D(Output)
    C -- Tracer --> F(Traces)
    C -- Profiler --> G(Profiles)

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Hot-loading

graph LR
    A(C++ Source) -- ICPP --> B(IObject)
    B -- IOPAD --> C(ICPP Gadget)
    C -- Interpreter --> D(Run in Process)
    C -- Extension --> E(Hooking/Tracing)
    C -- Extension --> F(Testing)

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Usage

Summarization

• icpp: a local C++ source compiler, interpreter and REPL used to interpret C++ directly;
• imod: an icpp module package manager tool used to install, uninstall and show the third-party modules;
• iopad: a local C++ source compiler driver, object launch pad and REPL for the remote icpp-gadget;
• icpp-gadget: a remote memory resident daemon which may run inside an Android/iOS process, waiting for iopad to send the interpretable object to execute.

CLI

vpand@MacBook-Pro icpp % icpp -h              
OVERVIEW: ICPP v0.0.1.255 based on Unicorn and Clang/LLVM.
  Interpreting C++, running C++ in anywhere like a script.

USAGE: icpp [options] file0 [file1 ...] [-- args]
OPTIONS:
  -v, -version: print icpp version.
  --version: print icpp and clang version.
  -h, -help: print icpp help list.
  --help: print icpp and clang help list.
  -O0, -O1, -O2, -O3, -Os: optimization level passed to clang, default to -O2.
  -I/path/to/include: header include directory passed to clang.
  -L/path/to/library: library search directory passed to icpp interpreter.
  -lname: full name of the dependent library file passed to icpp interpreter, 
    e.g.: liba.dylib, liba.so, a.dll.
  -F/path/to/framework: framework search directory passed to icpp interpreter.
  -fname: framework name of the dependent library file passed to icpp interpreter.
  -p/path/to/json: a json configuration file for trace/profile/plugin/etc..
FILES: input file can be C++ source code(.c/.cc/.cpp/.cxx), MachO/ELF/PE executable.
ARGS: arguments passed to the main entry function of the input files.

e.g.:
  icpp helloworld.cc
  icpp helloworld.cc -- Hello World 
    i.e.: argc=3, argv[]={"helloworld.cc", "Hello", "World"}
  icpp -O3 helloworld.cc
  icpp -O0 -p/path/to/profile.json helloworld.cc
  icpp -p/path/to/trace.json helloworld.exe
  icpp -I/qt/include -L/qt/lib -llibQtCore.so hellowrold.cc
  icpp -I/qt/include -L/qt/lib -lQtCore.dll hellowrold.cc
  icpp -I/qt/include -F/qt/framework -fQtCore hellowrold.cc

REPL

vpand@MacBook-Pro icpp % icpp     
ICPP v0.0.1.255. Copyright (c) vpand.com.
Running C++ in anywhere like a script.
>>> #include <stdio.h>
>>> puts("Hello, world.")   
Hello, world.
>>> #include <iostream> 
>>> std::cout << "Hello, world." << std::endl
Hello, world.
>>> std::cout << std::hex << 88888888 << std::endl
54c5638

IMOD

vpand@MacBook-Pro icpp % imod -h                
OVERVIEW: ICPP, Interpreting C++, running C++ in anywhere like a script.
  IObject Module Manager Tool built with ICPP v0.0.1.255
USAGE: imod [options]

OPTIONS:

Generic Options:

  --help               - Display available options (--help-hidden for more)
  --help-list          - Display list of available options (--help-list-hidden for more)
  --version            - Display the version of this program

ICPP Module Manager Options:

  --create=<string>    - Create an icpp package from a json configuration file.
  --install=<string>   - Install an icpp package file.
  --list               - List all the installed modules.
  --uninstall=<string> - Uninstall an installed module.

Status

ICPP_SRC/script:

• macOS ARM64 ✔
• Under developing...

OS	C++ Source	X86_64 Binary	AArch64 Binary	X86_64 on AArch64	AArch64 on X86_64
Windows	✘	✘	✘	✘	✘
macOS	✘	✘	✘	✘	✘
Linux	✘	✘	✘	✘	✘

Build

Make sure the cmake, python3 and make command are in your system PATH environment.

mkdir build
cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ..
cmake --build . -- icpp imod iopad icpp-gadget -j8

Contact

You can visit vpand.com for more information on VM, VMProtect, Clang/LLVM and Reverse Engineering products.

Or if you have any questions, just feel free to email to me:

neoliu2011@gmail.com