What is binary analysis?

Binary analysis is the process of examining compiled software, also known as binaries or executables, to understand how they work, identify vulnerabilities, and ensure they behave as expected. This analysis is often performed by security researchers, reverse engineers, and malware analysts to detect potential security flaws or malicious code. Unlike source code analysis, binary analysis does not require access to the original source code and relies on tools and techniques to interpret machine-level instructions.