Quiz Entry - updated: 2026.07.06
What is %rip-relative addressing and why is it used?
It addresses data as an offset from the current instruction pointer (sym(%rip)), so the code works no matter where it's loaded — the basis of Position-Independent Code.
# Load string address relative to current instruction
lea msg(%rip), %rsi
# Access global variable relative to current instruction
mov counter(%rip), %eax
Why it matters:
- In shared libraries and PIE (Position Independent Executables), code can be loaded at any address
- Absolute addresses (
mov $0x402490, %esi) only work at fixed addresses - RIP-relative works regardless of where the code is loaded
How to read it in GDB: The disassembler resolves the actual address:
lea 0x2008(%rip), %rsi # 0x402490 <msg>
GDB shows both the offset and the resolved address.
Forensic relevance: Modern binaries (compiled with -fPIC or -pie) use RIP-relative addressing everywhere. If you see absolute addresses, it's either an older binary or a statically linked one.
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