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Starting from a .exe file is it possible to find the computer that compiled that application? In this particular case with Visual Studio 2013

MaruTaru
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  • If you compiled with Debug symbols, there is probably a path to the PDB file embedded within the binary. That may help you to identify the build machine, depending on your build configuration. You could certainly *set up* your build system so that it embeds this information in a way that is accessible. Why do you need to know this information? What problem are you trying to solve? – Cody Gray - on strike Sep 26 '14 at 03:11

3 Answers3

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No, there is no way in general to do this. The only way might be is if the build process specifically embeds that information into the compiled executable, but that certainly doesn't happen by default.

Greg Hewgill
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Not out of the box. You could deliberately support this with a pre-build action that embeds some kind of identifier into the assembly information. It is possible to pull identifying information out of the hardware, or you could use the computer name which though less stable is certainly a lot more human readable.

Peter Wone
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I'm going to interpret your question in a subtly different way, and disagree with Greg and Peter here.

While the identify of the computer building the executable is not intentionally embedded in the executable, information that might make it possible to identify the computer may be. Also, there may be forensic traces left on the computer itself that would allow it to be identified as responsible for compiling the executable in question.

The upshot is that if you are trying to track down, say, the IP address of the particular Microsoft computer used to build Office 2013, that isn't going to happen. If the FBI is trying to prove that you were responsible for building a particular virus, well, that might be possible.

Harry Johnston
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  • You haven't disagreed with me. I didn't say it was impossible, I said it wasn't supported *out of the box* and I suggested a way to make it possible without bringing to bear the full resources of the FBI. Once Fox Mulder is involved his executables will almost certainly turn out to be alien in origin. Or part of an elaborate government conspiracy. – Peter Wone Sep 29 '14 at 23:04