GIAC Cybersecurity Technologies Practice Test 2026 – Complete Exam Prep

The command `x/s 0x80484ef` in pwndbg is significant because the 's' indicates that the command should interpret the data at the specified memory address (0x80484ef) as a string. This means that when using this command, pwndbg will display the contents of the address as a null-terminated string, allowing the user to read textual data stored at that location in memory. This is particularly useful when debugging programs that may output strings or have important textual information at specific memory addresses.

Understanding the context of the command helps clarify its use in debugging. Other formats can be specified with different letters, such as 'i' for instructions or 'x' for hexadecimal representation, but in this case, the 's' is specifically for string representation. This feature is instrumental in diagnosing issues within the program by allowing the debugger to present the data in a human-readable format, thereby aiding the developer in analyzing and resolving potential problems related to string handling or data corruption.