# Ffind

> Advanced file finder with type detection and filesystem extraction for analyzing firmware and extracting embedded filesystems. Use when you need to analyze firmware files, identify file types, or extract ext2/3/4 or F2FS filesystems.

- Skill: `brownfinesecurity/ffind` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add brownfinesecurity/ffind`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/brownfinesecurity/ffind/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: brownfinesecurity (https://skillmd.com/u/brownfinesecurity)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/brownfinesecurity/ffind

---


# Ffind - Advanced File Finder with Extraction

You are helping the user find and analyze files with advanced type detection and optional filesystem extraction capabilities using the ffind tool.

## Tool Overview

Ffind analyzes files and directories, identifies file types, and can extract filesystems (ext2/3/4, F2FS) for deeper analysis. It's designed for firmware and IoT device analysis.

## Instructions

When the user asks to analyze files, find specific file types, or extract filesystems:

1. **Understand the target**:
   - Ask what path(s) they want to analyze
   - Determine if they want to extract filesystems or just analyze
   - Ask if they want all file types or just artifact types

2. **Execute the analysis**:
   - Use the ffind command from the iothackbot bin directory
   - Basic usage: `ffind <path> [<path2> ...]`
   - To extract filesystems: `ffind <path> -e`
   - Custom extraction directory: `ffind <path> -e -d /path/to/output`
   - Show all file types: `ffind <path> -a`
   - Verbose output: `ffind <path> -v`

3. **Output formats**:
   - `--format text` (default): Human-readable colored output with type summaries
   - `--format json`: Machine-readable JSON
   - `--format quiet`: Minimal output

4. **Extraction capabilities**:
   - Supports ext2/ext3/ext4 filesystems (requires e2fsprogs)
   - Supports F2FS filesystems (requires f2fs-tools)
   - Requires sudo privileges for extraction
   - Default extraction location: `/tmp/ffind_<timestamp>`

## Examples

Analyze a firmware file to see file types:
```bash
ffind /path/to/firmware.bin
```

Extract all filesystems from a firmware image:
```bash
sudo ffind /path/to/firmware.bin -e
```

Analyze multiple files and show all types:
```bash
ffind /path/to/file1.bin /path/to/file2.bin -a
```

Extract to a custom directory:
```bash
sudo ffind /path/to/firmware.bin -e -d /tmp/my-extraction
```

## Important Notes

- **Name collision**: The Sleuth Kit also ships a `ffind` (it finds file names for a given inode and takes a disk image plus an inode number). If `which ffind` points at `/usr/bin/ffind` or `/usr/local/bin/ffind`, the iothackbot flags below (`-e`, `-d <dir>`, `-a`, `--format`) will be misread by the wrong binary. Confirm with `ffind --help` (the iothackbot tool shows `--extract`/`--format`); if it shows `image inode` usage, invoke the iothackbot tool by its full path in the repo `bin/` directory instead.
- Extraction requires root/sudo privileges
- Requires external tools: e2fsprogs, f2fs-tools, util-linux
- Identifies "artifact" file types relevant to security analysis by default
- Use `-a` flag to see all file types including common formats