Shellter vs Radare2: Which Software Reverse Engineering Tool tool is Best in 2025?

Shellter is an open-source dynamic shellcode injection tool, pre-installed on Kali Linux, designed for injecting malicious code into 32-bit Windows portable executable (PE) files while evading antivirus detection. Known as a dynamic PE infector, Shellter, developed by kyREcon, allows penetration testers and red teamers to embed custom or Metasploit-generated shellcode into legitimate Windows applications without altering suspicious file attributes. Its Stealth Mode preserves the original functionality of infected executables, making it ideal for ethical hacking and security assessments.

Radare2 is an open-source, modular reverse engineering framework, pre-installed on Kali Linux at /usr/bin/r2, designed for analyzing binaries, disassembling code, and debugging software across multiple platforms. Initiated by Sergi Alvarez (pancake) in 2006, Radare2 offers a suite of command-line tools, a graphical interface (Cutter), and scripting APIs for tasks like malware analysis, firmware auditing, and exploit development. Supporting architectures such as x86, ARM, MIPS, and WebAssembly, it’s a favorite among cybersecurity researchers, ethical hackers, and CTF enthusiasts for its lightweight design and extensibility.