Challenges to the field of reverse engineering

Ten challenges for improvement in the field of reverse engineering are discussed. These challenges fall into three specific areas: avoiding artificial data, focusing on concrete impact, and facilitating researcher communication. Particular topics discussed are: the use of real programs as examples; the use of systems as examples; the use of multiple information sources; the need to strive for utility above all else; the analysis of data, process, and control; the development of semi-automatic tools; the need for doing empirical studies; the establishment of standard terminology; the necessity of making goals explicit; and the selection of standard data tests