Which type of analysis involves deconstructing software and hardware to determine how it works and to see how much information can be extracted?

The correct answer is reverse engineering, which is the process of deconstructing software or hardware to understand its design, functionalities, and underlying principles. This approach allows security professionals and engineers to analyze how systems are built and to identify potential vulnerabilities or exploitations.

In software, reverse engineering can involve examining executable files and code to comprehend their operations. In hardware, it may include disassembling physical components to analyze their interactions and data flows. The ultimate goal is often to extract as much information as possible, whether for security assessments, improving designs, or ensuring compliance with standards.

The other types of analysis each have distinct characteristics: static analysis typically focuses on inspecting code without executing it, dynamic analysis involves examining a system in operation to observe its behavior in real time, and side-channel analysis looks at indirect data that can be gleaned during the operation of a system, such as timing information or power consumption. While these techniques are valuable in their own right, they do not specifically encompass the totality of deconstructing systems for comprehensive understanding as reverse engineering does.