Final answer:
Decompilation is the process of converting binary code back into human-readable source code, which is carried out by a tool known as a decompiler. Decompilers are useful in software development and cybersecurity, particularly when source code is lost or when analyzing malware.
Step-by-step explanation:
A decompiler attempts to recover source code from binary code. Decompilation is the reverse process of compilation. In other words, if the compilation is the process of converting human-readable source code into machine code or binary, decompilation is the process of doing the opposite - translating binary code back into source code. A decompiler takes as input an executable file and attempts to create a high-level, readable code that represents the same logic as the original executable. The success of this task can vary greatly depending on several factors, including the complexity of the original program, the presence of optimization in the compiled code, and whether the original source code was obfuscated purposely to make decompilation more difficult.
Several industries, such as software development and cybersecurity, utilize decompilers. They can assist in understanding what a piece of software does without having the original source code, which is particularly useful in a scenario where the source code has been lost or in analyzing and understanding malware. However, due to intellectual property considerations, there are legal and ethical aspects to decompiling software that one must be cautious about.