The most common software hacks will be the modification of an application's binary to cause or prevent an unique key branch in the program's execution. This is accomplished by reverse engineering the compiled program code by using a debugger such as SoftICE, OllyDbg, GDB, or MacsBug prior to the software cracker reaches the subroutine which contains the primary method of protecting the software (or by disassembling an executable file which has a program such as IDA). The binary is then modified using the debugger or perhaps a hex editor in a manner that replaces an earlier branching opcode with its complement or perhaps a NOP opcode so the key branch will either always start a specific subroutine or skip over it. Just about all common software cracks certainly are a variation of this type. Proprietary software developers are constantly developing techniques such as code obfuscation, encryption, and self-modifying code to generate this modification increasingly difficult. Despite having these measures being taken, developers battle to combat software cracking. For the reason that it's very common for the professional to publicly releases an easy cracked EXE or Retrium Installer for public download, eliminating the necessity for inexperienced users to crack the software themselves.
A particular example of this technique is really a crack that removes the expiration period from the time-limited trial of an application. These cracks usually are programs that patch this software executable and sometimes the .dll or .so from the application. Similar cracks are for sale to software that requires a hardware dongle. A business can also break the copy protection of programs they've legally purchased but which can be licensed to particular hardware, so that there is no risk of downtime because of hardware failure (and, naturally, no need to restrict oneself to running the software on bought hardware only).
The way to Hack
Another method may be the use of special software such as CloneCD to scan to the use of a commercial copy protection application. After discovering the software used to protect the application, another tool is known to remove the copy protection from the software on the CD or DVD. This will likely enable another program for instance Alcohol 120%, CloneDVD, Game Jackal, or Daemon Tools to repeat the protected software to some user's hard disk. Popular commercial copy protection applications which might be scanned for include SafeDisc and StarForce.
In other instances, it might be possible to decompile a plan in order to get access to the main source code or code on a level higher than machine code. This really is possible with scripting languages and languages utilizing JIT compilation. A good example is cracking (or debugging) around the .NET platform where one might consider manipulating CIL to accomplish one's needs. Java's bytecode also works in a similar fashion in which there is an intermediate language prior to program is compiled to own on the platform dependent machine code.
Advanced reverse engineering for protections for example Securom, Safedisc or StarForce requires a cracker, or many crackers to shell out much time studying the protection, eventually finding every flaw from the protection code, and then coding their own tools to "unwrap" the security automatically from executable (.EXE) and library (.DLL) files.
There are many of sites on the Internet that let users download cracks for popular games and applications (although at the danger of acquiring malicious software that may be sometimes distributed via such sites). Although these cracks are employed by legal buyers of software, they can also be used by individuals who have downloaded or otherwise obtained pirated software (often through P2P networks)... Hacks
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