------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------H-A-C-K-EE-R-Z---------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------BASICS OF SOFTWAARE CRACKING--------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- As all other tutorials , i wont start this one with a big introduction. I know you all have the idea what software cracking is. You have a demo software with a time limit and you want to crack it so that you can use it forever.I personally do not recommend cracking so i have written this tutorial only for information purpose. I am assuming that you are a total newbie and dont know anything about cracking . So lets begin from here. 1.> Tools you will need There are certian essential tools or softwares that you will need to go any further. Without these there is no point in learning. I recommend that you download them from the net. 1.> Debugger : Softice 2.> Disassembler : I use WDASM32 3.> Hex Editor : I like Hiew Without these thingz you cant go any further.Though one more thing is required and thats your brain. You will be using it most often. 2.> Procedure of cracking Though a little knowledge of programming will help ,but even if ur a complete newbie , it wont make much difference. Suppose you have a software that has a 30day time limit and you want to remove that protection . So how do you begin . In the program's code there are certain lines of code that contain the time protection routine. If you could somehow remove those line then your job is done. But the thing is that you dont have the code of the program . Suppose the program was made in c++ ,then instead of a .cpp file you only have the .exe . Thats the compiled version . There is a process called decompiling ie to convert the exe back to its source (exe to cpp ). Once you have the.cpp of that demo then using your knowledge of c++ you can very easily remove those lines of code that contain the 30 day time limit. Then you can compile the .cpp back to .exe and have your demo run forever. I am really happy that this is not possible. Had this been possible then anyone would have been a cracker. Decompiling is almost impossible. Even if you are able to decompile a file ( .exe back to .cpp ) you cant compile it again. That is you cant make a .exe out of it (so u cant run it again) .So lets forget about decompiling and compiling again. Its not possible. So whats the solution. < DISASSEMBLER : WDASM32 > A disassembler is a software that can convert a software (.exe) into assembly language. So you can disassemble the code of your demo software into assembly language.Then you will have to search for the time protection routine in that code.A good knowledge of assembly language is very helpful.Once you find that code which contains the protection then you can remove it.So what you require is a disassembler and some knowledge of assembly language. < HEX EDITOR : HIEW > A hex editor is used to make any changes in the file.Suppose you have disassembled the demo software's exe file and have studied it . After going through its code , you found that line number xxx contains the code of time limit . A disassembler wont let you make any changes in the file.So here is when you need a hex editor. Open your file in the hex editor . Now here you will see the unreadable code in machine language.Go to line number xxx and remove it.This is called patching. Its this simple. < DEBUGGER : SOFTICE > When you disassemble the .exe file then the assembly code generated contains millions of lines . It is not possible to read each line and find out where the code of 30 day trial is. For this we have softice. Though it has many other feature , we will generally use it to find the place where patching has to be done . In some easy cases softice will be enough to find the line that has to be removed . In this case we dont need the disassembler.Just open the hiew and remove the line. So , now you have a basic idea of what software cracking is. Its time to move onto my next tutorial. ------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------KNOWLEDGE-IS-POWERR-------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------H-A-C-K-E-R-Z------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------