Buzz
Have you ever wondered how to bypass the copy protection of a program? With the right tools, you can analyze how a program works internally and see how its copy protection mechanism functions. By using Assembly language (a low-level programming language), you could even modify these programs to use them without registering or paying. To achieve this, you'll need to crack the software by modifying the DLL file.
Steps
Learn Assembly Programming. To crack most software, you need to have a deep understanding of Assembly language. This language is derived from machine code, meaning each Assembly language is specific to the computer you are using. Most Assembly code is presented in binary or hexadecimal formats.
Install a Reverse Engineering Tool (Disassembler). To analyze and modify DLL files, you need various tools, including a disassembler. IDA Pro is a solid option, as it serves both as a disassembler and a debugger. Thankfully, a free version is available at https://www.hex-rays.com/products/ida/support/download_freeware, although it has fewer features compared to the Pro version. You can also try dotPeek, a source code tool that supports DLL files and helps convert .NET Assembly code into C#. Another alternative is OllyDBG, which allows you to open DLL files for free.
Launch the program you want to crack using the disassembler tool. This process may vary depending on the disassembler you're using. It will display the DLL files being loaded by the program. Use the debugger tool to check which functions are being called from the DLL file.
Locate the timing feature. Many programs use timing features as a copy protection measure, and when the time expires, users can no longer access the program. Our goal is to identify and bypass the timing code.
- If the program you are cracking uses a different form of protection, you will need to locate that feature.
Set a breakpoint for the timer. Once you've isolated the timing feature, install SoftIce to interrupt the program each time the timer reaches its limit. This will allow you to observe the exact code executed when the timer function is triggered.
Modify the timing code. After identifying the timing function's code, you can alter it so that the timer never reaches the point where access to the program is blocked. For instance, you could make the timer unable to reach the interrupt limit or make it jump over the timer count.
Rebuild the cracked software. Once you have extracted and edited the code, you will need to rebuild the program so that the changes are reflected in the DLL file and other dependent files.
Warning
- Illegal software piracy is prohibited in most countries.
- Cracking almost any software is also illegal.
