Have you ever wanted to learn how a program protects itself from being copied? With the right tools, you can examine the internals of a program and see how copy protection works. Using assembly languages, you can modify these programs so that they no longer need to be registered or purchased.
Step
Step 1. Learn assembly programming
To be able to crack most software, you need to have a good understanding of assembly which is a low level programming language. Assemblies are derived from machine language and each assembly language is specific to the type of computer you are using. Most assembly languages are expressed in binary and hexadecimal.
Step 2. Install the disassembler program
To inspect and modify DLLs, you'll need a few tools, including a disassembler. IDA Pro is a good choice because it is both a disassembler and a debugger. Although its functionality is more limited than the Pro version, fortunately there is also a free version available at https://www.hex-rays.com/products/ida/support/download_freeware. You could also try using dotPeek, a DLL-supporting decompiler that unpacks. NET assembly code into C#. Another option is OllyDBG, which lets you open DLL files for free.
Step 3. Open the app you want to crack in the disassembler
The process may vary slightly, depending on what disassembler you're using. This process will show you which DLL files the program contains. Use the debugger to check which function is being called by the DLL.
Step 4. Find the counter function
Many programs use a timer for copy protection. When the timer expires, the user can no longer access the program. The purpose of this step is to find this counter code, and then bypass it.
If the program you're cracking uses some other form of protection, you'll need to find out what it is
Step 5. Set the break-point on the counter
Once you can isolate the counter function, set SoftIce to interrupt when the function is encountered. This lets you review exactly which code was running when the counter function was called.
Step 6. Change the counter code
Now that you've found the code for the counter function, you can modify the code so that the counter never reaches the point where it can prevent you from using the program. For example, you can make the counter unable to count to the break limit or you can bypass the counter by jumping over it.
Step 7. Reassemble the software you just cracked
After unpacking and editing, you must reassemble the new version of the program so that the changes you make apply to the DLL files and other related files in the program.
Warning
- Software piracy is illegal in most countries.
- Cracking most software is illegal.
