x86 Software Reverse-Engineering, Cracking, and Counter-Measures

Table of Contents....2 Title Page....13 Introduction....14 Who Should Read This Book....14 What to Expect from This Book....15 History....18 Legal....20 Chapter 1: Decompilation and Architecture....22 Decompilation....22 Lab 1: Decompiling....25 Architecture....26 Summary....35 Chapter 2: x86 Assembly: Data, Modes, Registers, and Memory Access....37 Introduction to x86....37 Assembly Syntax....39 Data Representation....40 Registers....47 Memory Access....51 Addressing Modes....55 Summary....58 Chapter 3: x86 Assembly: Instructions....59 x86 Instruction Format....59 x86 Instructions....60 Putting It All Together....71 Common x86 Instruction Mistakes....71 Summary....72 Chapter 4: Building and Running Assembly Programs....74 Output....74 System Calls....79 Building and Linking....81 objdump....86 Lab: Hello World....87 ASCII....89 Summary....91 Chapter 5: Understanding Condition Codes....93 Condition Codes....93 Summary....101 Chapter 6: Analyzing and Debugging Assembly Code....102 Binary Analysis....102 Breakpoints....104 gdb....105 Segmentation Faults....113 Lab: Shark Sim 3000....113 Tuning Out the Noise....114 Summary....115 Chapter 7: Functions and Control Flow....117 Control Flow....117 Logic Constructs in x86....121 Stack....138 Function Calls and Stack Frames....144 Summary....164 Chapter 8: Compilers and Optimizers....165 Finding Starting Code....165 Compilers....169 Summary....178 Chapter 9: Reverse Engineering: Tools and Strategies....179 Lab: RE Bingo....179 Basic REconnaissance....180 Reverse Engineering Strategy....188 Summary....190 Chapter 10: Cracking: Tools and Strategies....191 Key Checkers....191 Key Generators....196 Lab: Introductory Keygen....201 Procmon....201 Resource Hacker....208 Patching....215 Other Debuggers....217 Debugging with Immunity....219 Lab: Cracking with Immunity....228 Summary....229 Chapter 11: Patching and Advanced Tooling....230 Patching in 010 Editor....230 CodeFusion Patching....233 Cheat Engine....236 Lab: Cracking LaFarge....244 IDA Introduction....245 IDA Patching....256 Lab: IDA Logic Flows....259 Ghidra....260 Lab: Cracking with IDA....260 Summary....261 Chapter 12: Defense....262 Obfuscation....262 Lab: Obfuscation....272 Anti-Debugging....272 Lab: Anti-Debugging....277 Summary....278 Chapter 13: Advanced Defensive Techniques....279 Tamper-Proofing....279 Packing....281 Lab: Detecting and Unpacking....286 Virtualization....286 Cryptors/Decryptors....291 Summary....292 Chapter 14: Detection and Prevention....295 CRC....295 Code Signing....296 RASP....299 Allowlisting....301 Blocklisting....303 Remote Authentication....304 Lab: ProcMon....306 Summary....307 Chapter 15: Legal....308 U.S. Laws Affecting Reverse Engineering....308 Summary....315 Chapter 16: Advanced Techniques....316 Timeless Debugging....316 Summary....320 Chapter 17: Bonus Topics....322 Stack Smashing....322 Connecting C and x86....336 Summary....346 Conclusion....347 Index....350 Copyright....382 About the Authors....383 About the Technical Writer....384 About the Technical Editor....385 End User License Agreement....386