Software cracking

Cracking is the activity of analyzing a computer program (usually by disassembling ) to remove the copy protection. A crack is originally a copy of a computer program, in which a manufacturer attached copy protection has been removed; Today, a computer program capable of removing the copy of a specific other computer program. Cracking was first held in the 1980s, with the widespread use of copy protection measures in commercial computer games instead, but can be found with any other category of computer programs.

History

By the end of 1970, early 1980s can be found first copy protection mechanisms in commercial software, in particular computer games. Since this was the case, there were people who tried to overturn the copy to copy the software for friendly computer users. People who did this were called since the early 1980s " software crackers " or simply " cracker ". Individual crackers were so successful that they made the cracking to a kind of passion, usually using an anonymizing cracker name (nickname, also called pseudo or handle ). In the early 1980s emerged from this cracker groups and finally the warez scene.

Such cracker groups there are today. Examples are RELOADED, CORE, Razor 1911, DEViANCE, Fairlight, TSRH, FFF and Eagle Soft Inc..

Types of Cracks

Previously the cracked versions usually with a leader, a so-called intro or Introductionscreen ( cracktro ) were provided a cracking group. This used part virtuoso visual and acoustic effects that often the effects of cracked (game) program significantly outperformed ( inter alia, the time of the C -64), and thus procured a certain celebrity (see also demo scene).

In addition to this classical meaning of a crack, there are still other ways:

• License number crack (also: Key Generator or Keymaker, short KeyGen ) create a license number to activate the product. The programmer of any crack in some cases has to have knowledge of the original license numbers, in order to reprogram the algorithm can. As a security measure put some software manufacturers activation key, of which no valid license number additionally be activated via the Internet or telephone must or is checked in online only active applications at startup. Meanwhile can also use these activation keys, as used for example in Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7/8 be generated from other keys.

• No-CD/DVD means that the target program, which would otherwise run using only the Original-CD/DVD, can start without this. It can be performed, for example, without a CD / DVD games. Usually another crack is necessary for each program version.
• Backup CD / DVD, it means that the target program stops polling the copy protection on the CD / DVD, a CD / DVD but is still needed.
• Mini backup image (see emulation) are tiny images of great CDs that are only designed to simulate an existing copy. You have to patch the advantage of a program ( game ) arbitrarily, without the need for a crack.
• Serials and keys are serial numbers or ( CD ) keys that you need to install programs or to unlock enhanced features (eg Shareware). Often these are also referred to as Serialz. These can be calculated by license numbers cracks or be read from memory ( "serial fishing" ). Here is the program with a debugger to the point in the test routine is compared to the calculated by the program with the correct serial number entered by the user, stopped.

In addition, many serial numbers were not obtained through reverse engineering, but by cheating the software manufacturer or through unauthorized disclosure by a licensed user - this can be recognized that instead of cracker pseudonyms real names or company names are included as a licensee. Such serial numbers are not counted the cracks since in their obtaining no reverse engineering is necessary.

• Dongle Emulation simulate a small program the alleged existence of a physical USB copy protection key ( eg Syncrosoft, Ilok, Code meters) on the included license activations ( via internet or pre-authorized ).
• Cracks in the narrower sense, small files that replace or modify in order to convert them into " full versions " files in particular for testing of downloaded software. Since today most manufacturers offer free " trial versions " to download offer ( shareware, demo versions), almost all functions can be tested extensively with those of prospective buyers for the permanent activation of the program only needs to download some small files from the Internet; this is usually done immediately after the payment. Some cracks are exact copies of original files, others were written by crackers and manipulate programs in that no program update ( "update" ) can be more ( the blocking of illegal versions allows ) is or product activation permanently bypassed ( a problem that particularly Microsoft and Adobe are exposed ) and the like. Most are full libraries that are otherwise automatically assigned later to the transformation of shareware and demo programs in unrestricted use full versions ( download purchase programs ), offered on relevant pages or file sharing Exchanges for download. The same applies to serial numbers and key generators ("key generators" ). They are also referred to as " Crackz ".

Cracks are created by cracking groups. A distinction is made between Release Groups and Web Groups: Releasegroups rather work in secret, and use FTP server to distribute their releases. They are all about to be the first group that publishes to a program a crack. For this purpose, a sophisticated DupeCheck system is used so that members of the group at any time to check which program already cracks are present. Web Groups publish their cracks on normal web pages and make them available as a wide audience.

Often cracks are also referred to euphemistically as a patch, which is so far ambiguous because patches actually fix a bug in the software and often also offer manufacturer patches for their software.

Creation of any crack

To produce a crack, use crackers especially disassembler, debugger and hex editors. In this case, nothing new is being programmed, but only understood how the original code works to change the program targeted. Advanced knowledge in the respective assembly language are required.

Legal position

Most commercial applications prohibit in their license conditions, any modifications of the software or even the process of Disassemblierens. In many countries, laws that define how a modification of a binary program is allowed to exist. In Germany modifying a binary program is thus generally allowed as long as the original functionality of the program is not affected. Additional functions may be implemented here alone for the purpose of manufacture of compatibility to own programs. A patch may thereby be distributed only in the form of a program which changed the original file according to specifications, but not in the form of a modified copy of the original file. The right to change a program for the purpose of manufacture of compatibility, is not self-evident at the international level. The Prohibit any modifications in the license conditions, however, as this also provides, inter alia, in the rarest of cases, legally binding consequences the process of removing a computer virus by anti -virus programs in question.

Since the legal situation is often unclear what concerns the removal of copy protection, use some commercial applications, an encrypted or compressed binary code, so the data must be converted into executable machine code according to specifications before they are interpreted by the computer. Since the programs but " betrayed" the computer must, like the integrated data have to be converted, it is understandable for crackers, as the code can be converted to an interpretable state. The software industry implemented such procedures, to allow a hand to complicate the crackers to interpret the program, but also to prevent the possibility of publishing a patch to modify the original program, as it is so no longer possible to modify the program by changing individual bytes, and the only option remains the dissemination of a complete modified original file. This is most clearly prohibited by copyright.