Since I started cracking some Games, I moved lot of things from linux to Windows and I also installed Windows 10 now on my Notebook, to be not dependend anymore on my Desktop PC.

On Linux I had my standard tools on analysing binaries and so on, using strace radare2, the IDA Linux remote debugger, and so on…

As soon as I started my first Game I noticed that I will need new tools, I decided to start to seriously use x64dbg now, since I met the creator ;) and some other tools.

Cracking Games is not really the same as analysing binaries from CTFs, CTF binaries are usually quite small and only consist of one executable. Looking in a Games install directory, there are several executeables, so where to start?

Tooling, is everything, know your tools, what can your tools do for you? and after you cracked a game, what can you do for your tool?


Challenges you Face during Game Cracking

Games are/contain:

  • packed
  • anti-debug code
  • CD-protection
  • anti-tamper protection

Well unpacking can be easy some times, finding and patching anti debug code can be already quite a challenge, especially when you move from linux.

TIB TEB PEB ProcessHeap NTGlobalFlags FindWindowA TLS-Callback


Packer


Anti-Debug


Tracer