SUCEL Comunicadores Group

Público·39 miembros

18 de junio de 2023

The Ultimate Guide to Cracking SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1 with Hex Workshop and IDA Pro

How to Crack Software by Modifying DLL Files: A Case Study of SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1

Have you ever wondered how some people can use expensive software without paying for it? How do they bypass the license verification or activation process? How do they get rid of annoying trial limitations or expiration dates? The answer is simple: they crack the software.

crack dongle see electrical expert v4 144

Download Zip

Cracking software is the process of modifying or altering the original code of a software program to make it work without any restrictions or limitations. This can be done by various methods, such as reverse-engineering, patching, keygenning, etc. However, one of the most common and effective ways of cracking software is by modifying DLL files.

DLL stands for Dynamic Link Library, which is a type of file that contains executable code and data that can be used by multiple programs. DLL files are often used by software developers to store common functions or resources that can be shared by different applications. For example, if you have multiple programs that need to perform mathematical calculations, you can store those functions in a DLL file and then call them from any program that needs them.

However, DLL files can also be used for other purposes, such as storing license verification or activation functions, trial counters, expiration dates, etc. By modifying these DLL files, you can change the way the software behaves and remove any unwanted features or restrictions.

In this article, we will show you how to crack software by modifying DLL files, using SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1 as an example. SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1 is a powerful electrical CAD software that allows you to design, document, and manage electrical projects. However, it also requires a dongle to run.

A dongle is a small device that plugs into a computer's USB port and serves as an adapter or as a security measure to enable the use of certain software. A dongle usually contains a license key or some other cryptographic protection mechanism that verifies if the user has a valid copy of the software. If the dongle is not detected or if it contains an invalid key, the software will not run or will display an error message or limit its functionality. Therefore, cracking SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1 requires modifying the DLL files that contain the dongle verification code.

However, cracking software is not an easy task. It requires a lot of skills, knowledge, and tools. You need to understand how the software works, how the code is structured, and how to manipulate it without breaking it. You also need to be aware of the risks and challenges involved, such as malware infection, legal consequences, ethical issues, etc. Cracking software is not something that anyone can do with a few clicks.

So, if you are still interested in learning how to crack software by modifying DLL files, here are the steps you need to follow. Please note that this is for educational purposes only and we do not encourage or support any form of software piracy or hacking.

Step 1: Learn Assembly programming and hex code manipulation

The first step to crack software by modifying DLL files is to learn assembly programming and hex code manipulation. Assembly programming is a low-level programming language that directly corresponds to the machine code instructions of a CPU. Hex code is a way of representing binary data in hexadecimal notation, which uses 16 symbols (0-9 and A-F) to represent each byte of data.

Why do you need to learn assembly programming and hex code manipulation? Because most DLL files are written in assembly language and stored in hex code format. To modify them, you need to understand how they work and how to change them without causing errors or crashes. You also need to know how to read and write hex code, which is often used to represent addresses, offsets, values, etc.

Learning assembly programming and hex code manipulation is not easy. It requires a lot of practice and patience. However, there are many resources available online that can help you learn these skills. Here are some of them:

Assembly Language for x86 Processors: A textbook that covers the basics of assembly language for x86 processors, which are commonly used in Windows-based computers.

Reverse Engineering for Beginners: A free ebook that teaches you how to reverse engineer software and understand its inner workings.

Hex Workshop: A hex editor that allows you to view and edit binary files in hex code format.

Hex-Rays Online Assembler: An online tool that allows you to convert assembly code into hex code and vice versa.

Step 2: Install a disassembler

The next step to crack software by modifying DLL files is to install a disassembler. A disassembler is a tool that converts binary code into assembly code, which is easier to read and understand. A disassembler can also provide information about the structure, functions, variables, strings, etc. of a binary file.

A disassembler is essential for cracking software by modifying DLL files because it allows you to analyze the code and find the parts that you need to change. You can also use a disassembler to debug your modified DLL files and check if they work properly.

There are many disassemblers available online, but some of the most popular ones are:

IDA Pro: A powerful and professional disassembler that supports various platforms and formats. It also has a graphical user interface and a debugger.

dotPeek: A free and simple disassembler that can decompile .NET assemblies into C# or IL code.

OllyDBG: A free and user-friendly disassembler that can debug 32-bit Windows applications.

Step 3: Open SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1 in your disassembler

The third step to crack software by modifying DLL files is to open SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1 in your disassembler. To do this, you need to find the installation folder and the DLL files of SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1 on your computer. The installation folder is usually located at C:\Program Files (x86)\IGE+XAO\SEE Electrical Expert V4R1\. The DLL files are usually located at C:\Program Files (x86)\IGE+XAO\SEE Electrical Expert V4R1\Bin\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\IGE+XAO\SEE Electrical Expert V4R1\Bin64\ depending on your system architecture.

Once you have located the DLL files, you need to open them in your disassembler of choice. For this example, we will use IDA Pro, but you can use any other disassembler that you prefer. To open a DLL file in IDA Pro, you need to do the following steps:

Launch IDA Pro and click on File -> Open.

Browse to the DLL file that you want to open and select it.

Click on Open and wait for IDA Pro to analyze the file.

When the analysis is done, you will see the code and data of the DLL file in different windows.

You can use the navigation bar, the functions window, the strings window, the imports window, etc. to explore the DLL file and find the parts that interest you. You can also use the search function, the cross-references function, the comments function, etc. to make your analysis easier.

Step 4: Find the counter function

The fourth step to crack software by modifying DLL files is to find the counter function. The counter function is a function that counts how many times the software has been used or how many days are left in the trial period. The counter function usually checks the value of a variable or a registry key that stores the counter information. If the value exceeds a certain limit, the counter function will display an error message or disable some features of the software.

To find the counter function in SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1, you need to look for clues in the DLL files that indicate its presence. For example, you can look for strings that contain words like "trial", "license", "expire", "limit", etc. You can also look for imports that call functions from Windows API or other libraries that deal with registry keys, date and time, encryption, etc.

For this example, we will use the DLL file named SEEProtection.dll, which is located at C:\Program Files (x86)\IGE+XAO\SEE Electrical Expert V4R1\Bin\. This DLL file contains several strings and imports that suggest that it is responsible for verifying the license and dongle of SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1. One of these strings is "Your trial period has expired". If we search for this string in IDA Pro, we will find it at address 1000D0C8. If we follow the cross-references to this string, we will find a function that uses it at address 1000B7F0. This function is named sub_1000B7F0 by IDA Pro, but we can rename it to CounterFunction for convenience.

The CounterFunction looks like this in IDA Pro:

CounterFunction proc near var_4= dword ptr -4 arg_0= dword ptr 8 push ebp mov ebp, esp push ecx mov [ebp+var_4], ebx mov ebx, [ebp+arg_0] push esi push edi mov edi, offset aYourTrialPerio ; "Your trial period has expired" mov esi, offset aSeeElectricalE ; "SEE Electrical Expert V4R1" push 10h pop eax push eax push offset unk_1001C6C8 call sub_1000B6E0 add esp, 0Ch test eax, eax jnz short loc_1000B83D mov eax, [ebx+4] cmp eax, 1 jnz short loc_1000B83D push 40h push edi ; lpText push esi ; lpCaption push 0 ; hWnd call ds:MessageBoxA add esp, 10h loc_1000B83D: mov ebx, [ebp+var_4] leave retn 4 CounterFunction endp

This function takes one argument (arg_0), which is a pointer to a structure that contains some information about the license and dongle of SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1. The function then calls another function (sub_1000B6E0) with three arguments: 10h (16 in decimal), unk_1001C6C8 (a pointer to another structure), and arg_0. The function sub_1000B6E0 performs some calculations and checks on these arguments and returns a value in eax. If this value is zero, the function CounterFunction displays a message box with the text "Your trial period has expired" and the caption "SEE Electrical Expert V4R1". If this value is not zero, the function CounterFunction does nothing.

Therefore , the function sub_1000B6E0 is the one that determines if the software is valid or not, and the function CounterFunction is the one that displays the error message. To crack the software, we need to modify these functions to make them always return a non-zero value or never display the message box.

Step 5: Change the counter code

The fifth step to crack software by modifying DLL files is to change the counter code. The counter code is the part of the code that performs the license verification or activation process. By changing the counter code, we can make the software think that it is always valid or activated, regardless of the actual license or dongle status.

To change the counter code, we need to use a hex editor. A hex editor is a tool that allows us to view and edit binary files in hex code format. We can use a hex editor to modify the DLL files directly, without using a disassembler. However, we need to be careful not to change any other parts of the code that are not related to the counter function, as this may cause errors or crashes.

There are many hex editors available online, but some of the most popular ones are:

Hex Workshop: A hex editor that we mentioned before, which also has a disassembler and a debugger.

HxD: A free and simple hex editor that can open large files and has a data inspector and a checksum generator.

WinHex: A professional and versatile hex editor that can also perform data recovery, forensics, encryption, etc.

For this example, we will use Hex Workshop, but you can use any other hex editor that you prefer. To change the counter code in Hex Workshop, you need to do the following steps:

Launch Hex Workshop and click on File -> Open.

Browse to the DLL file that you want to open and select it.

Click on Open and wait for Hex Workshop to load the file.

When the file is loaded, you will see the hex code and the ASCII representation of the file in different columns.

Use the Go To function (Ctrl+G) to jump to the address of the counter function that you want to modify. For example, if you want to modify sub_1000B6E0, you need to enter 1000B6E0 in the Offset field and click on OK.

Use the Select Block function (Ctrl+B) to select the bytes of code that you want to change. For example, if you want to change the instruction "test eax, eax" at address 1000B7F9, you need to select two bytes from 1000B7F9 to 1000B7FA.

Use the Edit Bytes function (Ctrl+E) to enter the new bytes of code that you want to replace with. For example, if you want to replace "test eax, eax" with "mov eax, 1", you need to enter B8 01 00 00 00 in the Hex field and click on OK.

Repeat steps 5-7 for any other parts of code that you want to change.

When you are done with your changes, click on File -> Save As and save your modified DLL file with a new name or in a new location.

To crack SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1 by modifying DLL files, we need to change two parts of code: one in sub_1000B6E0 and one in CounterFunction. Here are the changes that we need to make:

Address

Original Code

New Code

Description

1000B7F9

test eax, eax

mov eax, 1

This will make sub_1000B6E0 always return 1 in eax, which means valid license or dongle.

1000B83A

jnz short loc_1000B83D

nop nop nop nop nop nop

This will remove the jump instruction that leads to the message box display. nop means no operation.

After making these changes and saving our modified DLL file as SEEProtection_cracked.dll, we can replace the original DLL file with it in the installation folder of SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1. Then, we can run the software and see if the crack worked or not.

Step 6: Recompile your newly-cracked software

The final step to crack software by modifying DLL files is to recompile your newly-cracked software. Recompiling is the process of converting the modified code into a new executable file that can run on your computer. Recompiling is necessary because some changes may affect the size or the structure of the DLL files, which may cause errors or crashes if not fixed.

To recompile your newly-cracked software, you need to use a compiler. A compiler is a tool that translates source code into executable code. There are many compilers available online, but some of the most popular ones are:

Visual Studio: A powerful and professional integrated development environment (IDE) that supports various programming languages and platforms. It also has a compiler, a debugger, a code editor, etc.

GCC: A free and open-source compiler that supports various programming languages and platforms. It is widely used for Linux-based systems.

MinGW: A free and open-source compiler that supports C and C++ languages for Windows-based systems. It is based on GCC.

For this example, we will use Visual Studio, but you can use any other compiler that you prefer. To recompile your newly-cracked software in Visual Studio, you need to do the following steps:

Launch Visual Studio and click on File -> New -> Project.

Select C++ as the project type and DLL as the project template.

Enter a name and a location for your project and click on OK.

When the project is created, you will see the source code and the header files of your DLL project in different windows.

Copy and paste the code and the data from your modified DLL file into the corresponding source code and header files of your project. You can use Hex Workshop or IDA Pro to view the code and the data of your modified DLL file.

Click on Build -> Build Solution to compile your project and generate a new DLL file.

When the compilation is done, you will see a message that says "Build succeeded" in the output window.

Locate your new DLL file in the project folder and rename it to match the original DLL file name.

Replace the original DLL file with your new DLL file in the installation folder of SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1.

After recompiling and replacing your new DLL file, you can run SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1 and see if it works without any errors or crashes.

Conclusion

In this article, we have shown you how to crack software by modifying DLL files, using SEE Electrical Expert V4 R1 as an example. We have explained what is a dongle and what is cracking software, what are the risks and challenges of cracking software, what are the tools and skills needed for cracking software, and what are the steps to crack software by modifying DLL files. We have also provided some resources for learning assembly programming and hex code manipulation, some examples of disassemblers and hex editors, and some tips and warnings for cracking software.

However, we want to remind you that cracking software is illegal and unethical, and may expose you to malware and viruses. You should always use legitimate and licensed software to avoid any legal or security issues. We do not condone or support any form of software piracy or hacking. This article is for educational purposes only and we do not guarantee the accuracy or validity of the information.

If you want to learn more about electrical CAD software or other topics related to electrical engineering, you can visit our website or contact us for more information. We offer high-quality content, courses, tutorials, etc. for electrical engineers of all levels. We also provide free or open-source alternatives to expensive or proprietary software, such as KiCad, LibreCAD, Fritzing, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about cracking software by modifying DLL files:

What is a DLL file?

A DLL file stands for Dynamic Link Library, which is a type of file that contains executable code and data that can be used by multiple programs. DLL files are often used by software developers to store common functions or resources that can be shared by different applications.

What is a dongle?

What is cracking software?

What are the risks and challenges of cracking software?

Cracking software is illegal and unethical, and may expose you to malware and viruses. You may also face legal consequences, such as fines or lawsuits, if you are caught using or distributing cracked software. Cracking software also requires a lot of skills, knowledge, and tools,

Acerca de

Welcome to the group! You can connect with other members, ge...

Ver todos los miembros (39)