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- Publisher: A-List Publishing
- Number Of Pages: 600
- Publication Date: 2003-04-01
- ISBN-10 / ASIN: 1931769222
- ISBN-13 / EAN: 9781931769228
- Binding: Paperback
Description:
Going beyond the issues of analyzing and optimizing programs as well as creating the means of protecting information, this guide takes on the programming problem of, once having found holes in a program, how to go about disassembling it without its source code. Covered are the hacking methods used to analyze programs using a debugger and disassembler. These methods include virtual functions, local and global variables, branching, loops, objects and their hierarchy, and mathematical operators. Also covered are methods of fighting disassemblers, self-modifying code in operating systems, and executing code in the stack. Advanced disassembler topics such as optimizing compilers and movable code are discussed as well.
Text shows how to analyze programs without its source code, using a debugger and a disassembler. Covers hacking methods including virtual functions, local and global variables, branching, loops, objects and their hierarchy, and mathematical operators. For intermediate to advanced level programmers.
Summary: Delivers what others promise
Rating: 5
This has the most straightforward exposition of exploits.
I used the info as the basis of a testing framework.
Kris knows his stuff and shares. This book delivers,
but make sure you've got you're brain on and be
prepared to find and use the external resource.
you don't absolutely need the tools he suggests
for all the exploits covered, but they will make
the task a lot easier, and are therefore worth it
for the time they save you writing your own.
This book is aimed at professional's.
Summary: Excellent book, highly recommended!
Rating: 5
This book is fantastic- one of a kind, by far :)
Provided you've covered the basics, x86 assembly language- and C++, this book will teach you some of the absolute essential skills required in reversing commercial-level software. This book isn't a toy- it's the real thing, for serious programmers, researchers and experts in the field.
It has a step by step introduction- and builds firmly upon previous chapters- covering various compilers; and how they generate serveral of the common constructs found in Higher Level languages. The section of Virtual Functions is a dime; combined with structures, arrays and many other important elements.
A lot of work has gone into this book, and it definately shows.
One reviewer gave this book a low rating, and claimed- "I had a no luck getting SoftICE to run correctly on Windows XP". That has got nothing to do with the author of the quality of this book. If you searched[..], you'll find there exists several patches you can get to make it run on Windows XP; IDA pro is availible commercially aswell, and dumpbin is provided with Visual Studio.
It's an absolute winner for those wanting to go deeper into the core of computers/software.
Summary: fair intro to disassembly
Rating: 3
I give the author credit for a decent intro to disassembly, but it's a difficult path with this book. Expensive tools are assumed to be available (no reference is made to free alternatives), and less than subtle remarks about using these tools to make commercial software "free".
Later chapters do get more in-depth, and more useful.
Summary: Step-by-step
Rating: 5
The best part about this book is that besides all of the neat tricks it gives you, the layout is step-by-step. You can sit down with it using the CD and go through each exercise. I have recommended this book to all of my friends/co-workers that are either learning how to protect software they write to how to identify vulnerabilities in other programs. Knowing assembly helps, but this also presents it in a way that you can learn as you go.
Summary: Excellent introduction to the subject
Rating: 4
Copy protection schemes are to software as locks are to doors: they keep honest people out. This book provides the first insight into the science of disassembling object code for the reader who has been disinclined to search for hacker web sites and zines.
With a topic this large, the author can be forgiven for presenting only a limited set of examples: C, C++, Pascal on Windows. He shows how to use commercial tools to disassemble object code into assembler and how to identify program structures there, with particular emphasis on language features that produce non-intuitive structures.
Topics covered include: cracking passwords, identifying key structures in high level languages (the bulk of the book) and how to make your code difficult to analyse using these methods.
The structures examined include IF-THEN-ELSE, SWITCH-CASE-BREAK, objects, structures, arrays, constants, offsets and variables. The reader is shown how to recognise these objects. Explanations are complete and involve no handwaving.
A good solid introductory text.
