SERIAL NUMBER IS FISHY - DECLINE YOUR PATCH'ITCH'ING
HOW TO WRITE
A Cracking Tutorial
for Newbies
by ASTAGA [D4C/C4A/AmoK/TTM]
THE BACKGROUND
I was sitting on my couch and watch TV show of Deborah 'Blondie'
Harry at Hard Rock Cafe. It's been too long I never heard of
her debut in music scene for years. Man, she was not sexy any
more except her ( still ) sensual face and sexy lips ... sigh !
Look at her eye lids, breast, belly and thighs more or less
she looks like Scott 'Big Poppa Pump' Steiner or Mick 'Mankind'
Foley. Nah, unless she wasn't like Madonna do a plastic surgery.
So, what iam going to say is physical can change but not his/her
spirits and efforts. Observe the good ol' guys i.e tKC, +ORC,
etc., maybe they're ( someday ) retired already but their paper
spread all over the Net. Have you ever missed reading " there
always another way ... " slogan before you learn to crack ?
Imagine, how valuable are their sharing knowledge during the
hard times - 1994/1995 where CompuServe/AOL/MCI is very expen
sive - and peoples are contributes at and to be listed at HCU
( Higher Cracking University ) or discussion at Crack.dot.Com.
From here I learn something, THEIR ( Contributors ) EFFORTs
makes us lived in the scene until today.
The contents in this paper IS NOT MANDATORY, it is at
your own convenience.
RULE #1 BIG DEAL or NO BIG DEAL
1.1 Writing tute is not always comfortable for Crackers.
1.2 Willingness and efforts to dedicate in the scene.
You're not the only one SMART GUY , many peoples
like you but DOESN'T want to SHARE what do they
understand or maybe they're humble guyz.
1.3 You do great in sniffing codes, interpret routines
, algos, etc., but no talent to write. Then ask
someone to WRITE.
1.4 Confused ?? Re-read 1.1
RULE #2 DETERMINING THE TARGET PROGRAM
1.1 This one is very important because you're TEACHING a
Newbies - NOT RELEASE a S/N or CRACKS.
So, there is NO REASON TO COMPETE with the latest
version of shareware program.
1.2 Select a program with simple protection i.e Serial Number,
or time limit.
Advanced company/commercial protection, Dongle, combined
unlock key, packed program, etc., can be selected at your
preference.
1.3 Describe what language is the program is written.
1.4 Highlight what is (are) the program's features.
1.5 Describe where to ( direct ) download the program.
Avoid confused information such " download at shareware
repository " i.e www.shareware.com or www.zdnet.com .
At least the Author's website should be mentioned.
RULE #2 DEFINE YOUR APPROACH
2.1 A clearly mentioned approach should be described, whether
they're patching, fishing serial number, key generator,
manually unpacking packed program, dongle cracking, etc.
2.2 Define tool(s) required i.e SoftIce, WDASM, SmartCheck,
DeDe, IDA, TRW2000, ProcDump, etc.
RULE #3 THE BODY
3.1 The body is a main part in your tute, so be nice here.
3.2 Avoid elusive word.
Use simple word , easy to understand and don't be
humble if your English is not good. Once you worry
about grammatical error .... do not write !
That kind of excuse is useless, elaborate your word
processor - grammar checker is installed in your
application.
3.3 Create your own layout and design to be easy reading
and nice looking good.
Otherwise, imitate current available layout in the
Net.
3.3 Explain step by step what should be done in detail.
PATIENCE is the keyword ! as well as you trace the
codes at the first attemp.
3.4 Put a comment, emphasize with bold, capital letter,
coloured font, etc., in the section that you consider
very important.
3.5 Complete your code listing, use ICEDUMP to dump the
whole thing within SoftIce window screen.
DO NOT REMOVE that HEX/BYTES code from the list,
because once reader lost his track they can found the
location by doing a search string.
The most FAQ are asking how do you reach the memory
location ( of instructions/commands ) where S/N can
be fish(ed). So, if you exclude that hexbytes how
many locations they'll found due to similar commands
or instructions.
3.6 Complete your memory location and/or virtual address
that reader should set their breakpoint.
Bad habit : bpx 00405E55
Suggested : bpx 015F:00405E55
Different processor may caused different data segment
identification.
3.7 Long tracing over snippet codes.
Just copy/paste necessary snippet codes only or split
them in several short listings with adequate explana
tion(s).
3.6. If you do patching approach, avoid using long "-" and
">" character just to emphasized conditional jump or
call function that related each other.
Let your dead listing still in their sequence, tell
reader to be read from the bottom to top section.
3.8 Do not stingy with your knowledge otherwise do not
write a tute.
Describe and disclose your analysis, interpretation
over the routine(s) within snippet codes.
RULE #4 THE LAYOUT
4.1 Clear and consise ; Easy to Read ; and nice looking.
There is no standard layout, customize and design by
yourself.
Alternatively, imitate nice layout which available in
the Net.
4.2 Pay attention to your RIGHT MARGIN !
Readers are hate to be instructed to toggle-on their
word wrap option.
4.3 Avoid using decorative fonts, in case you write in
HTML format. Suggested fonts are Arial, NewCourier,
Verdana, Tahoma, SansSerif, or MS default fonts.
4.4 Check/verify your tute thru HTML VIEWER program to
avoid incorrect or improper TAG command.
A common mistake is forgotten to put
|
tags at the end of texts otherwise your print-out
copies will be garbled.
4.5 If you feel necessary to put an image, resize them to
fit in the page ; reduce high color into B/W or basic
Windows color only.
Remember : Large file ( i.e .DOC, .RTF ) will reduce
or slowing down retrieving/download time process.
4.6 Ad libitum ( AD LIB ) section.
Here you can express your ( Peer ) Greetz to someone,
your E-Mail address, disclaimer, sponsor message,
Groups ID, etc.
Place/put them all in the location which not interfere
with the body.
RULE #5 OTHERS
5.1 Avoid un-necessary word such as 'BOOM', etc., because no
tools sounds like that.
5.2 Avoid any dirty words i.e F?CK , SHIT, DAMN, or similar
because it's USELESS.
5.3 Do not criticize the target program in your tute !.
You have no rights to judge even they're stupid protection
whatever it is.
If you found bug(s) in the program, report and E-Mail the
Author or their Technical Support Department.
5.4 Do not use sarcastic word/expression due to easy breaking
protection scheme of the target program.
Bad habit : The most stupid protection
Bad habit : Cracking 3 minutes
5.5 Suggested reading material.
Sometime it's necessary to refer specific topic/trick
that already published in the Net.
Put a reference to related and important reading material.
5.6 Suggested tool(s) required.
It would be wise if you include URL address where tool(s)
required can be downloaded.
RULE #6 CRACKING TUTE WITH ATTITUDE
6.1 A detail snippet codes in your tute will concequently
containing routines and/or algo that is important for
'keygen'-ing. In other word, people(s) create keygen
based on your tute for which it's not intended to.
Unless they're asking your permision and you let them
go.
6.2 Avoid plagiarism.
Do not steal someone's tute by translating them into
your own language and claimed to be made by you.
I found ACDSee v2.2 tute ( originally made by eXact/ORP
aka SiceBoy ) which translated into polish/polska and
claimed under their group release.
6.3 Add a comment on published tute.
Emphasized what is your additional info/comment with
reference to current existing published tute.
6.4 Took an empathy to the Author, respect them, they are
spent a lot of time to develop your target program.
6.5 Put a disclaimer in your tute to protect yourself.
That's the hypocrit way and atitude [LoL].
KEYGEN IS DEMON, PATCHING IS EVIL, SERIAL FISHING IS LESS ATTITUDE
[EOF] ASTAGA [TTM-TheTutorialMachine] - HOWTOWRITETUTES.ZIP
First Edited : 7/7/00 08:08:00 AM
Revised/Updated : 2/7/01 9:57:33 PM