12 Aug 2022

How security plugins for Autoplay Media Studio fail, pt.2

Few weeks ago I wrote an article about misunderstood security in Autoplay Media Studio plugins. Two days later, author of DCrypto plugin released an updated version of the plugin. And just recently, he started to sell his plugin by making some pretty bold claims:

I present to you DCrypto with an advanced encryption that allows you to obfuscate your LUA 1.5 code in 256 Bit encryption with one of the best encryptions on the market, in addition to optimizing your source code, it will be protected with super protection.

Let's see how super this protection really is! smile
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19 Jul 2022

How security plugins for Autoplay Media Studio fail

Every once in a while I encounter a strange anti-reverse engineering protection. Protection authors are so focused on improving one specific aspect of the protection that completely overlook other, much easier ways how the system can be defeated.

Their logic is like this - someone stole my code, I better protect it. I've heard that cryptography is good, so I'll use that. Oh no, someone stole my code again! Let me add another layer of encryption over it! Few days/weeks/months later - Those bloody hackers won't stop! Let me protect my encryption code with another encryption!

Facepalm.

What the authors should do instead is stop and think. What do I want to protect? Against whom? For how long? What kind of loss is acceptable to me?

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31 Dec 2021

Update of unpackers

Enigma Virtual Box unpacker

There are plenty of changes.

  • Properly detect versions 9.50..9.90
  • Unpacks files packed with 9.80 and 9.90
  • Added command-line parameter "/nodiskspace", as requested by some users. If it crashes during unpacking because it ran out of disk space, it's your problem.
  • Unpacker properly handles invalid input filename

Molebox 2.x unpacker

  • Support more versions of very old Molebox
  • Unpacking files with digital signatures should be improved
  • Some rare bugs have been fixed

Autoplay Media Studio unpacker

  • Added support for AMS version 8.5.3.0.
  • Support for Imagine MemoryEx encrypted files, as requested by someone.

What is MemoryEx?

MemoryEx is a plugin released by Imagine Programming, allowing for more advanced operations from within the Lua environment you will find in Autoplay Media Studio 8.

While it's not a very common plugin, there are several niche programs which use this plugin. For example, most programs from dindroid.com use it.

When you unpack such file, please pay attention to the "Found protected file" messages:

As you can see, unpacker created some .luac files.

Next, you will need to find a LUA decompiler and decompile these files. I suggest you try unluac, luadec or whichever LUA decompiler you prefer.

Decompiler should produce .lua file which contains all the interesting stuff. For example, part of G-Nerator code looks like this:

That's all folks, have fun using it!

As always - if you notice any bugs, please report them. And most importantly - Happy New Year everybody! smile

10 May 2020

Update of unpackers

I'm trying to get back into reversing. Slowly.

So, here's a long-promised update to Molebox unpacker. It fixes unpacking of very, VERY, VERY old Molebox versions. The only file I have ever seen packed with it, is SCWU role playing game.

Enigma Virtual Box unpacker

This was done long time ago but I never posted it publicly. Support for Enigma Virtual Box 9.30/9.40. Should support 9.50 but it's not tested.