
 [  Table of Contents   ]

  1 - Crash course on Interlok
  2 - Features of the Anti-Pace Universal tool
  3 - Limitations
  4 - Option information
  5 - Future ideas & possible improvements
  6 - FAQ 
  7 - Help/suggestions/bugs

 







 [  Crash course on Interlok  

   taken from  http://www.paceap.com/products.html:

 " PACE Anti-Piracy has over 14 years of field-proven experience in delivering anti-piracy solutions.
   Hundreds of world-class software companies, from Adobe to Corel to Disney, trust PACE to solve their
   anti-piracy problems. The InterLok system is a fifth-generation tool set that allows you to protect 
   your products and customize the delivery of software authorizations to your customers using multiple
   tools and methods. Components of the InterLok system include our fifth generation software technology
   and the revolutionary new iLok hardware key. 
   Available for both the Windows and Macintosh platforms, InterLok installs in minutes with no source
   code changes. InterLok is cost effective, highly secure and extremely flexible.
   Standard and professional versions of InterLok are available. The standard version is primarily used
   for pure software distribution models. The professional version adds distribution, security and
   flexibility options. "


   Pace's Interlok, is your average over-the-shelf  PE file/encryptor/protector.
   For a given need-to-be-protected single file, developers have 3 possible options: 

    a) protect their already compiled file with Pace's Mastermaker (the utility which encrypts and 
       "envelopes" their program
    b) use the Pace API solely, to directly call the protection at source level from their program
    c) combination of both a+b    

   Thus, a Pace Interlok protected file, can be in any of the a,b or c states.

   For executing, the protected file needs Pace's paceilui.dll, vl and the notorious tpkd driver which
   causes havoc to the floppy driver of win2k users. 
   For licensing/validation purposes, it creates/uses pilxxxx.tmp, maxmeg.sys, auth.log, tools.log and 
   redir.sys files. 
	
   Recently, Pace introduced iLok; this is a USB dongle. Although I haven't been able to get my hands on 
   any iLok protected program yet, the enveloping seems to be the same. Thus the tool should have no 
   problem  depacing any iLok protected file as well.





 [  Features of the Anti-Pace Universal tool  ]

  Anti-Pace Universal is an unpacker/decrypter for any Interlok protected file. Normally, files
  that have ONLY been envelope protected (option a), should get restored to their original state 
  with absolutely no probs and no need for any intervention from the part of the user.

  The Anti-Pace Universal includes a Pace API emulation engine, which gets included in any decrypted
  file. This covers options b and c BUT the user might need to use Softice. (read limitations) 

  In any case, the resulting decrypted output file, is 99% like the original one.
  (the rsrc section keeps the Pace routines/resources but they are neutralized and no more used)





 [  Limitations  ]N

  As noted above, a protected program might use the Pace API solely (option b) or can both use the API
  and be also enveloped (option c). Pace gives the developers a large amount of API services, including
  API validation, authentication, etc... 
  Through the API, they also give them the choice to cripple their software through the use of Tokens. 
  As an example, a developer distributes his program as demo with 0 tokens. Once a user pays him, the
  developer through licensing gives some tokens to the user and in turn these switch on various variables
  of the program turning it to a specific version (single/multiple/enterprise etc).
  Because tokens are specific for every program, there is absolutely no possible way for the API emulator
  to know how many they should have been (API: PACEGetNumTokens), or the state of each token 
  (API: PACEGetIndToken).

  Thus, the tool gives u the choice to insert an INT 3 at the start of the PACE API emulator. Its your
  responsiblity by using the debugger to satisfy your program thereafter.





 [  Option Information  ]N

  []  Protected file
       --------------
        What file u want to Depace.



  []  DePaced file
       ------------
        The tool appends a "_DEP" to the depaced file



    []  Settings
         --------

           *  Defaults 
           -----------
	      Used for option (a) protected files, aka files that have been only Pace enveloped. In rare
              cases, "defaults" could do the trick for (b) and (c) cases.
              No matter the option of your program TRY 1st "defaults", if it fails try "advanced"		


           *  Advanced 
           -----------
                  []  Include Pace API emulator
                       -------------------------
                        permanently set for obvious reasons


                  []  Insert INT 3 in Pace API emulator
                       ---------------------------------
			(b) and (c) cases. The tool will put an INT 3 in the Pace API emulator for u.
                        Use then Softice! 				
	

                  []  PaceSeg rsrc as encrypted 
                       -------------------------
                        of little significance as this was mainly used in earlier developing stages of
                        the tool

                  []  PaceSeg rsrc as encrypted 
		       -------------------------
                        look above





 [  Future Ideas/Improvements  ]N

  - full emulation of all Pace API services (currently not all are emulated)
  - choice to remove completely the Pace resource appended to the rsrc section, resulting
    in smaller decrypted output file	





 [  FAQ  ]N

  Q: I decrypted a program (default settings used) and it refuses to load when executing
  A: Like explained above, your program most probably uses the Pace API. U need to choose 
     "Insert INT 3 in the API emulator", decrypt it, then use Softice to trace where the 
     API service(s) fail(s).

  Q: how do I stop the damn annoying mp3?
  A: "pretty complicated, eh?", if u know what I mean
     doh! ...  just right click on main window mate, "Pause mp3"        :) 





 [  Help/Suggestions/Bugs  ]N

  The tool supports Interlok versions up to 3.0.0.782.
  In case you encounter a file that cannot be deprotected or does not work properly after being 
  deprotected, post a message at a major cracking msgboard. I usually monitor most of them so I will be
  able to read your comments/probs. Most probably I will not answer, but will make sure to fix the prob
  in a new release.

  Any release group can use this tool to aid on their cracking as long they credit it btw.
