How powerful is VB?

[WTFXD185]

Just curious of how effective it can be towards hacking F2P games mainly(I know keyloggers can be made from it). I'm assuming it would be very difficult to do so but on a scale of like 1-10 and why?

Thanks :3

P.S.
To be specific I would just like to know what can you make from VB and how well of a coder you would have to be.

[Aly El-Haddad]

I didn't even try to hack with VB.NET.. hmm neither with any other language :P
but it's not difficult to make a Keylogger, you just need to know:
1- How to use "IF"
2- How to use "TIMERS"
3- How to use "Win32 API Functions"
4- How to "read/write/save a text file" (to save your data) |OR| How to use "My.Settings" (to save your data)
5- How to "Design a form" :P

[AND SORRY FOR MY ENGLISH]

['Bruno]

Go big or go home

[Geometrical]

I prefer VB.Net over C# and C++. It's pretty powerful as you say it if you know how to use it.

[[MPGH]Psychotic]

I prefer VB.Net over C# and C++. It's pretty powerful as you say it if you know how to use it.

Both C++ and C# are much more powerful than VB no matter how long you've been in practice with I think. I mean, VB's power only goes so far.. For hacking games OP, C++ is a good language to learn especially for most of today's FPS games IE; Combat Arms. Though, VB is a good language to first learn before learning C++ just so you get some practice with programming in general.

[rileyjstrickland]

Both C++ and C# are much more powerful than VB no matter how long you've been in practice with I think. I mean, VB's power only goes so far.. For hacking games OP, C++ is a good language to learn especially for most of today's FPS games IE; Combat Arms. Though, VB is a good language to first learn before learning C++ just so you get some practice with programming in general.

Hacking Games in C# is basically the same in VB, but with different syntax (Memory "Poking" At Least.)
C++ is a low level language. It's good when you need that level of access, but the amount of "extra" coding almost removes [my] want to use it.

[Meta]

As a Computer Science student, I have some credibility in this field and programming. Additionally, I am recognized on the MSDN for several of my VB contributions to the community.

Visual Basic is a good language. While it is "weaker" than other languages (libraries are not as common to find in VB versus C#, for example), Visual Basic can and is used for major scale applications in the real world. A friend of mine who happens to work at the University I study at has been in the field of Computer Science for 20+ years now. He actually prefers sticking with VB 2003 rather than C, Java, or .NET languages for most of his work as a systems programmer for specific University servers.

As far as the difficulty of learning Visual Basic, that is a subjective topic. Programming in general is something that you either pick up or have difficulty learning since it is entirely conceptual. Visual Basic is considerably easier in my opinion because of its much more understandable syntax. An If statement in VB looks like so:
If condition = test Then
' Statements
End If

Where as in C:
if(condition == test){
// Statements followed by semicolon
}

The ease of readability in Visual Basic's syntax makes it an appealing language for programmers. However, this does not necessarily prove that Visual Basic "is an easier language".

As far as hacking goes, it is very easy to create real hacking tools such as keyloggers or trojans with any language. Visual Basic is no exception. For game hacking however, which my knowledge is a bit limited in, Visual Basic is not a good language for writing code which needs to be injected. In most cases, game hacks are just exploiting where data is located in memory by use of pointer locations. Pointers are simply defined as a data type which points to a location in memory. In simpler terms, each memory location has an address -- pointers hold these address values. So for general game hacking, stick with a higher level languages like C, C++, C#, Java, or any other language which can easily support pointers. (For example, if you are editing the value for the amount of damage you inflict, you would need the pointer address to the damage value in memory and manipulate it to whatever integer value of the damage you wish to inflict.)

In conclusion, Visual Basic is a great language in the real world. It works nicely but does have some limitations depending on what you are using it for. In hacking games, it's highly impractical to use Visual Basic as the main programming language for manipulating exploits.

---------- Post added at 10:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:32 PM ----------

C++ is a low level language.

I'm guessing you are not a Computer Science major. As sourced on Wikipedia, "[C++] is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features."

[rileyjstrickland]

As a Computer Science student, I have some credibility in this field and programming. Additionally, I am recognized on the MSDN for several of my VB contributions to the community.

Visual Basic is a good language. While it is "weaker" than other languages (libraries are not as common to find in VB versus C#, for example), Visual Basic can and is used for major scale applications in the real world. A friend of mine who happens to work at the University I study at has been in the field of Computer Science for 20+ years now. He actually prefers sticking with VB 2003 rather than C, Java, or .NET languages for most of his work as a systems programmer for specific University servers.

As far as the difficulty of learning Visual Basic, that is a subjective topic. Programming in general is something that you either pick up or have difficulty learning since it is entirely conceptual. Visual Basic is considerably easier in my opinion because of its much more understandable syntax. An If statement in VB looks like so:
If condition = test Then
' Statements
End If

Where as in C:
if(condition == test){
// Statements followed by semicolon
}

The ease of readability in Visual Basic's syntax makes it an appealing language for programmers. However, this does not necessarily prove that Visual Basic "is an easier language".

As far as hacking goes, it is very easy to create real hacking tools such as keyloggers or trojans with any language. Visual Basic is no exception. For game hacking however, which my knowledge is a bit limited in, Visual Basic is not a good language for writing code which needs to be injected. In most cases, game hacks are just exploiting where data is located in memory by use of pointer locations. Pointers are simply defined as a data type which points to a location in memory. In simpler terms, each memory location has an address -- pointers hold these address values. So for general game hacking, stick with a higher level languages like C, C++, C#, Java, or any other language which can easily support pointers. (For example, if you are editing the value for the amount of damage you inflict, you would need the pointer address to the damage value in memory and manipulate it to whatever integer value of the damage you wish to inflict.)

In conclusion, Visual Basic is a great language in the real world. It works nicely but does have some limitations depending on what you are using it for. In hacking games, it's highly impractical to use Visual Basic as the main programming language for manipulating exploits.

---------- Post added at 10:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:32 PM ----------



I'm guessing you are not a Computer Science major. As sourced on Wikipedia, "[C++] is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features."

>both high-level and low-level language features.
I've only used the low-level features

[abuckau907]

for most* 'hacks', programming language is not important! most of them work by altering the process's memory. WriteProcessMemory() in kernel32.dll and ReadProcessMemory is all you need. Maybe your language doesn't easily support working with pointers, but if it can call those 2 windows API, it can read/write all data inside the process. <-- ie. 'hack'

C# and VB are 99.99% the same (ie. .NET). C++ might be 'easier' because it was designed to work with pointers, but the language itsself is more difficult to learn/use.
^^even tho C++ was made to work with memory, since it's ANOTHER process' memory, even C++ will have to call RPM and WPM to effect it. (Unless you're injecting ofc)

[MarkHC]

for most* 'hacks', programming language is not important! most of them work by altering the process's memory. WriteProcessMemory() in kernel32.dll and ReadProcessMemory is all you need. Maybe your language doesn't easily support working with pointers, but if it can call those 2 windows API, it can read/write all data inside the process. <-- ie. 'hack'

C# and VB are 99.99% the same (ie. .NET). C++ might be 'easier' because it was designed to work with pointers, but the language itsself is more difficult to learn/use.
^^even tho C++ was made to work with memory, since it's ANOTHER process' memory, even C++ will have to call RPM and WPM to effect it. (Unless you're injecting ofc)

You are talking about trainers.. not Hacks (Wallhacks, Aimbots) themselves. For Aimbots and specially wallhacks, VB is by far the worst language among the most known ones (Java is also really bad for this... even worse then VB). And am I the only one that thinks C/C++ is easier to understand than VB and C# Maybe that's cause I've learned it first...

[DawgiiStylz]

I don't get why people say C# is stronger than VB :l

[abuckau907]

For the most part, I don't get it either. I'm pretty sure C# got more language features faster (auto 'type' and template<T> stuff?) in most cases (that I've personally seen) you don't need the language feature and can do it yourself -- but the code is longer/more complex. I've tried C#, and basically I use it exactly the same as I do vb..i don't use the extra language stuff. Then again, I'm not an expert. (I do consider myself mid-level tho)

My first love was vb6, which I admit, was a mistake, but I like the syntax best so I chose vb over c#.

scoped variables
polymorphism (classes/inheritance)
functions/subs, byref/byval
Ability to call API

what other 'power' do you need?

You are talking about trainers.. not Hacks (Wallhacks, Aimbots) themselves.

you are incorrect sir.

The goal: change instruction xx at location locxx to something else. Ie. change game's code. ie. hack
The tool: WriteProcessMemory()

how does C++ do that better than vb ??
Please give example.

-i have personal working worldofwarcraft bot that uses ReadProcessMemory. I am able to pull all important info from the game, such as all players and mobs around me, and their position/health/level etc. Only using ReadProcessmemory.
-it does also patch wowcode (using WriteProcessMemory) so wow jumps to my codecave (allocated inside wow process w/ WriteProcessMemory), and runs my code (which just copies a register--this is how I find the 'list of objects' address)
All in vb. :/

[WTFXD185]

I am really enjoying reading every ones post on this! Very interesting I am a CSC Major so I am really looking forward to learning new programming languages regardless of it's "power" (not sure how else to say it)

[MarkHC]

The goal: change instruction xx at location locxx to something else. Ie. change game's code. ie. hack
The tool: WriteProcessMemory()

how does C++ do that better than vb ??
Please give example.

*(BYTE*)0x12345 = 0xC3;

Placing a Return at 0x12345... and how would you hook game functions to Draw Text and whatnot using VB? Keep in mind I was talking about internal hacks... not externals cause they suck pretty much. And what about performance and speed?

[[MPGH]master131]

For the most part, I don't get it either. I'm pretty sure C# got more language features faster (auto 'type' and template<T> stuff?)

VB.NET has template support via (Of T) or whatever. But yes, I prefer C# over VB.NET any day as the syntax is quite similar to C++, it's easier to catch later on.

The goal: change instruction xx at location locxx to something else. Ie. change game's code. ie. hack
The tool: WriteProcessMemory()

how does C++ do that better than vb ??
Please give example.

Doing something like that in VB.NET/C# would require having to write the bytes/opcodes for the assembly instructions you want to write. The same for creating a code cave too. If you were to do it in C++, it's just a matter of using inline asm in a naked function and copying the bytes directly from that meaning less effort and easier to read code since you don't have a crap load of bytes cluttered inside a .cs/.vb file. It doesn't do it any "better" because it the end it would generate the same result. I'd just say doing it in C++ means less effort and better performance due to the fact that the P/Invoke needs to be used for the CLR to call unmanaged functions which is typically slower than calling it directly in C++.

Although one benefit in using P/Invoke in .NET is that if compiled in AnyCPU mode, your unmanaged functions will be 64-bit and 32-bit compatible where needed (assuming that your DllImport/PInvoke delclerations are compatible) since the JIT compiler handles the translation of CIL into assembly instructions whereas doing something like that in C++ would require building 2 seperate executables for 32-bit and 64-bit.

You are talking about trainers.. not Hacks (Wallhacks, Aimbots) themselves. For Aimbots and specially wallhacks, VB is by far the worst language among the most known ones (Java is also really bad for this... even worse then VB). And am I the only one that thinks C/C++ is easier to understand than VB and C# Maybe that's cause I've learned it first...

I would go as far as saying it would be the worst language. Perhaps the syntax might seem ugly to you and all, but it's still pretty powerful. Come back when you can code an external ESP in batch with no external command-line tools apart from the ones that come with Windows. Although I may not use it anymore, I appreciate its presence as it was one of my first programming languages so there is some sort of benefit in using it (as you can see where I've gotten now).

*(BYTE*)0x12345 = 0xC3;

Placing a Return at 0x12345... and how would you hook game functions to Draw Text and whatnot using VB? Keep in mind I was talking about internal hacks... not externals cause they suck pretty much. And what about performance and speed?

Internal hacks? Sure, with your VB.NET DLL injected via EasyHook, it's a matter of:
Marshal.WriteByte(new IntPtr(&H12345), &HC3)

In C#, you can do the same:
Marshal.WriteByte(new IntPtr(0x12345), 0xC3);

But with unsafe enabled, it's even more easier in C# (just like in C++):
*(byte*)0x12345 = 0xC3;

Note that unsafe code is impossible in VB.NET. EasyHook provides functions for you to easily hook any function you want as long as you have the delegate declared for it. That's assuming that you even have the knowledge to write a proper entry-point for EasyHook to find. Performance and speed is probably a factor though but I've coded a C# injectable D3D hack for MW3, didn't seem to slow down the game at all although I never payed attention or monitored the original FPS.