Course 25 - API Python Hacking | Episode 2: Foundations of Windows Internals and API Mechanisms
In this lesson, you’ll learn about:
Fundamentals of Windows Processes and Threads
A process is a running program with its own virtual memory space
Threads are units of execution inside processes, allocated CPU time to perform tasks
Access tokens manage privileges and access rights; privileges can be enabled, disabled, or removed but cannot be added to an existing token
Key System Programming Terminology
Handles: Objects that act as pointers to memory locations or system resources
Structures: Memory formats used to store and pass data during API calls
Windows API Mechanics
How applications interact with the OS via user space → kernel space transitions
Anatomy of an API call, including parameters and naming conventions:
"A" → Unicode version
"W" → ANSI version
"EX" → Extended or newer version
Core Dynamically Linked Libraries (DLLs)
kernel32.dll: Process and memory management
user32.dll: Graphical interface and user interaction
Researching functions using Windows documentation and tools like Dependency Walker to identify both documented and undocumented API calls
Key Outcome
Understanding of how Windows manages processes, threads, and privileges, along with the workflow for interacting with the operating system through APIs and DLLs.
You can listen and download our episodes for free on more than 10 different platforms: https://linktr.ee/cybercode_academy
Course 25 - API Python Hacking | Episode 2: Foundations of Windows Internals and API Mechanisms
In this lesson, you’ll learn about:
Fundamentals of Windows Processes and Threads
A process is a running program with its own virtual memory space
Threads are units of execution inside processes, allocated CPU time to perform tasks
Access tokens manage privileges and access rights; privileges can be enabled, disabled, or removed but cannot be added to an existing token
Key System Programming Terminology
Handles: Objects that act as pointers to memory locations or system resources
Structures: Memory formats used to store and pass data during API calls
Windows API Mechanics
How applications interact with the OS via user space → kernel space transitions
Anatomy of an API call, including parameters and naming conventions:
"A" → Unicode version
"W" → ANSI version
"EX" → Extended or newer version
Core Dynamically Linked Libraries (DLLs)
kernel32.dll: Process and memory management
user32.dll: Graphical interface and user interaction
Researching functions using Windows documentation and tools like Dependency Walker to identify both documented and undocumented API calls
Key Outcome
Understanding of how Windows manages processes, threads, and privileges, along with the workflow for interacting with the operating system through APIs and DLLs.
You can listen and download our episodes for free on more than 10 different platforms: https://linktr.ee/cybercode_academy