If you like scripting, you can use my HEM extension to write more stuff in Python:<p>- <a href="https://github.com/0xeb/pyhiew/tree/main/bin/pyhiew">https://github.com/0xeb/pyhiew/tree/main/bin/pyhiew</a>
- <a href="https://github.com/0xeb/pyhiew/tree/main/bin/pyhiew">https://github.com/0xeb/pyhiew/tree/main/bin/pyhiew</a>
- <a href="https://0xeb.wordpress.com/2010/08/21/introducing-pyhiew/" rel="nofollow">https://0xeb.wordpress.com/2010/08/21/introducing-pyhiew/</a>
In the end of the 90s I was 11-12 years old and used this to crack a copy of the video game SiN. I didn't really know what I was doing, but followed random tutorials for generic game cracking. They guided me through the w32dasm disassember, finding code referencing the "input your cd key" string, finding related jmps jumping to this part of the code, noting the address, opening up the executable in hiew and mulling them out.<p>It worked! I thought I was a genius. Now I'm amazed how I almost randomly got it right.
There's a clone of Hiew called HT<p><a href="https://hte.sourceforge.net/" rel="nofollow">https://hte.sourceforge.net/</a><p>It's packaged for many Linux distros, and is on Homebrew<p><pre><code> brew install ht
</code></pre>
To disassemble, you press F6 and pick any of the detected formats for that file.
Hiew is peak ergonomics, kinda like good orthodox file managers (FAR Manager/Total Commander). Hiew's color scheme is, obviously, Norton Commander's as well :-) One of the few Windows applications that make me keep a Windows VM.
Hiew is not free. Biew is a similar-looking cross platform hex editor which got renamed to beye (Binary Eye).<p><a href="https://sourceforge.net/projects/beye/" rel="nofollow">https://sourceforge.net/projects/beye/</a>
I now use ImHex after looking for years for a good one. It has a pattern language to provide highlighting.<p><a href="https://imhex.werwolv.net/" rel="nofollow">https://imhex.werwolv.net/</a>
One small related thread:<p><i>Hiew (Hacker's view)</i> - <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18898214">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18898214</a> - Jan 2019 (1 comment)
I have done several binary analyses as a hobby and never heard of Hiew and clones, how can I?!<p>(I tend to start with a standalone Python script which gets gradually customized over time. I don't even use a hex editor myself, and I just used xxd if I did really need hexdump for initial explorations. Of course I would comment that xxd output heavily in my editor, and that seems the best moment to use Hiew and clones.)
Is there an easy way to use that DOS style font on Linux in something like Midnight Commander viewer or neovim?<p>I like that font for binary files, it's more distinct than having a bunch of ? symbols for bytes 0-31.
LOL, shout out to SEN - I used his tool, Hiew back in 1994 for the first time. Good times.<p>P.S. I still use it from time to time - it has a nice built-in assembler for x86/x86-x64.
Everything Hiew can do, Rizin[1] can do too, and is completely free and open source[2] under LGPL3 license. Moreover, it supports more architectures, platforms, and file formats, as well as GUI in Qt - Cutter[3][4]. If something is missing in Rizin but presented in Hiew, please let us know by opening the issue with details.<p>[1] <a href="https://rizin.re" rel="nofollow">https://rizin.re</a><p>[2] <a href="https://github.com/rizinorg/rizin">https://github.com/rizinorg/rizin</a><p>[3] <a href="https://cutter.re" rel="nofollow">https://cutter.re</a><p>[4] <a href="https://github.com/rizinorg/cutter">https://github.com/rizinorg/cutter</a>