Undocumented Windows NT®

This text discusses the undocumented Windows NT API calls the authors have investigated in two years of research and consulting on installations running Windows NT versions 5.51, 4 and 2000 betas. These undocumented APIs not only show how NT works, but also reveal the security risks inherent in NT. "Undocumented Windows NT is for developers seeking crucial information about the Windows NT operating system that hasn't presently been documented. This undocumented information will provide developers with more depth and insight into the Windows NT operating system, thus increasing their programming capabilities. This book covers topics, such as what types of debuggers to use, all the way to providing a listing of the internal undocumented NT kernel calls. It also covers both Windows NT 3.51 and Windows NT 4.0, and discusses both NT Workstation and NT Server.

Many developers found Helen Custer's "Inside Windows NT book very informative and some would say it was the text book for NT internal architecture. "Undocumented Windows NT picks up where Helen Custer left off, adding details to what she only referred to briefly, and uncovering many "pots of gold" along the way.

This book will cover the undocumented components of the Windows NT system, such as:

Hooking the undocumented System Service Dispatch Table (SSDT) and providing the SSDT listing

Adding NEW system services to Windows NT

Hooking software interrupts in NT

Flat thunking in Windows NT

It is the authors' intention that this book follow in the tradition of the "Undocumented" series established by Andrew Schulman. "Undocumented Windows NT is the reference book for developers of the Windows NT environment, who are interested in pushing beyond the limitations of what has been documented, and are willing to venture into the unchartered waters of Windows NT.

Although Microsoft Windows NT is one of the most popular operating systems in the corporate world, no book has documented what actually goes on under the hood -- until now. Undocumented Windows NT dissects the Win32 interface, deconstructs the underlying APIs, and deciphers the Memory Management architecture to help you understand operations, fix flaws, and enhance performance. In this groundbreaking guide, three experts share what they've dug up on NT through years of hands-on research and programming experience. The authors' in-depth investigation uncovers both the strengths and the weaknesses -- and reveals how you can make any Windows NT system more stable and secure. the kernel, which ultimately relies on the hardware abstraction layer (HAL) that talks directly with the hardware. The NT development team's choice of programming language also contributes to Windows NT's maintainability. An indepth exploration of the Win32 interface, underlying APIs, and memory management architecture reveals the operating system's strengths and weaknesses and offers advice on improving security and stability