Theodosius (Theo for short) is a jit linker created entirely for obfuscation and mutation of both code, and code flow. The project is extremely modular in design and supports
both kernel and usermode projects. Since Theo inherits HMDM (highly modular driver mapper), any vulnerable driver that exposes arbitrary MSR writes, or physical memory read/write can be used with this framework to map unsigned code into the kernel. This is possible since HMDM inherits VDM (vulnerable driver manipulation), and MSREXEC (elevation of arbitrary MSR writes to kernel execution).
Since Theo is a jit linker, unexported symbols can be jit linked. Resolving such symbols is open ended and allows the programmer of this framework to handle how they want to resolve symbols. More on this later (check out example projects).
In order to allow for a routine to be scattered throughout a 64bit address space, RIP relative addressing must not be used. In order to facilitate this, a very special version
of clang-cl is used which can use `mcmodel=large`. This will generate instructions which do not use RIP relative addressing when referencing symbols outside of the routine in which the
instruction itself resides. The only exception to this is JCC instructions, (besides call) also known as branching instructions. Take this c++ code for an example:
```cpp
ObfuscateRoutine
extern "C" int ModuleEntry()
{
MessageBoxA(0, "Demo", "Hello From Obfuscated Routine!", 0);
UsermodeMutateDemo();
UsermodeNoObfuscation();
}
```
This c++ function, compiled by clang-cl with `mcmodel=large`, will generate a routine with the following instructions:
As you can see from the code above, (sorry for the terrible syntax highlighting), references to strings and calls to functions are done by first loading the address of the symbol into a register and then interfacing with the symbol.
Each of these instructions can be anywhere in virtual memory and it would not effect code execution one bit. However this is not the case with routines which have conditional branches. Take the following c++ code for example.
Uh oh, `jnb loc_99`?, thats RIP relative! In order to handle branching operations, a "jump table" is generated by `obfuscation::obfuscate` explicit default constructor. Instead of branching to the RIP relative code, it will instead branch to an inline jump (`JMP [RIP+0x0]`). As demonstrated below, the branching operation is altered to branch to an asbolute jump.
The linker is able to get the address of the branching code by taking the rip relative virtual address of the branching operation, which is a signed number, and adding it to the current byte offset into the current routine, plus the size of the branching instruction. For example `LoopDemo@17` + size of the branching instruction, which is six bytes, then adding the signed relative virtual address (0x2A). The result of this simple calculation gives us `LoopDemo@65`, which is correct, the branch goes to `add rsp, 28h` in the above example.
The usage of the word obfuscation in this project is use to define any changes made to code, this includes code flow. `obfuscation::obfuscate`, a base class, which is inherited and expanded upon by `obfuscation::mutation`, obfuscates code flow by inserting `JMP [RIP+0x0]` instructions after every single instruction. This allows for a routine to be broken up into unique allocations of memory and thus provides more canvas room for creative ideas.
The base class, as described in the above section, contains a handful of util routines and a single explicit constructor which is the corner stone of the class. The constructor fixes JCC relative virtual addresses so that if the condition is met, instead of jumping instruction pointer relativitly, it will jump to an addition jmp (`JMP [RIP+0x0]`). LEA, nor CALL are rip relative, even for symbols defined inside of the routine in which the instruction is compiled into. In other words JCC instructions are the only instruction pointer relative instructions that are generated.
This class inherits from `obfuscate` and adds additional code, or "mutation". This class is a small example of how to use inheritance with `obfuscate` base class. It generates a stack push/pop palindrome. The state of the stack is restored before the routines actual instruction is executed. The assembly will now look like this in memory:
