Help/Support Need help for *.luac files

[Leyra.vkc 0 iPhone 16 Pro 18.4]

Hello, yesterday I had fun trying to "hack" one of my favorite games.
I downloaded its *.ipa file, converted it to *.zip, opened to find a *.app file. So far nothing insurmountable, I right click on the *.app file and open the contents of the package.
But now, I end up with tons of files ending with the *.luac extension. When I open them, I'm faced with HEX code and I can't do anything with it. I tried to convert it with tools like Hex Dumper or Hexed.it but nothing seems to work. 

Note that all files start with 4158 5854 4541, which results in "AXXTEA" when converted.

It's also strange that not all files are compiled in *.luac, typically I only find 3 files ending in *.lua : config.lua, updateInfo.lua, version.lua whereas all other files are luac files.

I tried to decompile the *.luac files with many tools (like LuaDec etc...) but nothing works.

I would like to ask for your help, if one of you can guide me.
I remain available to give you the files in question (I don't put any links because I don't want to get into trouble lol)

Thanks in advance

 

Here is an example of content from a random luac file : 

4158 5854 4541 6d22 6cce 8ec2 3f61 54a1
3362 05c4 dec2 d283 1796 1295 54e4 218c
f5af 1181 b8ac d956 aacf df0e aa9c 4227
37f6 e276 4330 b8f1 f215 ba01 63d1 8253
9256 a378 9b54 d27e 0f2a c8ce 4f67 ec10
6138 902b 8f8c caf4 20af 4b1f bd66 5145
3803 e4b7 1089 2d8d 47b5 5a8d ec88 2596
8720 4fc1 37e3 f623 2263 5b72 f818 83d0
3dcc 3d0a 9ebe c697 aba1 01c0 4b21 c5ee
9577 8a59 163a 02fc de3a 26ba 9b3a c962
d1a5 a1f1 b754 773c 2e43 0417 7fc3 2173
8d6b a418 90e4 ddc0 4fe6 f558 611c 00e7
48ff 9690 2fec 1389 6c0a 61be 4457 da5f
ef34 f8e2 3c37 6bab 5aba 5773 9895 960c
8a18 1952 a338 fbc8 fa1d 99bc 3bf0 4ed9
7303 7866 f789 e604 0b52 09ba 6a1f 1681
c298 b390 5974 cd7d a987 6343 36ca 2f24
3bb2 2586 43a0 f638 1470 0246 1d74 f3e6
b5a3 89ea d1c2 bef7 0c1b 6dfb b7ea aa15
2c97 312b 3da6 76ca 0d7f de71 5bb2 e88e
17f2 b709 85da 3f22 d269 a481 e643 f3fa
5d34 0eaa ef28 a652 b16a e926 a07a 2dc7
28b5 279f 42c0 5cff ff22 f595 f410 738e
9694 800e 219d e1ab 4020 7520 a74b 4a99
bed5 1465 383a 4784 6047 7850 9b4a 0265
e645 a6b7 497c d4f7 a2f9 bcc1 e3ef 4343
a5e8 adac 5252 2ca4 52d6 a67c e23f b8b3
72f8 31ec 9ee3 2fc1 3d00 5929 399e ab07
9e56 bf25 67c7 78e2 d1af 9956 730e ab9d
50fb f72c 5c8e 1e79 a7f8 917b c4cb 0791
8b90 cd1e 8a0c 2498 391e f9fd f4df 2a7b
7fe6 08a7 72b4 8b1d f56c f129 b184 19ff
d4ad 9fd8 bf29 5c57 9cc5 d679 3de9 164c
218b 5937 e3c1 

 

[Leyra.vkc 0 iPhone 16 Pro 18.4]

Hello, I was able to make progress in my research. It turns out that the files were encrypted in xxtea. The game I'm trying to hack uses the cocos2d library from what I understand.

I searched on several forums which said they could obtain the key and the signature by disassembling a certain *.so file (using for example IDAPro or Ghidra), however I found nothing of the sort in mine.

Do any of you know anything about IOS game architecture and could help me move forward? I remain available.

 

Thanks in advance

[VaaR 36k iPhone X 12.1]

What’s the game 

[Leyra.vkc 0 iPhone 16 Pro 18.4]

Hello @VaaR, thanks for replying,

The game is Orb Master (i've posted itune links and all details in the hack request forum).

[VaaR 36k iPhone X 12.1]

16 hours ago, Leyra.vkc said:

Hello @VaaR, thanks for replying,

The game is Orb Master (i've posted itune links and all details in the hack request forum).

I wasn’t able to get the key, maybe someone more experienced in this can help.

Let me know if you make any progress!

[Leyra.vkc 0 iPhone 16 Pro 18.4]

Hey, anyone for help ? 😅

[Leyra.vkc 0 iPhone 16 Pro 18.4]

Hey @VaaR, i managed to import the "ball" file into ghidra and i think that they key might be found in there. I don't have alot of experience in reverse so if you can help with something it'll not be a refusal :)

[VaaR 36k iPhone X 12.1]

2 hours ago, Leyra.vkc said:

Hey @VaaR, i managed to import the "ball" file into ghidra and i think that they key might be found in there. I don't have alot of experience in reverse so if you can help with something it'll not be a refusal

I’ve already looked there and couldn’t find the key

[Taylor Meyer 276 iPad Air 2 15.8]

Hi i was researching this --not very experienced but it looks like it is hardcoded in the Ball executable 

Updated March 18, 2025 by Taylor Meyer

[Taylor Meyer 276 iPad Air 2 15.8]

@Leyra.vkc i just found this https://felipejfc.medium.com/reverse-engineering-a-cocos2dx-js-game-6cecc1c08f28

i can confirm a couple of things the game does use Cocos and XxTea