How to decrypt an encrypted ECU file?

Decrypting/Decoding locked ECU files

Have you received a pop and bang file that is very good but locked, and you can't open it to uncover its secrets?! Do you have a very efficient ECU file for your car's fan temperature that has worked well, but when you try to run it in ECU tuning software, you encounter an error?!

Then this article and this tutorial are for you! Follow this article to the end!

Encrypted ECU Files

Encrypted file, protected ECU file, ECU tuning security lock, NO READ locked files and etc.

These names may be recognized by everyone, but they are not that important when you have an ECU file that is locked and you need to unlock/ decode it!

In this article, we intend to teach you how to decrypt an encrypted ECU file.

But before that, it’s better to know how many types of locked ECU files exist and then understand who this tutorial is for.

How many types of locked/encrypted/coded ECU files are there?

In general, there are four models of locked ECU files, which are as follows:

1. ECUs that are locked by manufacturers:

A few ECU manufacturers use such locks. In fact, it can be said that most Chinese ECU manufacturers employ this method.

In this approach, they prevent tuners from reading and writing to the ECU by burning the "fuse bit," effectively encrypting the ECU. Decrypting the ECU using this method is impossible because part of the ECU board is nearly destroyed!

2. ECUs that are locked by ECU tuning companies:

In this method, some companies, such as COBB or MHD Tuning, only modify a portion of the dump (for example, around 300 kilobytes) and lock it to protect their remapped files. Sometimes, files encrypted in this way can be decrypted, but it is a very time-consuming process.

3. Files read by slave ECU Tuning Tools (slave ECU Programmers):

Many manufacturers of well-known ECU tuning tools produce their ECU programmers in two types: slave and master. Files read by slave tuning tools can only be executed and adjusted by a master ECU programmer. In this method, executing a locked file is very difficult and, of course, unprofessional, as it violates the copyright laws of the programmer's manufacturer. Moreover, such an action is meaningless for these types of files and, in fact, unnecessary!

4. Locked files by other tuners or companies with the "NOREAD" tag:

This is the method we will explain in this article. In this approach, some local tuners or even some well-known companies encrypt the ECU, and if you try to run it on software, you will encounter errors like these:

"This software version cannot be processed since it is already modified."

In fact, most of the time, you can read encrypted files in this way from the ECU, but you will not be able to execute and adjust them on ECU tuning software like WinOLS, ECM Titanium, RaceEvo, and other well-known ECU tuning software. However, in this article, we will teach you how to decrypt this category of files so that you can easily decrypt this type of ECU files yourself.

Who is this training suitable for?

This training is suitable for many individuals.

If you have your own ECU tuning workshop or garage, if you are a local ECU tuner, if you are a beginner student or learner interested in ECU tuning, or even if you are looking to perform an ECU tuning/remapping file for your personal vehicle, this training will be right for you. Even if you have purchased a vehicle whose previous owners have locked the ECU, this training is specifically designed for you.

In fact, this article is a form of reverse engineering explained in a simple way so that you can learn and execute this task in the shortest time possible.

Training on decrypting/unlocking ECU files using 010 Editor software:

This tutorial is based on 010 Editor software, which is a powerful text and hex editor designed for analyzing and editing binary files. Software engineers, cybersecurity professionals, and many others who deal with complex binary files use this software.

In this tutorial, we have used 010 Editor to unlock/ decode, locked ECU files.

The file used in this tutorial is a 4 MB EEPROM file related to Bosch ECU and the Iveco brand (Iveco Truck), which has been shared with you at the end of this tutorial.

In fact, both the encrypted and decrypted files have been uploaded for you so that you can download them and practice this tutorial multiple times.

The best way to contact us and get answers to your questions is via WhatsApp +44 781 8419 058 and email info@ninjaremap.com