AThook

AThook is a term that appears in software development to describe a class of function-hooking techniques and related libraries intended to intercept calls to existing functions and alter program behavior at runtime. Because there is no single, canonical reference, the exact meaning of AThook varies by project and community. In general, AThook approaches fall under the broader category of API hooking, and may include inline hooking, import table (IAT) or export table (EAT) hooking, or trampoline-based methods that transfer control to user code before resuming original execution.

Platforms and use cases: Implementations may target common operating systems such as Windows, macOS, Android, and Linux. Common uses include debugging, performance profiling, telemetry, instrumentation, sandboxing, modding, license checking, or reverse engineering. In game communities, such tools are frequently used to alter game behavior, which can breach terms of service.

Implementation notes: AThook-like tools generally require elevated privileges or specific runtime conditions; they may rely on process injection, DLL injection, dynamic patching, or library interposition. They can be detected or blocked by security software; using them may introduce stability and security risks.

See also: function hooking, inline hooking, IAT hooking, EAT hooking, and trampoline-based hooking.