Re: executable obfuscator?
Re: executable obfuscator?
- Subject: Re: executable obfuscator?
- From: Steve Hershey <email@hidden>
- Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 02:07:05 -0800 (PST)
Gentlemen,
Thank you for your comments regarding executable
obfuscation.
In my very brief foray into software reverse
engineering, I've encountered three contexts in which
this topic is relevant:
1. software lock picking
2. virus detection
3. intellectual property discovery
The impetus for my question was #3, but the thread
drifted toward #1, which is not surprising since many
developers on this list would like to prevent
'cracked' versions of their software from appearing in
the public domain.
The papers I found on-line didn't mention things that
I could do to source code that would have a beneficial
effect on executables. The next step for me is to
actually disassemble some gcc executables and see what
hackers actually see. Naked strings may well stand out
as an
obvious source of information to would-be hackers.
Returning to #3, one of the interesting things I have
learned is that some software publishers try to
prevent customers from obtaining intellectual property
from executables (and thereby compromising their trade
secrets) by specifically forbidding reverse
engineering in their software licenses. However, there
appears to be some doubt whether these restrictions
would actually hold up in court.
(BTW, standard terminology appears to be 'binary
obfuscation' rather than 'executable obfuscation').
Here are some additional resources:
"Innovative Software-Based Anti-Tamper Techniques",
Tzi-cker Chiueh, Stony Brook University,
www.ecsl.cs.sunysb.edu/sphinx/design.doc
http://www.usenix.org/events/sec04/tech/full_papers/kruegel/kruegel_html/disassemble.html
http://www.stunnix.com/prod/cxxo/overview.shtml
- Steve
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