There is bound to be certain hazards of hacking and total disasters have become a possibility. The organizations should take paramount efforts at their end to less their impact. Obfuscation of code is one of the methods that when performed would be keep the administered codes from the reach of bad hands.
The working of obfuscation
Obfuscation takes the solace of thwarted logic and multi- part to ensure that the code infrastructure is intense. The complexity of higher code would necessitate a lot of work from the side of a reader. Hence the reader can be an application, device or personal.
To cope up with the obfuscation of programming languages like OS for Android and ISO development platform, offering of decompiles takes place. This is often used for reverse engineering code. An example is we end up using an obfuscator code to convert a simple code. So as to make sure that the correctness of the code is intact, with tools you may evaluate the code output. Obfuscation tools may also to download the changed code files which means you will be able to use them.
If you are looking to manually follow this process there are numerous methods that you can use.
The techniques of code obfuscation
It all evolves down to the needs; it is possible to apply obfuscation, at the semantic/ lexical code structure during the control flow. The technique would take place as part of the changes, that it brings to the administered code depending upon application. There are a few techniques of code obfuscation that the developers end up using as follows
- String encryption- the strings are part of a well centric code and you may be able to spot it easily. This tends to be immediate and ready to hack that the methods or variables is not going to bring in a lot of value as strings may be references for vital codes. In making sure that the hackers are not able to target the stings one tends to use string encryption. When you add encryption layers on to a sting, that would trim down the targeted code and when the details are needed it would be revealed.
- Rename obfuscation- Pretty much as the name sounds it would mean altering or changing the methods or codes to confuse the hackers. When you undertake the process of renaming the obfuscation, ensure that the program functionality is not influenced. It means that the changeable names needs to be readily identified and no form of change to be made in the code. This would depend upon the preference of a developer as the new name scheming. It works out to be one of the popular obfuscation methods for Java, Android etc.
- Insertion of dummy code- in the original code there is a possibility of inserting a dummy code. This is not bound to have any influence on the original code as reverse engineering would be a difficult task.
- Removing the unused non- crucial code and metadata- the presence of non- crucial data that is unused and metadata turns out to be a golden opportunity for the hackers. So by resorting to the use of this method, the non- crucial information be it code, output or comments, are eradicated. By following such methods this would improve the performance of an application.
- Anti- debug- On to the application layer of your program you could add an obfuscate code to ensure whether the application tends to functional in a debugger. It ensures that the presence of a debugger is found early in an application and prevents any form of unforeseen data changes. It can be unwanted form of custom actions, data corruption in a crucial form or any type of random warning signals.
- Anti- taper- if the hacker is able to recognize, tampering they will be aware on how to hamper the functional features of an application. This would make the code full proof more so against tapering.
How to figure out if obfuscation was successful?
The moment hacking, tapering or editing jobs are not going to succeed obfuscation is done. One of the best platforms to obtain more information about the same is Appsealing. To make sure that the functionality is intact as the programming data along with the related application would be protected properly. How successful the process of obfuscation is dependent upon some techniques
Resilience
There is bound to be a series of efforts that is directed towards obfuscation methods, it is only going to work when the jumbled or obfuscated code, would withstand intruders along with the methods of obfuscation. If it is not going to break then kudos to the code as it is strong and keeps the hacking at bay.
Differentiation
Due to the process of differentiation it means the difference between the altered code and the actual code. If differences exist at control flow, nesting or level of inheritance, then it would be really difficult for a hacker to decipher the code.
Things tend to go unnoticed
Thought the new code that you may have obfuscated has to be different from the original code at different levels. In a lot of ways it has to be similar to the early one, so as to confuse the threat aspect. If this happens it would make it really difficult for a hacker to interpret the actual code when you use methods like reverse engineering. What it means is that the application code is safe to be used.
The resources that you have invested should not be on the higher side when you make obfuscation part of the development cycle. By doing so it may double up the burden on the operations department. A viable method in such cases would be in using methods that you could deploy quickly and be working with available means.
It is not possible to have zero impact on the original code when you are making certain type of alterations. The impact of the intensity is dependent upon the technique used.
