I've got some code and I need to stop people looking at it and stealing it. Can I obfuscate it easily?. I also need to do it with the .hex code so they cant reverse it.
I think this is a very common requirement. Is there a button in keil to do it?
Advise please.
Be aware that most hackers and reverse engineering experts are a lot smarter than the average developer.
Is there a button you can press to get smarter? No, so don't assume there is a magic way to change how processors execute machine code. Available protection methods may be discussed in product manuals.
Sometimes a chip will have a fuse to lock down debug or programming access to the internal memory that can limit access via traditional tools, but generally there are other specialized methods and equipment that can be brought to bear.
reverse engineering the code read out from a chip is virtually impossible. I have experience from doing this legally. I ended up writing the code from scratch instead.
Of course if you can use the code read from a chip as is that is another story.
so, just set the flags to prevent readout of the chip and lock your source up and you are as safe as can be. Is that totally safe, by no means, all it means is that it cost effort or money to steal.
Erik
Not so! There are organisations & individuals who offer that very service!
It's not (necessarily) easy and, therefore, it's not cheap - but some find it worthwhile...
Of course, nobody's going to waste the money/effort on some "me-too" 8051+I2C+GSM student project.
Unless that student is just trying to hide the fact that they stole the code from somewhere else...
"virtually"
it is virtually impossible to strike a match on a bar of soap, but if you have the time, money and equipment to harden the bar, you can do it.
And someone who does have the time, money and equipment is not going to be defeated by mere obfuscation!
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