rank your "uncrackable" software protection

[Archer]

I don't get any point in ranking protections. I think crackers already approximately know about hard and easy protections. So this topic may help only to software developers to choose the hardest protection. And that's the reason why I'm also against releasing protectors to the public. I think it's a bit egoistic and looks like: I can unpack this protector so I'll release it to the public so anyone can pack it's software with it, it's time for you to have some pain with unpacking. Anyway it's just imho.

What about the topic, I successfully unpacked with some generic private tool Themida, ExeCryptor, AsProtect, StarForce and many other packers and protectors. So I think some dongles offer the best protection. Maybe the ones that allow to load arbitrary code into them.

[new_profile]

I didn't find any reference to this h__p://www.metaforic.com/content/, it may be interesting though (h__p://www.developmag.com/tutorials).

haven't spoke up in awhile, but i'll put in my 2 cents re: toughies

execryptor: i've actually written full on inline patches (internal loader ) for this, but it is a bit of a nuisance.

Themida is a great (albeit intrusive on the user side which i don't like). but, again, i've inlined that one as well

obsidium, again great to take on head-on, but still can be inline patched.

protectors like arma have their place (i guess) altho i don't like (for the user side) the extra overhead of a monitoring debugger that controls the app. silly and uses more resources than necessary. oh, and did i forget can also be easily inlined

asprotect: sleek, simple, highly dumpable/crackable except if USED PROPERLY! with it's crypted function blocks that are simply unaccessible unless you have a proper key. easily inlined and dumped, but quick as hell, so better for the end-user. also, easily dumped if you have a real key... but then again, aren't they all (included dongle protections) if you have a source with a valid key to dump vital protected code, then game over.


oh yeah, let's not forget upx... they recently changed their static final jump spot from 61E9 to a different jump config sig

[TmC]

themida seems to become more popular than ever. native instruments is using it on all of his products and the results are quite impressive. no more keygens and only sporadic cracks...

I will have to say that we have a piece of software that uses a wicked combination of the following:

-Sentinel 7.5 USB Key

*PLUS*

-CrypKey 6.1

It appears that the main exe for the program was obfuscated, and I rack my brain trying to kill the combination of these, while leaving the program in a working condition.

I am able to remove the Sentinel from earlier versions, but there's something funky with the Crypkey integration with it.

Other than those, I am from a much older generation of 'cracking', and what you kids do now just amazes and impresses me!

[sirius]

Arma and themeda I think are the best