Question

code obfuscation

Asked by: nil_dib

assume the following situation:

client/server app.
the server holds some objects (lets say from class MyClass) which the client can download. the server than serializes these objects and sends them to the client, where the objetcts will be deserialized ( HENCE CLASS MyClass IS USED IN THE SERVER AND CLIENT PROJECT ).

the problem:
when I obfuscate my code, eg. for the server, than the client can't deserialize the object MyClass,cause MyClass becomes another classname due to the obfuscation.
obfuscate server and client results in different class names (in the server and in the client, eg. on the server MyClass becomes 'a' in the server and 'b' in the client).

How to solve that problem ?
Any suggestions, comments answers are wellcome.

nil_dib
 

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Asked On
2000-11-28 at 04:48:56ID11999639
Topic

Java Programming Language

Participating Experts
7
Points
0
Comments
14

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Answers

 

by: cpettiferPosted on 2000-11-28 at 06:57:24ID: 5628581

I know nothing of obfuscation at all...but hey. If there was an obfuscator that didn't change class names you could use that...then the class names would be the same, but code would be unreadable.

Other solution is not to obfuscate. Open source rulez doesn't it? hehe.

Sorry, I'm not very helpful here.

CP

 

by: nil_dibPosted on 2000-11-28 at 07:33:58ID: 5629440

>...didn't change class names ...
and the public fields and methods!!

>...then the class names would be the same
than I only have a 'semi obfuscation', and the possibility of hacking my code increases ...

>Open source rulez doesn't it?
we have a customer, and his capital is the data, which we send from client to server ...
so open source is unacceptable.

>Sorry, I'm not very helpful here.
no problem, as I said: Any suggestions, comments answers are welcome!


 

 

by: mschanerPosted on 2000-11-28 at 08:33:45ID: 5630582

This may be a dumb question, but why do you care what the name of the class is if you can find out what it is and use it with class Class?

 

by: nil_dibPosted on 2000-11-28 at 08:54:21ID: 5630847

I cant use methods like Class.forName() ... cause this requires the name of the class ... and after obfuscation I don't know the name!

nil_dib

 

by: mschanerPosted on 2000-11-28 at 09:03:34ID: 5630985

but wouldn't Class.getName() give you that name?

 

by: kylarPosted on 2000-11-28 at 09:51:24ID: 5631920

What you have to do is to obfuscate the client and server at the same time, in the same runtime, then both will refer to the same class. Another method (and I haven't tried this, so I don't know how it works) is to give the class a serialID like the Java classes have, then when it checks the serial ID, they will both be the same.

Kylar

 

by: omry_yPosted on 2000-11-28 at 16:06:47ID: 5639136

you can obfuscate everything except the class name
just dont rename it,.
because, as you noticed, if you rename it, you cant de-serialize it.
a note : if your obfuscator remove useless fields, you may also have problems when de-serializing.
the solution is :
dont obfuscate serializeble classes in a way that will hurt the ability to de-serialize.

 

by: k_suchdevaPosted on 2000-11-29 at 01:10:52ID: 5647233

I think it is simple.
Just obfuscate the code of the class which is to be sent it to the network and copy that obfuscated class file on to the server.
I mean on server do not obfuscate it again.

 

by: nil_dibPosted on 2000-11-29 at 01:50:48ID: 5647807

thanks for all the comments...

kylar:
I already work with serailID, but that does not effect/solve the problem.
Obfuscating the client and server at the same time is good idea, will think about that.

omry_y:
>you can obfuscate everything except the class name
and all public methods and fields ?!
Than the code is 'semi obfuscated'.

k_suchdeva:
unfourtunately its not that easy, cause when I copy the obfuscated class file to the server, my server will expect a class named 'MyClass' but will receive a class named eg. 'a'.

nil_dib

 

by: k_suchdevaPosted on 2000-11-29 at 02:01:49ID: 5647951

So i think the only option u have is obfuscating client and server at the same time.
It should definatley work.
Let us now how it worked.
Regards
Khem

 

by: sudhakar_koundinyaPosted on 2003-06-27 at 03:35:18ID: 8812233



No comment has been added lately, so it's time to clean up this TA.
I will leave a recommendation in the Cleanup topic area that this question is:


[PAQ'ed/points not refunded]


Please leave any comments here within the next seven days.
 
PLEASE DO NOT ACCEPT THIS COMMENT AS AN ANSWER!
 
sudhakar_koundinya
EE Cleanup Volunteer

 

by: omry_yPosted on 2003-06-27 at 13:45:16ID: 8816383

Since the correct answer is to avoid obfuscation of serializeable class names (My comment) AND obfuscate server and client code at the same time (k_suchdeva's comment), I think the points should be splited between us.

 

by: YensidModPosted on 2003-07-06 at 12:16:28ID: 8864686

Per recommendation.

YensidMod
EE Moderator

 

by: omry_yPosted on 2003-07-06 at 12:57:19ID: 8864836

I see you have totally ignored my comment.
how lovely.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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