decompiling and Exe

ben dover

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Feb 11, 2003, 8:40:27 AM2/11/03

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Hi GRoup!

I would like to know if it possible to decompile and Exe (VB). What programs
are used to do this if possible. I am writing a program and am afraid that
the exe will be decompiled and reused. Which is obviously undersireable. Is
there a way to prevent the decompiling of an Exe (that is if it is possible
in the first place).

Thanx in advance. Any links would be appreciated!!

Sin

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Feb 11, 2003, 9:26:08 AM2/11/03

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> I would like to know if it possible to decompile and Exe (VB). What
programs
> are used to do this if possible. I am writing a program and am afraid that
> the exe will be decompiled and reused. Which is obviously undersireable.
Is
> there a way to prevent the decompiling of an Exe (that is if it is
possible
> in the first place).

Well obviously an executable is build from bytecodes and these can be
interpreted (thank god, cause otherwise the CPU wouldn't understand it!!!).
Bytecode can usually be disassembled into ASM (the output of which usually
does not compile without major corrections).

But rest assured, you can't get the VB code back from an executable...

I don't know the P-Code format though but I suspect it might be easy to
dissassemble back into VB code. I don't think the variable or function names
would follow though.

Ps: Don't crosspost!!!!

Alex.

RKerr

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Feb 11, 2003, 1:13:29 PM2/11/03

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On Tue, 11 Feb 2003 15:40:27 +0200, "ben dover" <b...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

It is not possible to prevent your application from being
reverse-engineered. If you're looking for data security, use proven
ciphers. Obscurity is no security.

If you're thinking someone is going to click a button on a decompiler
and come up with Visual Basic source code, you have nothing to worry
about. It is far more work to decompile, reverse, and rewrite ASM to
C to VB than it is to simply duplicate (emulate) the functionality of
the given program.

RKerr

Randy Birch

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Feb 11, 2003, 5:46:52 PM2/11/03

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VB what? VB.net, yes. VB3, sort of. VB4 no, VB5 pcode exe's ... sort of,
through a web-based tool some guy wrote, VB6 no, not that I've ever seen.

--

Randy Birch
MVP Visual Basic
http://www.mvps.org/vbnet/
Please respond only to the newsgroups so all can benefit.

"ben dover" <b...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:b2au1c$u6m$1...@news.adamastor.ac.za...
# Hi GRoup!
#
# I would like to know if it possible to decompile and Exe (VB). What
programs
# are used to do this if possible. I am writing a program and am afraid that
# the exe will be decompiled and reused. Which is obviously undersireable.
Is
# there a way to prevent the decompiling of an Exe (that is if it is
possible
# in the first place).
#
# Thanx in advance. Any links would be appreciated!!
#
#
#
#

George Copeland

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Feb 11, 2003, 11:09:54 PM2/11/03

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"Visual Boodu .NET" <s...@il.mail> wrote in message
news:eba2a.14847$Xo.5...@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

> www.decompiler.com <- This site should answer your concerns..

That site has been posted on this newsgroup many times before. Nothing on
it is of any use "decompiling" a VB 6 executable.