Dotfuscator for .NET

PreEmptive Solutions, LLC was acquired by the American corporation Idera, Inc. on March 2, 2021 which in turn is owned by the Swiss investment firm "Partners Group AG.

Dotfuscator: How Does It Work?

Dotfuscator is a code obfuscation tool designed to enhance the security of .NET applications. Here's a brief rundown of how it functions:

1. Code Obfuscation: Dotfuscator obfuscates your .NET code, making it challenging for prying eyes to comprehend. It renames classes, methods, and variables into cryptic names without altering the code's functionality.


2. String Encryption: Critical strings within your code are encrypted, adding an extra layer of protection. This makes reverse engineering attempts more arduous.


3. Control Flow Obfuscation: Dotfuscator alters the logical flow of your code, making it harder for attackers to follow and understand the execution paths..

Key Features: Unveiling the Core Aspects

Dotfuscator comes equipped with a range of features:

1. STRING ENCRYPTION: Dotfuscator enhances security by encrypting sensitive strings in specific parts of your .NET application. This prevents attackers from easily locating and exploiting critical code sections, such as time-lock algorithms, in binary code. This encryption minimizes runtime impact as it selectively encrypts only the designated areas of the application.


2. WATERMARKING: Dotfuscator supports tracking unauthorized copies by embedding data like copyright information into a .NET application without affecting runtime behavior. The watermarking algorithm does not increase the application size and introduces no additional metadata that could disrupt functionality.


3. PRUNING – UNUSED METHOD REMOVAL: Dotfuscator's pruning feature analyzes the code to identify and remove unused types, methods, and fields to improve application performance while reducing size. Debug information and unnecessary metadata are also removed, restricting available data for potential attackers.


4. LINKING – ASSEMBLY MERGING: Dotfuscator can merge multiple input assemblies into one or more output assemblies, reducing the application size and simplifying deployment scenarios, especially in conjunction with renaming and pruning.


5. TAMPER DETECTION & DEFENSE: Dotfuscator inserts code to verify the application's integrity at runtime and takes actions such as shutting down the application or triggering random crashes when manipulations are detected.


6. DEBUG DETECTION & DEFENSE USING CHECKS: Dotfuscator can insert predefined validations (checks) into .NET applications to detect and respond to unauthorized uses, such as debugging or manipulation, with configurable reporting and reaction functions.


7. SHELF LIFE: Dotfuscator's Shelf Life feature allows embedding expiration or deactivation logic into an application. It responds to the expiration date by terminating the application and/or sending notifications, especially useful for beta or evaluation applications.


8. ROOT CHECK FOR XAMARIN.ANDROID: Dotfuscator can detect when an app is running on a rooted Android device, and users can terminate sessions, isolate the app, and/or report incidents.

Sources

Dotfuscator