1

I have an algorithm in my code that is worth some money so I want to encrypt my iPhone app with 128-bit encryption before I put it on the market so it can not be decompiled and I am having trouble finding information on what is the best way to do it. It cant use internet either.

Thanks in advance

Robin
  • 372
  • 6
  • 18
  • 2
    Good luck with that - since it will need to be decrypted at run-time you will never be able to make any protection scheme bullet-proof – Paul R Jan 06 '12 at 16:32
  • what would you suggest to be the best way? I am not very familiar with apple products. – Robin Jan 06 '12 at 16:37
  • 1
    I don't think there's much you *can* do - a determined hacker will decompile your app if they are sufficiently motivated regardless of whatever obstacles you place in their path. – Paul R Jan 06 '12 at 16:40

6 Answers6

6

I don't believe you are allowed to encrypt the entire app if you plan on submitting to the App Store. If your algorithm makes you that much money, you should be able to hire lawyers to sue anyone decompiling your app.

Bill Burgess
  • 14,054
  • 6
  • 49
  • 86
  • I have a provisional patent on the algorithm and I was mostly looking for a way to make it harder for someone to hack the app. add any extra security that i can. thanks for the help. – Robin Jan 06 '12 at 17:03
  • 1
    It would take a lot for someone to decompile your app direct from the app store. I'm not saying it can't happen, but you just don't hear about a lot of apps being broke down and gutted for code. Just keep the name of the app quiet, and you should fly under the radar just fine. – Bill Burgess Jan 06 '12 at 17:07
5

Completely agree with Bill. You can't make your app uncrackable. What you can do is just make it difficult for the hackers to try such a thing. See the options that you have in discussions in this thread and some general discussions about why it's difficult, in this thread.

Community
  • 1
  • 1
Vin
  • 10,517
  • 10
  • 58
  • 71
4

Go the legal way. File for a software patent. Uncrackable does not exist.

An alternative is to keep all proprietary algorithms on a server and make the app call web services.

Anders Marzi Tornblad
  • 18,896
  • 9
  • 51
  • 66
  • thanks but due to its nature and intended client base, it can not use internet. Should have mentioned that in the question. – Robin Jan 06 '12 at 16:53
2

An alternative solution might be to extract the valuable algorithms and externalise them to a web service that you can better protect.

Mat Ryer
  • 3,797
  • 4
  • 26
  • 24
1

Everything is crackable... That being said, I agree with Mat Ryer's comment 100%, that is the best way to protect your algorithm.

ElasticThoughts
  • 3,417
  • 8
  • 43
  • 58
0

We have created a vault iphone application with Blowfish 128 bits. Application has been approved by Apple, but in a first and mandatory step, you need to be approved by US government. This step can last several months. Apple will guide you in the process.

YvesJusot
  • 479
  • 4
  • 5