OT How to protect source code

Report · Jun 04, 2010

Hello guys, sorry for the OT.
I'm looking suggestions how to protect my sourcecode. I want to prevent some customer send my code to another guy.

Report · Jun 04, 2010

Other than placing warnings and copyright notices, you can't protect client side source code. Server side source code is already protected.

Report · Jun 04, 2010

Hello bregent, thankyou for reply.

I need to protect the code from ftp, I don't want my customer send my work to other...

Report · Jun 04, 2010

You'll need to explain yourself a little better. FTP is a file transfer protocol. Only people with the ftp credentials can access the files via ftp. Please explain what type of source code you are trying to protect and who are you trying to keep it from? Tell us the details of the scenario that you are worried about.

You do realize that all client side source code is readily available to everyone on the web, right?

Report · Jun 04, 2010

Sorry, I need to explain better.

Some of my customers alredy have a hosting service and ftp data to access directly to the files. I need to protect my php source code. With a little web search I found some solutions but I think is not the best way, some software for obfuscate php code need a library on the web server.

I don't want someone can get my source code.

Report · Jun 04, 2010

Short answer is, there is no way to protect your code from being hacked, nulled and copied unlawfully 100%. No one can guarantee that.

There are 3 leading code encryption products in the industry: Zend Guard, Ioncube and Sourceguardian, which all three have proven to be crackable.

But, look at the bright side:

Encryption softwares are getting smarter and difficult to crack, so if you protect your code with them, it will not be an easy task for your customer to crack it and share with his/her friends.

If your customers (and non-customer) wants to crack your code so desperately, that they can go great lengths to have it in their own server for free, you have nothing to worry about either. Because that means you wrote a hell of a good piece of software that everyone wants, and you should have tons of legitimate paying customers already.

And also, if you encrypt your code, there is a secret weapon you can always use: Fear mongering.

The possibility of your customer will be able to crack the encrypted code is zero to none. They most probably will search the net for auto-cracker, nuller scripts to do that. Since writer of those being hackers, they are the bad guys, and if your customer use their services their website/server and even home computer may be hacked and infected with viruses and malware. This will prevent most of the average Joe doing bad things

Report · Jun 05, 2010

Thankyou Burak, yes I think is the best way.

Sorry about the question, your customer have ftp and other domain data when you develop a web application ?
I work in this field from some years and last months I see my works "modified" from someone.

Report · Jun 04, 2010

The best way to protect the source is by having libraries on your online server to import from the client's website.

Simple process using includes in php

Report · Jun 05, 2010

Hello Aroldo,

The php files to include must be in the same domain...

You mean to buy a dedicated server service and include files from protected directory ?

Report · Jun 05, 2010

Example,

clients (include) php file that will include an absolute

url pointer to the files you're trying to protect.

basically add in the index.php file for your clients main folder

<?php
include('data.php');
?>

this is the data.php code

<?php

include ('http://url.com/head.php');
include ('http://url.com/body.php');
include ('http://url.com/footer.php');

?>

<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>website title</title> 
</head>
<!-- body.php -->
<body>

<!-- footer.php -->
</body>
</html>

replace the url.com with the location of your protected files.

that's how i do it and i dont have to give the code away since all is being generated from a database.

Report · Jun 07, 2010

Thankyou very much Aroldo,

the include file is very precoius but the providers disable the url file access from server configuration.

Regards