What Are The Different Code Obfuscation Techniques?

Jill D
3 min readJan 19, 2022

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Among the most well known versatile mobile app security methodologies for forestalling application hacking is code confusion. It is among the most often exhorted AppSec projects by online protection experts around the world, and it generally assesses your application’s insignificant security necessities. This system is often utilized as a significant safeguard procedure against programmer assaults and secures against average dangers, for example, code infusing, figuring out, and obstructing user and programming client private details.

Code obfuscation is the process of changing programmed code such that it is no longer understandable, interpretable, or functional. The code written is obfuscated from the point where it is unreadable and difficult to comprehend, by a 3rd person. Obfuscation of code has no effect on the software’s end-user platform or the code’s planned outcome. It’s only a preventative measure to make the code worthless for a possible hacker who gets their eyes on software’s functional code.

Different Code Obfuscation Techniques

The following are some of the techniques of code obfuscation:

1. Rename Obfuscation

This method includes naming factors confusingly with the goal that the first purpose of utilizing them is astutely veiled. Techniques and factors are renamed utilizing various documentation and numbers, which makes it hard for decompilers to comprehend the control stream. This obscurity method is normally used to jumble application code created in NET, Java and Android stages. This falls under the general class of format jumbling, focusing on the source code straightforwardly to achieve a safeguarded layer for the application.

2. Data Obfuscation

This strategy tends to the information base frameworks utilized during the code obfuscation, making it incomprehensible for the programmer to get to the framework’s unique target. This might involve changing the way information is saved in memory by the product, just as how the saved information is handled for a definitive result. The following are some of the techniques of Data obfuscation: Aggregation Obfuscation, Storage obfuscation, ordering obfuscation, Control/Code Flow Obfuscation, String encryption.

3. Obfuscation is being Debugged.

Debug data is frequently useful in determining vital details about program flow and defects by uninstalling and reinstalling source code. It’s critical to conceal such sensitive data by modifying their identities, line numbers, or turning off accessibility to debug data entirely.

4. Address Obfuscation

Memory programming mistakes have developed broadly in attacks, particularly in non-memory safe dialects like C and C++. App Security imperfections are regularly brought about blunders, for example, uncontrolled cluster access. The location jumbling approach makes figuring out troublesome since the virtual addresses of the code and information of the program are randomized each time the changeover code is performed. Thus, most memory-mistake assaults are non-deterministic, with an exceptionally low probability of achievement.

Also Read: How To Make React Native Applications More Secure?

Conclusion

As a result, code obfuscation is just not a one-stop destination for all software safety requirements. Depending on the privacy requirement, program type, and efficiency benchmarks, the development group may explore adopting a variety of code obfuscation methods and to secure their software from OWASP mobile top 10 risks.

These must be completed while considering the benefits and drawbacks of every strategy. This method must be used in conjunction with some other AppSec efforts like encrypting, RASP, document protection regulations, and so on.

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Jill D
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I am tech freak. I love to read and write about the same. Hence, here i am to share my knowledge with you all!