Securely distributing python source code as an application?

[xkenneth]

Hi All,

I'll shortly be distributing a number of python applications that
use proprietary. The software is part of a much larger system and it
will need to be distributed securely. How can i achieve this?

Regards,
Ken

[xkenneth]

Re: Securely distributing python source code as an application?

Message should have read:
Hi All,

I'll shortly be distributing a number of python applications that
use proprietary source code. The software is part of a much larger
system and it
will need to be distributed securely. How can i achieve this?

Regards,
Ken

[sturlamolden]

Re: Securely distributing python source code as an application?

On 7 Des, 23:37, xkenneth <xkenn...@gmail .comwrote:

I'll shortly be distributing a number of python applications that
use proprietary. The software is part of a much larger system and it
will need to be distributed securely. How can i achieve this?

If you provide the application as a web service there is no need to
distribute anything all. That is what Google does.

You don't have to distribute your Python source code. You can
distribute Python bytecode (.pyc files).

Python bytecode can be decompiled, but the source can not be
retrieved. The same is true for Java bytecode, .NET assemblies, even
native executables and library files. Reverse engineering not just an
issue for programs written in Python.

You can oobfuscate the bytecode further. You can build your own Python
runtime and scramble the opcodes. You can device a system that
encrypts and decrypts the bytecode on the fly. But there is no
foolproof way of doing this. Anything you do can be cracked by an
expert. But you can make it very difficult to decompile the bytecode.

You can watermark the bytecode sent to each customer. It will not
prevent reverse engineering, but you will know who is sharing it on
BitTorrent.

You can use a license manager like Macrovision's flexlm. If you build
your own Python runtime from source and scramble the opcodes, you
would have a rather safe licence manager if it's linked with the
flexlm client library.

There is no universal answer to this question. It depends on your
assessment of the risks and the measurements you are willing and
capable of taking. How malicious do you expect your customers to be?
How technologically competent are they? How paranoid are you? Etc.

[Tim Churches]

Re: Securely distributing python source code as an application?

xkenneth wrote:

Message should have read:
Hi All,
>
I'll shortly be distributing a number of python applications that
use proprietary source code. The software is part of a much larger
system and it
will need to be distributed securely. How can i achieve this?

You need to define what you mean by "securely" by specifying what types
of threat you wish to protect against.

Tim C

[Larry Bates]

Re: Securely distributing python source code as an application?

xkenneth wrote:

Hi All,
>
I'll shortly be distributing a number of python applications that
use proprietary. The software is part of a much larger system and it
will need to be distributed securely. How can i achieve this?
>
Regards,
Ken

We have partnered with developers to use our product WebSafe to provide secure
software distribution (among other uses for the service). Take a look at:
http://www.websafe.com. We have a special program for developers that allows
you to put our API inside your application as well.

Larry Bates
Vice President/CTO
WebSafe, Inc.

[Ben Finney]

Re: Securely distributing python source code as an application?

xkenneth <xkenneth@gmail .comwrites:

I'll shortly be distributing a number of python applications that
use proprietary.

That's unfortunate. Hopefully it's not too late to avoid restricting
yourself and your users in this way.

The software is part of a much larger system and it will need to be
distributed securely. How can i achieve this?

That depends partly on what "distribute d securely" means for you. Can
you elaborate? In particular, what threat model are you seeking
security from?

--
\ "If I ever get real rich, I hope I'm not real mean to poor |
`\ people, like I am now." -- Jack Handey |
_o__) |
Ben Finney