When a program like VB.NET compiles a project into an EXE file, how secure is the program? Obviously a lot of the information within the project is used only to compile, and isn't actually contained within the EXE. But how much, if any, an EXE file be 'de-compiled' or reverse engineered?

For example if I have a password within a textbox, can my EXE file be decompiled to reveal the password?

Thanks in advance

Nick

It's not secure. VB.NET compiles to IL. IL is human readable- I have not done it, but I expect you might even be able to read the plaintext password right out of the .exe.

If not, a simple hex editor would do the trick.

And they can be decompiled without a problem back to any other .net language- however you could even edit they byte code directly.



Hal Levy
Web Developer, PDI Inc.

NOT a Wiley/Wrox Employee

If you need to store a password internally in an EXE... I suggest using some form of encryption to pre-encrypt the password. Use the result of the encryption within the EXE. When a password is entered you'll need to encrypt that and then compare the result with the pre-encrypted password. The end result will be the same, but you don't have to store the plain text version of the password.

Peter
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Work smarter, not harder.

Thank you. I had a feeling that that was the case...