"We have been testing your Redvers Cloaking Device, and we have found it to be an excellent product. We haven't had any problem when running it, and the result after converting one of our source code is fantastic."
Infodesa (Spain)
"the cloaking tool is a fine product."
Valutility Software (USA)
Redvers Cloaking Device - Obfuscator for COBOL
The Redvers Cloaking Device is a COBOL obfuscator that protects the intellectual property in COBOL source code by removing all comprehensible text, names and labels without changing the logic. This product is a valuable resource for outsourcing, backup and business continuity projects. It can even be used to bring in-house COBOL products to market.
Main features:
- Runs on any COBOL platform using the standard 80 byte reference format
- Distributed in COBOL source code form (cloaked)
- No special compile/link requirements
- Resulting code is 70% smaller than the original
- Facility to exclude specific lines from cloaking
- Encrypts procedure division literals
- Operates on pre-translated and post-translated source code (SQL, CICS etc.)
- Once cloaked, source cannot be uncloaked
- Free 30 day trial
In these times of global outsourcing and black markets in industrial secrets, it is essential that valuable and sensitive COBOL source code is protected before it is seen by external organizations.
The Redvers Cloaking Device provides this protection, while leaving the COBOL in its source code state so that it can be compiled and tested along with the rest of the system code.
Whether you develop commercial software in COBOL or you are an end user, the Redvers Cloaking Device will protect your ideas and enable you to distribute software in source code form, giving you access to all COBOL platforms.
Download a Cloaking Device PDF white paper here:
How it Works
The Redvers Cloaking Device (RCCLOAK) is a self-contained batch COBOL program that requires no copybooks, includes or objects. The RCCLOAK source code has itself been cloaked in order to protect authors and clients from code alterations by unqualified personnel.
In order to cloak a program just pass RCCLOAK the original source code as a data file and it will write a file containing the cloaked COBOL source code. The cloaked source can then be compiled, linked and run in place of the original source.
Technical Information
The Redvers Cloaking Device (2.4) consists of a standard batch COBOL program (RCCLOAK) that compiles in the same way as any other COBOL program. It has one input file (RCCOBIN) which is assigned to the target source and one output file (RCCOBOUT) that produces the cloaked/obfuscated source. Both input and output files are sequential 80 byte fixed length records.
The target source can be any variation of COBOL program, from any machine environment. The only requirements are that the program conforms to the standard 80 byte reference format and contains the DATA DIVISION statement.
A sample section of cloaked source code can be seen below:
Once a program has been cloaked it is not possible to reverse engineer the source so that meaningful text and data names are restored.
Cloaked source code remains compliant with all COBOL standards and can be compiled, linked and executed in the normal way. Cloaked programs are currently running all over the world, on iSeries/AS400, UNIX, HP, CA-Realia, Fujitsu Siemens BS2000, Micro Focus and IBM mainframe platforms.
It is important to note that the cloaking process does not attempt to check the syntax or validity of the input source code. Therefore if compile errors exist before cloaking, the same errors will exist afterwards.
Specific lines within the input source code can be preserved from the cloaking process if required. This can be useful when source code is outsourced or offered for sale and certain information needs to be passed to the supplier/customer.
Version 2.3 of the device introduced the facility to encrypt procedure division literals. If these literals are left in obfuscated code without encryption, they can provide important clues about program functionality to people trying to break into the cloaked code.
Patent Pending