Obfuscating C-based binaries to avoid decompilation

Question

Is there some way to obfuscate C-based executables or libraries to prevent decompilation?

Answer 1

If you really want to jumble it up you need a separate program to do it. As a developer you write your code in the cleanest, and most readable form. Post compilation you run the separate application to do the obfuscation. You can buy such applications for about $100K.

If your intention is to stop the code from being reversed engineered that will probably work. If your intention is to stop someone from cracking the security then obfuscation alone won't stop a determined attacker. At some point there is a yes/no decision they don't need to understand the code to find that nor to circumvent it.